THE BIRTH OF HOPE
OUR GLORY: THE PERSEVERANCE WE EXPRESS

There is an unusual—even arresting—expression penned by Paul in Romans 8:24-25:

24 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?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (emphasis added)

The Apostle startles us by saying that we are saved by “hope.” We usually speak of being saved by faith. So, what does he mean?

Let’s begin by being clear about what he doesn’t mean. Paul isn’t talking about a hope so, maybe so salvation, where you ask someone if they are going to heaven and they answer, “Well I hope so.”

No! God wants us to experience a “know so” salvation! “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” (Rom.8:15-16).

The Greek word for hope means a settled matter. This hope is as certain as the promises of God, rooted in the One who cannot lie—He who is utterly faithful. It is the "blessed hope" of the return of Jesus Christ (Titus 3:13). In that hope is the consummation of our salvation. We are not only saved from the penalty of sin (justification) and from the power of sin (sanctification) but from the presence of sin (glorification). It is that which we look for and it is that which we live for.

The Apostle reminds us here of the invisible, spiritual and eternal nature of this hope. We cannot see it now. It is hidden from the realm of the senses and is harbored in the region of the spiritual. What we see around us, with the eyes in our head, makes us heartsick. Our perils, our problems, our pains—this mortal dimension is permeated with decay and death. No hope there! Scripture calls us to see with the eyes of our heart and that gives us hope. All this present groaning will not merely pass away, it will pave the way for glory! A life filled with such hope enables us to persevere to the end—we know what the end will be--our heavenly hope; our heavenly home! No more sin, sickness, suffering, or sorrow. All tears are wiped away by the loving hand of Omnipotence.

Hallelujah! What a hope we have as heirs of the Eternal Kingdom!