The whole creation has been groaning

The title for this article is adopted from the epistle, the magnum opus of St Paul to the Romans in the New Testament. Paul wrote to the first-century Church in the city of Rome, which contains most of the key Christian doctrines. To quote the relevant verses, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice but by the will of the one who subjected it, in the hope that the creation itself would be liberated from the bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:18-23).

That the whole creation is groaning is a spiritual truth with holistic implications from the perspectives of physical, mental, social, economic, political and so on and so on. The title speaks of the problems that people honest to God face in this world, but it highlights also the incomparable blessing and glory that they will have in the world to come.

Because of man's fall, creation was cursed. But we are to be released from our sufferings and pains. The entire scriptures in Romans teach that the new life given in Christ is solidly founded on God’s promises and plans for the believers. Our present sufferings are temporal. They are insignificant in comparison to the glory that is promised us. We may suffer now in our earthly journey. But our destination is the glorious future of celestial blessings, where there will be no pain, no tears and no death, as it is promised in the last book of the Bible: "There will be no pain, sorrow or tears” (Revelation 21:4). We are strangers and aliens in this world, but our glorious future and eternal life are towards which we are heading. All creation is eagerly waiting for the glorious day when we will be free from death and decay. Scriptures abound to testify to this. Prophet Isaiah had prophesied in long past: “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth." The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17). In Romans Paul also wrote, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). 

St Peter wrote to the dispersed followers of Christ, encouraging them to continue in their lives even while enduring all their afflictions and sufferings. “Since everything will be destroyed in the way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about destruction by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13).

The world now reflects a curse for sin. We have been subject to common waywardness, disorder, misery, pain and restlessness. Paul used the metaphor of a birth pang, as in the pains of childbirth when sin will be removed from all of God’s creation and all creation will be made new. As we live in this old world still, there is no way but for us to put up with it and groan. But we are living with the living hope for the glorious new creation of our God. “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling so that what is mortal may be allowed up by life. But it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us this Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

As part of the fallen creation, any conscious and intelligent person will groan. “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief," said the sage (Ecclesiastes 1:18). The more we are bathed in God's love and grace, the more we are pained with godlessness and the way of the world.
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The writer is a Christian Theology teacher and Church leader