#77 – Hope That Saves

“²² For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. ²³ Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits  — we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵ Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.”

In today’s devotional, Paul speaks of the hope that Christians have because of our adoption as God’s children, which has already happened, and the redemption of our bodies, which is to come. All of this is made possible because of the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross and the sanctifying work of the Spirit in our hearts. What substantial hope we have in Christ Jesus! Throughout Chapter 8, Paul has been convincing us that enduring suffering in this present life is of minimal consequence when one compares it with the glory to come in God’s kingdom. This is the hope: That all who repent of their sins, confess, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in His resurrection will be saved. Because of that hope, we also have hope that Christ will return and establish His kingdom. We have hope that God will make all things new and right. 

Let’s take a moment to talk about what Paul means by, “Now in this hope we were saved…” (v. 24a). Certainly we are not saved by a hope in heaven, or hope in Christ’s return, or a hope in the new heaven and the new earth. That is true, and these are benefits, God’s good gifts, that will accompany our salvation. So then, what does Paul mean? Those who are saved by repentance and faith in Christ will experience these benefits and will have hope in God’s coming kingdom. Those who do not repent and have faith in Christ will not have hope in God’s coming kingdom, rather, they will face condemnation and the coming kingdom will mark the beginning of their final judgment. The hope that saves is the hope that Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient to satisfy the Father’s wrath towards us. The hope that saves is the hope that our repentance and faith in Christ will be enough to count us among God’s children, saved from God’s just judgment for our sin. 

This word “hope” here does not have the same meaning as society uses the word today. The modern usage of the word “hope” conveys a much weaker meaning than that which Paul is intending. We might say something like: “I hope it doesn’t rain today” or “I hope that my wife got home safely”. This use of the word “hope” signifies a wish or desire for something. Christians are not wishing or desiring that we would be saved from the wrath of God for their sin. Christians are not wishing or desiring that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was sufficient to satisfy the Father’s just and perfect wrath. Rather, we know that these things are true, the Word of God tells us so. We have a hope that is true. It has, or will, come about. 

What is this hope that we cannot see? What guarantee do we have that the wrath of God has been satisfied? Remember back in chapter 3: 

“they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.”  — Romans 3:24-36

For those who are redeemed by Jesus’ blood, they have had their sins passed over by God so that His righteousness and restraint might be on display. Furthermore, for those who have faith in Jesus, God has justified us through Christ and His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Our guarantee of salvation and our guarantee that God’s wrath has been satisfied comes from Scripture, which we know to be infallible and without error. This is not a hope that one can really see. It is a promise. We cannot see Jesus sitting at the right hand of God in glory. We cannot see that the Father’s wrath has been truly satisfied. We cannot see the place that Christ is preparing for us in heaven as our inheritance. We must have faith. We must have hope, hope in what we cannot see, but what God has told us is true. We have a hope that is not wishing or desiring for these things to be true, but rather, we have a hope that knows that these things are true. We simply must wait eagerly with patience as Paul describes in verse 25.