1) This could be some of the best material we’ve covered in Romans, but that’s simply from my personal point of view. We are in Romans chapter eight, verse 18. This lesson goes far beyond the teaching I’m going to give you today. Verse 18 states that what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory that God will give us later. It is absolutely essential that we operate with eternity in our sights, eternity in our minds, and eternity in our hearts. Everything can be put into perspective.

2) But what we cannot miss in this text in Romans is the power of that which is to come. It is so easy for you and me to get caught up in what we’re doing day by day, and there’s nothing wrong with living day by day. In fact, there’s everything right about it. But there is a power in hope, and that hope gives us the ability to recognize that what is coming from the hand of God is so far superior that nothing can be compared to it. That’s what helps us keep going. That’s what helps us continually seek God, His grace, mercy, love, compassion, and kingdom.

3) A fascinating theological point in verse 20 makes it clear that, against its will, everything on Earth was subjected to God’s curse. In other words, when sin entered, it destroyed the entire ecosystem as we know it. This goes back to the concept I often talk about: it’s man’s fall. Yes, it is man’s fault. It’s not the current productivity of mankind that’s destroying the Earth; it’s the sin from the garden that began that destruction and will continue until the redemption of the planet itself.

4) And then, of course, we get this phenomenal teaching that goes all the way back to Genesis chapter nine, verse 10. In verse 19, we find out that all of creation is eagerly waiting for the future day when God will reveal who His children really are. Verse 21 makes it clear that creation is anticipating the day of glory so that creation itself can be free from death and decay. What does that mean? It means that nature, because of sin, has a perversion connected to it, and at the redemption, that perversion will be removed. In the new heavens and earth, it will be fully restored.