8:24
We were saved with a promise. God does not just come into our lives and say “I forgive you”. Rather He comes into our life, offers forgiveness and the promise of a transformed life. The transformation starts now but will not be completed until the return of Christ. The transformed life is a totally Christlike life. We will love God completely, we will trust Him completely, we will obey Him perfectly. That is the promise, yet while we make some progress it seems such a long way off. That is why Paul says “hope that is seen is no hope at all”. We were saved in hope, God saved us with an end in view.
8:25
So we hope for what we do not yet have, indeed that is the very nature of hope. “We wait for it patiently”. This translation is far too passive, the Greek implies more of a striving, an active waiting. Patience does not mean sitting around doing nothing. Rather, it means pressing on despite the opposition, despite the battle. It would probably be better to translate this “we persevere patiently”. We carry on fighting whatever the setbacks because we believe that God will get us through to the destination. The goal is assured.
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