But if we hope for what we do not see, through patience we eagerly wait for it.
Truth to Learn
We patiently endure our trials through faith in God’s promise.
Behind the Words
The words “eagerly wait for” are translated from the Greek word apekdechomai. This is a double compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” but used here as an intensifier, ek which means “out” or “out of,” and deckomai, which means “to receive.” Hence, apokdechomai means “to eagerly or earnestly expect that something is going to be received.”
“Patience” is from hupomonē, which is made up of hupo (or hypo), meaning “under or beneath” and a form of menō, which means “to stay or to remain.” It is a picture of a beast of burden who, when loaded with a heavy burden, remains under the load. That is, he perseveres under the load with patience.
Meaning Explained
In yesterday’s verse we spoke about the word “hope” being not just an earnest desire but also the expectation that the object of the desire will come to pass. Paul said that our salvation, which in God’s record book has already taken place, is manifest to us with the full expectation that it will be consummated at the end of these last times. But he also makes another statement about this salvation in hope. It is not seen and it is not fully obtained now. If we have something that we can see and touch, then there is no hope, or expectation of it because it is already here.
Now allow me to open up the word elpis a little more. It is often translated as “hope,” but it is also frequently translated as “faith.” In the first part of the previous verse Paul said that “we are saved by (or in) faith (hope).” In Ephesians 2:8 Paul said “For by grace you are saved through faith.” It is this faith, this hope, this belief that God will do what he promised He would do at the end of the age that allows us to persevere. Faith is the instrument as well as evidence of our salvation.
We have to accept God’s promise on faith alone, because we don’t have visible, concrete proof of it right now. All we have is the promise and the seal of that promise in the form of the Holy Spirit living in us, and even He (the Holy Spirit) is unseen and untouchable for now.
In today’s verse Paul says that if we have faith (hope) in God’s promise, then we can eagerly wait for it with patience, knowing in our innermost parts that God will do for us just as He promised. There are some today who insist on concrete proof for everything. They will never be saved because we are saved through faith, not through proof. That’s why we as Christians often say that “believing is seeing,” not “seeing is believing.”
Application
In verse eighteen Paul said our current sufferings are not even worthy of comparison to the glory that will be revealed in us. Now he has shown us that through genuine faith we can endure these sufferings because we have faith that it will be over some day and we will receive the richest blessings of God when our salvation is consummated. I think it’s time for a prayer of thanksgiving, don’t you?
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved