Daily Devotions
Filled with the Holy Spirit
"We were saved in this hope..."
Text: Romans 8:24
UNDERSTANDING “HOPE”
Hope is a very important part of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote a significant word on this subject.
“For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope;
for why does one still hope for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see,
we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
Romans 8:24-25
1. “For we were saved in this hope”
a) This is a very different way of understanding our salvation in Christ.
b) We are still “saved”.
i) Salvation is seen in two different aspects.
ii) On the one hand we are “saved” but on the other hand we still have to exercise hope for the final deliverance.
2. “But hope that is seen is not hope”
a) Hope that is not seen- This is the true idea of hope.
b) Hope that is seen is not hope.
c) Things that remain as “hope” rather than “sight”.
i) Deliverance from the corruption of our body.
ii) Entrance into heaven.
iii) Liberty from the power of sin completely.
3. “For why does one still hope for what he sees”
a) The element of hope is a definite part of faith.
b) Only in heaven would hope be fully realized.
c) As long as we remain on earth, in this earthly form, we will need to exercise hope.
4. “But if we hope for what we do not see”
a) This is logical.
b) This is necessarily so.
5. “We eagerly wait for it with perseverance”
We often read this phrase in the Scriptures, “Wait on the Lord.” Paul agrees with this Biblical teaching. Real hope has two elements closely associated- “Eagerness” and “perseverance”.