The Whole Of Creation Is Groaning In Expectation Of Its Redemption. And God's People Also Groan With It, As Does The Spirit Of God Himself On Our Behalf (8:18-27).
In spite of the division necessarily made this passage very much connects up with the previous one and it is only the change in subject matter which causes us to make the division, for Romans 8:18 takes up Romans 8:17. Paul has just been speaking of the fact that we who are sons of God will also share in His sufferings. Now we learn that the whole of creation is also undergoing anguish (is groaning) as it waits for ‘the revealing of the sons of God'. Thus prior to the final summary in Romans 8:31-39 the portrayal of redemption described from Chapter s 1 to 8 ends with a glance into the future when the whole of creation will be transformed and the people of God will experience full salvation as they are made like to His image.
The passage presents this in a remarkable way as it portrays salvation history in terms of groaning, for not only does it see the whole creation as groaning in hope of deliverance, and all God's people as groaning as they await the redemption of their bodies, but it also portrays God Himself as groaning through His Spirit as He fulfils His role in our salvation. Thus this present age is summarised as one of groaning prior to our deliverance into ‘the liberty of the glory of the children of God. It is a time of suffering and tribulation. That is why Paul will go on to emphasise the certainty of the fulfilment of God's plan of salvation and give the guarantee that amidst the groaning God will uphold his children (Romans 8:31-39).
This passage is in fact of vital import in Paul's outlining of God's plan of salvation. It helps to bridge the gap between justification and glorification. The Question can be put, Why in view of man's redemption does he have to suffer and endure, and be allowed to be a prey to ‘sin and death'? The answer lies here. It is a part of the fulfilment of God's purpose from creation to consummation. As Adam sinned and brought sin into the world (Romans 5:12-14), so did his sin bring corruption to God's creation. Thus not only has man to be delivered, but the whole of creation is to share in that deliverance. And in the process of this redeemed man must play his part. Indeed we can parallel Romans 7:14 to Romans 8:4 with this passage, the one depicting man groaning in his bondage to sin (‘O wretched man that I am' - Romans 7:24), the other depicting the whole creation as groaning in its wretchedness, subject to the curse. Both are a necessary part in God's answer to the problem of sin.