"HOLY GROANINGS" (Pastor Tom Henry) ~ 7/10/25

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:22, 23)

In the preceding verses, the Apostle had appealed to the natural creation, which is seen as groaning under the oppression of suffering because of the entrance of sin, which had subjected it to vanity. He represents the creation as looking forward with great expectation, anticipating the coming glorious day which will bring the full “manifestation of the sons of God.” Peter tells us that the redeemed children of God are being “kept through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.” At the same time, the creation itself shall also be delivered from its bondage “into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.” (Verses 19-21) If the inanimate, unintelligent creation is longing for the day when the “heirs of God” shall receive their full inheritance, how much more earnestly must they themselves long for that glorious event?

Christians, who, through the earnest of the Spirit, have received the foretaste of everlasting happiness, sympathize with the groans of nature. They enjoy presently a blessed freedom, being delivered from the guilt and dominion of sin, the curse of the law, and a servile spirit in their obedience to God. Still, however, there is much for them to suffer while in the world; while they wait for the redemption of their bodies and the full manifestation of their character as the children of God. Their bodies, as well as their spirits, are the fruit of the Redeemer’s purchase and are become His members. But not until the day of His appearing shall we see Him and be made like Him. Only then will the sons of God enjoy all the privileges of their redemption.

All believers have this sure hope because they now have “the firstfruits of the Spirit.” We already enjoy love and joy in the Holy Ghost, peace of conscience, and communion with God. These are the graces of the Spirit conferred on believers, called “first fruits,” because, as the first fruits of the field were offered to God, so these graces redound to God’s glory. And as the first fruits were the pledge of an abundant harvest, so these graces are a pledge to believers of their complete felicity, because they are given to them of God for the confirmation of their hope. These first fruits, then, are the foretastes of heaven, or, the earnest of the inheritance. This is the most priceless privilege of the children of God in this present life. It is a joy the world cannot give and cannot take away.

It is because the first fruits of the Spirit make up an earnest of the full inheritance and a foretaste of glory divine that holy groanings stirred in the souls of the delivered. They groan, not outwardly, but within. “…even we ourselves groan within ourselves.” This groaning (sighing) is partly because their appetites have been whetted by the foretaste, i.e. the appetizer makes them yearn for the whole banquet. The earnest money excites a desire for the full inheritance. And, as seen in Chapter 5 of Second Corinthians, the knowledge of our new body, our “house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (our spiritual, incorruptible body) causes believers to sigh for it. “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven…” (II Cor. 5:1, 2)

Believers also groan because of the pressures which, in their present state, weigh them down while carrying about with them this body of sin and death. Of this groaning, the Apostle, as we can see in Chapter 7:24, presents himself as an example: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” We hear him again in II Corinthians 5:4 where he says: “We that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened.” These groanings are inward. They are not like those of the hypocrite, which are only outward. They do not always meet the ear of man, but they do always catch the ear of God. David said, “My groaning is not hid from thee.” (Psa. 38:9)

Our groanings will one day come to an end. They are only with us while we are “waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Then there shall be no more sighing, tears, death, neither sorrow, crying, or pain. (Rev. 21:4) Praise the Lord!!