Read Romans 8:18-30

 

   Sin has caused all creation to fall from the perfect state in which God created it. The world is in bondage to death and decay so that it cannot fulfill its intended purpose. One day all creation will be liberated and transformed. Until that time it waits in eager expectation for the resurrection of God’s children. 

   Christians see the world as it is: physically decaying and spiritually infected with sin. But Christians do not need to be pessimistic, because they have hope for future glory. They look forward to the new heaven and new earth that God has promised, and they wait for God’s new order that will free the world of sin, sickness, and evil. In the meantime, Christians go with Christ into the world where they heal people’s souls and bodies and fight the evil effects of sin in the world. 
We will be resurrected with bodies, glorified bodies like the body Christ now has in heaven (1 Corinthians 15). We have the foretaste, the first installment or down payment of future glory, the Holy Spirit, as an guarantee of our resurrection life (2 Corinthians 1; 5; Ephesians 1). 

 

   It is natural for children to trust their parents, even though parents sometimes fail to keep their promises. Our heavenly Father, however, never makes promises He won’t keep. Nevertheless His plan may take more time than we expect. Rather than acting like impatient children as we wait for God’s will to unfold, we need to have confidence in God’s perfect timing and wisdom. 

 

   In Romans, Paul presents the idea that salvation is past, present, and future. It is past because we were saved the moment we believed in Jesus Christ as Savior; our new life begins at that moment. And it is present because we are being saved; this is the process of sanctification. But at the same time, we have not fully received all the benefits and blessings of salvation that will be ours when Christ’s new kingdom is completely established. That’s our future salvation. While we can be confident of our salvation, we still look ahead with hope and trust toward that complete change of body and personality that lies beyond this life, when we will be like Christ (1 John 3).

 

   As a believer you are not left to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don’t know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for you, and God answers. With God helping you to pray, you don’t need to be afraid to come before Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you in harmony with God’s own will. Then, when you bring your requests to God, trust that He will always do what is best. 

 

   God works in everything; not just isolated incidents, for our good. This does not mean that all that happens to us is good. Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for our long-range good. God is not working to make us happy but to fulfill His purpose. Also, this promise is not for everybody. It can be claimed only by those who love God and are called by Him, that is, those whom the Holy Spirit convinces to receive Christ. Such people have a new perspective, a new mind set. They trust in God, not in worldly treasures; their security is in heaven, not on earth. Their faith in God does not waver in pain and persecution because they know God is with them. 

 

   God’s ultimate goal for us is to make us like Christ (1 John 3). As we become more and more like Him, we discover our true selves, the persons we were created to be. How can we become like Christ? By reading and heeding His Word, by studying His life on earth through the Gospels, by spending time in prayer, by being filled with His Spirit, and by doing His work in the world. 

 

   Some believe these verses mean that before the beginning of the world, God chose certain people to receive His gift of salvation. They point to verses such as Ephesians 1:11, which says that God chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as He decided long ago. Others believe that God knew in advance who would respond to Him, and upon those He set His mark – He chose them. What is clear is that God’s purpose for people was not an afterthought; it was settled before the foundation of the world. People are to serve and honor God. If you have believed in Christ, you can rejoice in the fact that God has always known you. God’s love is eternal. His wisdom and power are supreme. He will guide and protect you until you one day stand in His presence.