“22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits — we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.”
In the last devotional, Paul explained that creation itself is eagerly awaiting its restoration to glory. In today’s verses, Paul tells us that it’s not just creation that is awaiting this restoration, but us as well. We who are in Christ have been given the Spirit of God, which is a sample of the restoration that is to come.
“Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed us. He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.” — 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
God has given us His Spirit as a down payment of His eternal glory that is to come. Imagine, the Spirit of God, living in us, stirring up the hearts of God’s elect to respond in repentance in faith, resulting in salvation, is just a down payment! Other Bible translations interpret the phrase “down payment” as “as a guarantee” (ESV) and “as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (NIV). God’s gift of the Holy Spirit is only the very beginning of the revelation of God’s glory. How great and unfathomable must the full glory of God be!
Living in a broken and fallen world, we as Christians, along with the Spirit, groan as we eagerly wait for our adoption. (v. 23) Wait a minute. I thought Paul already said that we have been adopted as the sons of God? That’s true, we are God’s sons and heirs now, but we don’t yet have the inheritance! All has not yet been made right. We have been adopted by God as His sons, but that is only the first step of the process, we still await the redemption of our bodies.
“For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring to put on our heavenly dwelling, since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.” — 2 Corinthians 5:1-5