What are believers who have the firstfruits of the Spirit waiting for?
Believers who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan within themselves and are waiting for the adoption. Their soul and spirit are already redeemed, but the body remains to be consummated. Creation itself groans and travails in pain until now, and believers wait for that final completion.
Les explains from Romans 8:22-23 that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. Not only creation, but believers also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan within themselves. They are waiting for the adoption. He notes that if the soul and spirit are totally redeemed and have experienced absolute salvation, what remains to be consummated is the body. This future work relates to the believer's body, while the soul and spirit are already saved.
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.
More Questions
Why do believers who have the firstfruits of the Spirit still groan within themselves?
It is not only creation in general that groans, but also believers who have the firstfruits of the Spirit: their soul and spirit are redeemed, yet they still groan within themselves waiting for something more.
In Romans 8:23, who are 'ourselves also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit'?
In Romans 8:23, 'not only they' refers to the things of nature, while 'ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit' refers only to believers.
What is the redemption that believers are still waiting for in Romans 8?
The redemption believers are still waiting for is the redemption of the body, not merely the salvation or redemption of the soul.