Into the Heart of Romans
A Deep Dive into Paul’s Greatest Letter
The Liberation of Creation (4|4)
Pages 127-130
1 Corinthians 15:20-26 (NIV) Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV) Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Different perspectives today argue that humans should either withdraw from creation, dominate it, or ignore it because “God will destroy it anyway. What practical posture toward creation seems most faithful to Paul’s vision of renewed humanity, and how might you live that out in your daily life?
Paul insists that believers are already “raised with the Messiah,” called by the Spirit to begin living out the reality of new creation in our present moral choices and responsibilities toward God’s world. Where do you sense the Spirit urging you to embody this “no excuses” new-creation life in concrete ways, whether in character, relationships, or engagement with the world around you?
Paul connects belief in Jesus’ resurrection with belief in God’s future renewal of all creation, calling us to “reckon” both as acts of faith that shape how we live now. How does this practice of “reckoning” shape your understanding of suffering, hope, and the nature of Christian faith?
Where do you find it most challenging (or most necessary) to “reckon” yourself alive to God, dead to sin, and destined for glory in the midst of present circumstances?