Tag: Hope

The Holy Spirit, Suffering, and Hope

On By Tyler BoydIn Holy Spirit

This post is the 22nd in an ongoing series on the Holy Spirit. Click here for other posts in this series.

The Holy Spirit and Hope

One of the primary blessings of the Holy Spirit is that Christians can enjoy hope.

Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:5

May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

Galatians 5:5

As noted previously in this study, it is only by the Holy Spirit that we have hope of resurrection from the dead.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:11

As Paul describes the future resurrection body for which we hope, he highlights that our future body will be “spiritual”.

What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is a spiritual body.

1 Corinthians 15:42b-44

Throughout his writings, Paul uses the word “spiritual” not to refer to disembodied, immaterial beings, but to describe fully embodied, tangible, material Christians who lived by and are guided by the Spirit, living with the mind of Christ.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are not spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:14-16

The Holy Spirit gives us hope, because the Holy Spirit is the one who resurrects the dead. In this sense, our future bodies will be “spiritual” in nature, as we live with the mind of Christ. As Paul puts it, in the resurrection we will “bear the image of the man of heaven.” (1 Cor. 15:49). Those who have the mind of Christ now, will bear the image of Christ in the resurrection. This hope of transformation in His image comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

And we all, we unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

Suffering and Hope

The hope offered by the Spirit is, however, conditional.  This is demonstrated throughout the books of Romans, Galatians, 1 Corinthians, and 2 Corinthians. If we are to have hope of bearing the image of Christ, we must be willing to look like Christ our willingness to suffer with him. Paul states this truth explicitly in Romans 8.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:16-17

Hope and suffering are tied together. Suffering with Christ is not an optional extra. It is the necessary and indispensable path to glorification. The Spirit given hope is that the ultimate fate of the humiliated and crucified Messiah will be the ultimate fate of those who are crucified with him. Hope is the conviction that those who share in the suffering of Christ will likewise share in the resurrection of Christ.

For those who live by the Spirit, suffering is not separate from hope, and hope is not separate from suffering. Suffering is not despair, nor is hope mere wishful thinking. That is because the Spirit serves as a bridge connecting suffering and hope. If we suffer in the Spirit of Christ, we will be raised by the Spirit with Christ. Suffering with Christ is the guarantee of our confident expectation, our hope.

Hope is Future Oriented

The hope provided by the Spirit is a confident expectation, but confident expectation is not the same as present realization. Hope is, by definition, future oriented.

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Romans 8:24-25

Although God has already in a very real sense “delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved son” (Col. 1:13), this triumph is not yet fully complete. Through Jesus’s death and resurrection, sin and death have already been attacked and defeated, but we still await the day when “he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:23), when we receive the redemption of our bodies by the Spirit.

A Present Guarantee of Future Hope

Although the Christian’s hope is future oriented, the Spirit is the guarantee of that hope. Through the Spirit, we already have a foretaste of what is to come. Paul describes the presence of the Spirit by using the image of the “firstfruits” of a harvest, which is the beginning and guarantee of the full harvest which is to come.

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:23

Similarly, Paul describes the Spirit in our hearts as a “guarantee,” “down payment,” or “first installment” of what is to come.

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

2 Corinthians 5:5

As Christians live by the Holy Spirit in the present, they are guaranteed that God will bring the Holy Spirit’s work to completion in the future. As we share in the Holy Spirit, having the mind of Christ we are continually transformed into the image of Christ. As we think like Christ, we look like Christ. Ultimately, the Spirit’s work will be completed, as we “become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21), when we “bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Cor. 15:49). But we only have hope to be raised in the image of Christ in the future if we look like Christ by suffering with him in the present.

Groaning Together With the Spirit

Since we have the “firstfruits”, or the “down payment” of our future glory, there is a very real sense in which we can enjoy the righteousness and peace of the Holy Spirit in the present (cf. Rom. 14:17) But our present righteousness and joy and peace is not separate from suffering. To illustrate this point, Paul uses the image of a mother in labor with her child.

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:22-23

An expecting mother patiently anticipates the day when her child will be born. Pregnancy is a joy, but it’s not easy. It is a time filled with increasing discomfort and pain. Then the day comes. It is a day of pain and suffering and torment and tears. But then, the pain is replaced with joy. The crying is replaced with tears of happiness. The groaning gives way to new life.

So also, by the Spirit, we presently suffer and we groan. But we have peace in our trouble, we endure with patience, and we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know what it brings. By the Spirit we suffer with the mind of Christ. And by that same Spirit, we will be raised with him. And so, through the suffering Spirit, we have hope.

The Spirit Links Christians to the Cross

On By Tyler BoydIn Holy Spirit

This article is the 17th in an ongoing series on the Holy Spirit. For earlier parts of this series, click here.

In the first half of Romans 8 (vs. 1-11) Paul argues that it is the Spirit who gives hope for life after, and out of, death. Those who are in Christ have their life in the Spirit (Part 15). In the second half of the chapter, Paul describes the glorious inheritance which can be anticipated by God’s children (vs. 18-36).

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:23

The two sections are linked together by what Paul says in verses 14-17. It is the Spirit who identifies a person as a child of God, and as a child, then as an heir. It is because of the Spirit that we can anticipate an inheritance.

Once again notice that Paul refers to all Christians; not just Jews, not just Gentiles, and not just a few select Christians who had received miraculous spiritual gifts. Observe the use of the words “all”, the plural “you” (I use the word “y’all” in the quotes below), “our”, and “we”. Paul identifies children of God as “all” those who are led by Spirit, by whom “we” (that is, Paul and all those saints to whom he was writing) relate to God as father, and “we” all are joint heirs with Christ. Paul does not exclude any of the saints in Rome to whom he was writing (cf. Rom. 1:7).

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For y’all did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but y’all have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:14-17

According to Paul, it is the Spirit who relates Christians to God as children. First, Paul says “all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (v. 14). Then he refers to the Spirit as “the Spirit of adoption,” by whom we cry “Abba Father” (v. 15).

How can we know if we are children of God? Because “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (v. 16). It is because of the Spirit that we are assured of our status as heirs with Christ.

Paul does not, however, describe this assurance as mere emotional confidence, or some sort of sentimental feeling in our hearts. It is important to note that the Spirit confirms our identity as children of God only as two conditions are met. First, we must be willing to put to death the deeds of the body. Secondly, we must be willing to suffer with Christ.

Dying with Christ

Immediately prior to Paul’s claim that “all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God,” Paul explains what it means to be “led by the Spirit of God”.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not according to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if y’all live according to the flesh y’all will die, but if by the Spirit y’all put to death the deeds of the body, y’all will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Romans 8:12-14 (Emphasis added)

It is the Spirit who gives us resurrection hope (Rom. 8:9-11). But this hope is contingent on meeting a condition – indicated by the word “if” in the quote above – “if” we put to death the deeds of the body. Who are those who will live? Only those who put to death the deeds of the body. Who are those who are led by the Spirit? Only those who put to death the deeds of the body. Those who do not put to death the deeds of the body will die – the Spirit offers no hope to such persons.

Just as the Spirit of God was seen in Christ, as he chose to lay down his life (Rom. 5), so the Spirit of God can be seen in Christians when they choose to live with the same mindset – the mindset which puts to death the deeds of the body. It is a hard and painful experience to deny our bodies of what they tell us they want. But a life which is not focused on putting to death fleshly attitudes and actions demonstrates a spirit which is noticeably out of step with the Spirit of Christ on the cross.

A Christian’s existence must be continually characterized by dying with Christ.

Suffering with Christ

Moreover, Paul gives a second condition.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:16-17 (Emphasis added)

According to Paul, the Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God and heirs of Christ. But once again, Paul adds a condition, this time indicated by the word “provided.” The Spirit bears witness that we are children, and thus heirs, “provided” we suffer with Christ.

It is only by sharing in the death and suffering of Christ in the present that Christians are able to love and serve others as Christ did. It is not enough to say that a “spiritual” person is one who obeys the Spirit-inspired words of Scripture, although this is certainly true. The Spirit bears witness that we are children of God only if we are obedient to the point of, and through suffering, as Christ was. It is not simply a general attitude of obedience to Scripture – it is a degree of obedience that remains ready to abandon even life itself.

The Spirit, in other words, links Christians to the cross, and via the cross to Christ through suffering and death. The Spirit of God is in a Christian as they walk with the Spirit of Christ in their life (cf. 8:10). That is, as they share in the mindset (cf. 8:5-8) of Christ, who was willing to obey God even when it meant putting his own life to death for the sake of loving others.

It is this shared Spirit which marks Christians as God’s own children (8:14-17). But this is true only to the extent that their lives are marked by conformity to the mind, or “Spirit” of Christ on the cross.