Romans 8:17

Heirs] Under Roman law, 'a will that left the property away from the children was invalid' (Ramsay). If so be, etc.] cp. 2 Timothy 2:11., and Mark 8:34; Colossians 1:24; 1 Peter 4:13. Christ is 'the Way'; the main features of His life must be reproduced in the lives of His people.

18-25. The glory to come will far outweigh the sufferings we must bear now. All creation is moving on through the mystery of pain to full redemption, our hope of which is so sure that we can wait in patience.

Paraphrase. '(18) I said we must suffer with Christ. Suffering belongs to this passing season, but it is not worth a thought in view of the coming glory (19) in which the sons of God will stand revealed. Even nature, animate and inanimate, eagerly expects that blessed future. (20) Although God subjected her to imperfection and decay, to further His purposes, it was not to be for ever. He gave her a sure hope (21) of future deliverance from the law of decay, and of sharing the freedom from all evil which God's children will have in glory. (22.) She groans, indeed, but in the birth-throes of a better order of things. (23) And even we Christians, though we have the Spirit as a foretaste of blessedness, groan under the weakness and imperfections of our bodies; but we await the full dignity of our sonship, when our bodies shall be delivered from death. (24) When we became Christ's we looked to the future for perfect happiness; we cannot expect to have it now. (25) But we have certain hope of it, and, therefore, wait and endure.'