The Creation Waits for the Revealing of the Sons of God; the Firstfruits of the Spirit (Romans 8:20–23)

Rom. 8:20–21. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own choice but by the will of the one who subjected it—in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

The personification of creation continues, revealing on what basis creation hopes to become a participant in the glory of God’s children. On the basis that such was originally God’s plan—that creation should remain in this sorrowful appearance only for a time. It was created not as it now appears, but was lowered and clothed in this mourning garment, in adaptation of its state to the state of the fallen. And as hope of restoration was given to this fallen one, so in this granting of hope of restoration to the fallen is contained the decree that when that restoration is accomplished, the sorrowful garment will also be removed from creation, and it will be freed from servitude to vanity and corruption. By subjection to vanity and servitude to corruption is meant the present unbrightened state of visible creation. Subjection to vanity may also mean that it became bound to serve the multitude of man’s needs, many of which are unnecessary, empty, vain, passionate, and sinful. But more properly, vanity is the impermanence of what comes to be, the same as servitude to corruption. Ambrosiaster writes: “What does it mean: subjected to vanity—if not that all that is born from it is impermanent and unstable? It works to produce corruptible fruits. Corruption is vanity itself. For all begotten in the world is unstable, changeable, and therefore vain. It is vain because it cannot maintain its state: in it all flows, changes form, and is troubled. This is what Solomon understood when he said that all is vanity (Eccl. 1:2). All in it is composed and decomposed, does not endure—although obviously under this flux something permanent, unchanging, better is hidden. Looking into that hidden better, the Apostle considers that better as essential, and the unattractive appearance of creation as accidental: ‘subjected’ he says, ‘not by its own choice.’”

“Not by its own choice”; and it does not even have a choice. All in it is and comes to be according to the will of the Creator. This signifies that, according to God’s plans, creation was not to be in such a state. The Almighty was constrained to place it in this state by the fall of its head—man. Since this fall occurred, He found it necessary to subject creation, which was made for man, to the same to which man fell through his will. But how? Is it that, foreseeing man’s fall, He created creation so as was fitting for it to be with a fallen head—yet with the purpose that when the fallen one is restored, He would raise it up to the measure of his restored state; or was it created in a better state, like that of the first-created man, and then brought low into a worse state when man fell, with the purpose that it would again be restored to a better form when its head is restored? The holy Apostle does not settle this. He looks at what is, and foretells what will be, without lifting the veil that hides from us the beginning of creation. Our interpreters proceed the same way, and only occasionally express themselves so that their thought seems to approach now the first, now the second interpretation.

Blessed Theodoret writes: “The Apostle teaches here that all visible creation received corruptibility as its portion, because the Creator of all foresaw Adam’s transgression and the death sentence that would be pronounced upon him. And it would be inappropriate and unjust that what was created for him should receive incorruptibility as its portion while he himself, for whose sake all this was created, should be mortal and corruptible. But when he receives immortality through resurrection, then what was created for him will also receive incorruptibility as its portion. Therefore the Apostle declares that visible creation awaits this reversal; because it became changeable not by choice but out of love for the decree of the Creator. And seeing His care for us, it hopes for this reversal.”

“In hope”—apart from the personification—signifies that such was originally God’s plan: that creation should remain in such a sorrowful state only for a time, while men also remain in it, but when they enter into the glory predetermined for them, then it too will be clothed in the bright garment of incorruptibility. The Apostle strictly maintains the correspondence in the states of man and visible creation. Holy Chrysostom says: “What does it mean: ‘creation was subjected to vanity’? It became corruptible. For what reason and from what cause? From you, man. Since you received a mortal and suffering body, the earth was subjected to curse, produced thorns and thistles. But that heaven also, growing old, will finally have a better lot, hear what the Prophet says of this: ‘In the beginning you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you endure; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will be changed’ (Ps. 101:26–27). Do you see how creation, having served vanity, will be freed from corruption? He says: ‘You will change them like a robe, and they will be changed.’ The same thing Paul says later; but now he discusses the servitude (of creation to corruption) and shows whence it came, and considers us ourselves as the cause. What then? Is creation, suffering this for another, suffering injustice? Not at all. It exists for me. But if it exists for me, what injustice is there when it suffers this for my correction? Otherwise one cannot even apply the notion of justice and injustice to the inanimate and insensate (that is, except by placing creation in a serving relation to man). But the Apostle does not enter into such reasoning but hastens to set forth another thought. What do you say, he reasons, that creation through you suffered evil and became corruptible? No injustice has been done to it by this; because through you it will again become incorruptible. This is what is meant by ‘in hope.’”

“The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God”.

“What does it mean: ‘the creation itself’? Not you alone, but what is far beneath you, what has neither sense nor feeling, will participate in blessings with you. That is, it will no longer be corruptible but will become correspondent to the beauty of your body. Just as creation became corruptible when your body became corruptible, so when your body rises incorruptible, creation will follow after it and will become correspondent to it. The Apostle expresses this very thing by adding: ‘in the freedom of the glory of the children of God’—that is, by means of freedom. Just as a nurse who reared a king’s son, when he ascends to his father’s throne, has her share in his royal blessings, so too creation, according to the Apostle’s words. Do you notice how man is everywhere first and how everything is done for him? Do you see also how the Apostle comforts the ascetic and proves God’s unspeakable love for mankind? Why do you sorrow in temptations, he says? You suffer for yourself, but creation suffers for you. And he not only comforts but also proves the certainty of what he has said. If creation, which has become what it now is for you, has hope, how much more should you hope, through whom creation will enjoy all those blessings. And among men there is a custom to clothe servants in rich garments in honor of a son when he is to appear in public. So God too will clothe creation in incorruptibility ‘in the freedom of the glory of the children of God.’”

“In the freedom”—from corruption, that is, it will put off corruption and put on incorruptibility correspondent to the glory of God’s children. If these children, according to the Apostle, will put on a certain spiritual body, will not all creation consist of the finest elements—like the diverse combination of rainbow colors?!

Rom. 8:22. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

“We know”—this word prompts the thought that in the Apostle’s discourse there is more than personification. In fact, what prevents us from supposing a universal hidden lamentation in all creation about its sorrowful situation together with us? Animals have sense and feeling; in plants are evident traces of sensation and desire: what prevents us from supposing some dim sense even in the processes of crystallization and chemical affinity? And beyond this remains what appears to have no sense, mere elements and forces. Yet over them too we should suppose something ruling, ordering, directing. If we allow in this last some dim sense, we will see the whole of creation, taken together, as having some feeling. In this feeling we can suppose a reflection of its general unattractive state. The Apostle saw this and pointed it out. “All creation,” he says, “groans together,” and confirms this by his apostolic, divinely-enlightened mind: “we know” we who have the mind of Christ. “Groans together”—either in itself, in its totality, or with us, for “with us” is not in the Greek. But this is not essential; what is essential is that it groans. “Suffers”—stronger: for it expresses the pain of childbirth. The thought is suggested that the future bright state of creation is already conceived and ripening in the depths of creation, like fruit in the womb of a mother, and is being prepared for manifestation. We see an analogy to this in the origin of beings on earth. The finest of them are conceived and ripen in unattractive situations and appear in all their proper beauty already after coming forth into God’s light. What holds for each creature holds also for all of them together. Beneath creation’s unattractive present condition ripens its better state—and in its time will appear, like fruit from the womb. Foreseeing this, creation groans, languishing with the desire that this might be accomplished soon. For when such a bright future awaits it, it still must labor in vanity and corruption.

“Creation groans,” writes Ambrosiaster, “because of the unceasing labor to which it is subjected. For all the elements labor with toil. The sun and moon do not traverse their appointed courses without effort, and the spirit of animals does not fulfill its services without groaning, for we see how reluctantly they go to their toil. All of this awaits rest to be freed from servile slavery. If this were service directed toward pleasing God, creation would certainly rejoice in it, not suffer; but since this is labor to corruption, to which it was subjected on account of us, it does suffer. For it sees that daily its works perish, daily its toil rises and sets. Therefore it rightly suffers, when its work does not lead to eternity but to destruction. But, as far as can be understood, it is troubled together also for our salvation, knowing that it will the sooner reach its liberation if we the sooner come to know our Creator. Knowing this, let us make every effort and show ourselves worthy (of our calling before God), not caring only for ourselves but also having in mind the creation, which day and night groans, suffering wrong because of us.” It should be noted that when we cling to creation, we cling to its appearance, on account of which it groans. It turns out that irrational creation groans about that which we, who are rational, unreasonably cling to. Holy Chrysostom says at this point: “Do you see how the Apostle shames the hearer, saying as though: be not worse than creation, do not cleave to the present. You should not only not cling to it but even groan that your departure hence is delayed. If creation acts so, how much more is it fitting for you, endowed with reason!”

Dd) How firm are these hopes. Their foundation (Rom. 8:23–39)

Rom. 8:23. Not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, also groan inwardly while we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

When speaking of the restoration of our nature in glory through resurrection, approaching the indication of the restoration of all creation as well, the Apostle was saying in the course of his discourse: not only will we be restored and freed from corruption, but all creation too. But now, when speaking of creation’s groaning for this deliverance, the discourse must go in the opposite direction: not only does creation groan for this—creation which has not yet visible or tangible pledges of it—but we too, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit as a pledge of future renewal, we also groan so that we might be freed from corruption all the sooner and enter into the full brightness of sonship to God in an incorruptible body. Starting from this groaning of ours for the hoped-for deliverance, the Apostle begins to speak of hope, explaining its characteristics and firm foundations of its steadfastness. These foundations are: α) the firstfruits of the Spirit (Rom. 8:23–27); β) the eternal decree concerning the saved (Rom. 8:28–30); γ) the worth of the incarnate economy (Rom. 8:31–34). All these foundations rest upon: δ) the steadfast love (Rom. 8:35–39).

The first foundation of Christian hope is the firstfruits of the Spirit, on which the Apostle fixes attention in the present text, as on that from which the hope of full deliverance was born and by which it is sustained. The firstfruits of the Spirit are the remission of sins, the power to resist sin, the peace of conscience, filial boldness toward God, and in many the special gifts of the Holy Spirit. All this is good earnest that the work of deliverance has already begun—has begun and is being carried out and gives a foretaste of what will be in the end. But this foretaste itself generates groaning, so that what is hoped for might soon become reality. What exactly are we groaning in hope for? The adoption as sons. But we have already received the spirit of adoption—what more is there to hope for here? The brightness of state corresponding to sonship. But not everything in us is yet in order, and there are great threats from without, and the body is still mortal. That is why we groan so that all this would pass away, all the troubles and dangers would be overcome, and the body would rise, so that we might be revealed as sons in all the brightness of sonship.

Holy Chrysostom says: “We too groan, having already tasted the future blessings. What has been given to us is enough to stir even the hardest man, to draw him from the present and give him wings toward the future, both by the greatness of what is given and by the fact that these high and many gifts are only firstfruits. If the firstfruits are such that through them we are freed from sins and gain righteousness and sanctification, and the Apostles cast out demons by their shadow and raised the dead by their garments, imagine what the future blessings will be. And if creation, which lacks reason and the gift of speech, which has no knowledge of any of this, groans, how much more should we groan! But that heretics might not have occasion to think that the Apostle despises the present, he says further: we groan not in contempt of the present but from desire for something greater. This very thing he expressed by the words: ‘waiting for adoption as sons.’ What are you saying, Paul? Why do you go back and forth, at one point exclaiming that we have already become sons, and then again numbering this blessing among the objects of hope and writing that we must still receive it? The Apostle clarifies this by adding the words: ‘the redemption of our bodies’—that is, the perfect glory. Now, our portion is hidden in secret until the very end of our life. But when we depart hence with good hope, then the gift becomes inalienable, most evident, and greater; then there will be no fear that sin and death might take anything from it. Only then does grace become firm when the body itself is freed from death and innumerable sufferings. The word ‘redemption’ means not a simple ransom, but one after which we will not return to former captivity. And so that you do not fall into confusion when you constantly hear about glory and have no clear idea of it, the Apostle unfolds the future blessings in detail, transforms your body and with it all creation. He expressed this more clearly in another place, saying: ‘He will transform our humble body to be like his glorious body’ (Phil. 3:21). And in another Epistle, saying: ‘When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory’ (1 Cor. 15:54). And as proof that with the destruction of the body, all worldly things likewise undergo change in their state, the Apostle wrote in another place: ‘the form of this world is passing away’ (1 Cor. 7:31).”

Ambrosiaster focuses special attention on why we groan: “After creation, the Apostle adds that we too groan, so that we might be delivered from here, being destined for blessed life: for this world for Christians is a sea. Just as the sea, tossed by opposing winds, attacks those sailing and subjects them to danger, so also this age, through the malice of hostile movements, disturbs the minds of believers; and the enemy does this with such variety that you do not know which to escape first. If authority ceases to be against us, it stirs up private individuals; if these too are calm, through members of the household it kindles a fire; if this too does not work, among relatives it sows discord through malice: so that, being struck from four corners, the house gives way somewhere. Therefore Christians with all their hearts must desire to flee hence as soon as possible. Simeon should be an example to them, who, knowing with what malice the hostile war is waged here, prayed to be let depart in peace (Lk. 2:29). This we too pray for when we say: ‘Your kingdom come’ (Mt. 6:10). The Apostle, as a man of God, has good thoughts about us, saying that we groan for deliverance from here, as Simeon groaned; but I see that we are very bound by the comforts of the world.”

“Photius, according to Oecumenius, reasons: ‘Waiting for adoption as sons.’ What kind? But have we not already received it through holy baptism? And did you not say a little while ago that we have received the spirit of adoption? Yes, he says. What further adoption must we wait for? The manifest one, he says, for all, accompanied also by the redemption of the body (from corruption). Is this then something different from what was said? Not at all; it is the same thing, only manifested in perfection, visible and known to all. For then, after the resurrection of the body and the receiving of incorruptibility, there will be full enjoyment of the promised blessings, the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven, and entrance into all the privileges of sonship. And now, in hope of receiving all this, we have received adoption.”