Rom 8:23 | TNotes | STEP | 8:23 we believers also groan: “Groaning” expresses a frustrated longing for God’s deliverance from the difficulties and oppression of this life (see Exod 3:7 ; Lam 1:22 ; Ezek 24:17 ; 2 Cor 5:2 ). • we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory (literally we have the first harvest of the Spirit ): In the Old Testament, the phrase first harvest or firstfruits often describes the offering of the first and best part of a harvest to God (see Exod 23:19 ; Lev 2:12 ; 23:10 ; cp. 1 Cor 15:20 , 23 ). The Holy Spirit is God’s pledge that he will see his work in us through to its conclusion (see Eph 1:14 ). • Although we have already been adopted by God as his children, the full rights of that adoption—our inheritance (see Rom 8:17 )—are not yet ours. In this life, Christians live in tension between the “already” of redemption and the “not yet” of the glory to be revealed.

a8:23►

bExod 3:7►

cLam 1:22►

dEzek 24:17►

e2 Cor 5:2►

fExod 23:19►

gLev 2:12►

h23:10►

i1 Cor 15:20►

j23►

kEph 1:14►

lRom 8:17►

‏ Romans 8:23

8:23 ^a we believers also groan: “Groaning” expresses a frustrated longing for God’s deliverance from the difficulties and oppression of this life (see Exod 3:7 ^b; Lam 1:22 ^c; Ezek 24:17 ^d; 2 Cor 5:2 ^e).

• we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory (literally we have the first harvest of the Spirit): In the Old Testament, the phrase first harvest or firstfruits often describes the offering of the first and best part of a harvest to God (see Exod 23:19 ^f; Lev 2:12 ^g; 23:10 ^h; cp. 1 Cor 15:20 ⁱ, 23 ^j). The Holy Spirit is God’s pledge that he will see his work in us through to its conclusion (see Eph 1:14 ^k).

• Although we have already been adopted by God as his children, the full rights of that adoption—our inheritance (see Rom 8:17 ^l)—are not yet ours. In this life, Christians live in tension between the “already” of redemption and the “not yet” of the glory to be revealed.