Romans 8:23 KJV
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.
Paul's description of the saved in this verse is, [those] "which have received the first fruits of the spirit."
He claims that what we as Christians possess is like an earnest:
- It speaks of something much grander to come
- It is pleasant
- It is rich but
- It comes short of the fullest expectation
What the Christian receives at salvation is just enough to make us hungry for the full fare. We receive at our salvation enough insight into heaven to make us realize we are not there yet.
So what the Christian receives is a reason to groan. We learn at salvation that the promise of God is not ours in the fullest sense. We receive at salvation, a dissatisfaction with earth. And we receive this, not from men but from the Spirit of God. It is God dwelling in us that finds earth in its present state an unnatural place to live.
The Spirit causes us to groan and then within us prays with groaning a that cannot be uttered.
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