For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
Summary: Once again Paul points us to the truth that there are reasons we wait, have faith, and hope.
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Why did Paul put these words here? They almost seem out of place.
In verse four, Paul writes, “You who are trying to be justified by the law …” Now he writes, “For through the Spirit …”
Law and Spirit are two very important themes. Both themes are intended to bring life, but only one has the power to achieve that goal.
Throughout this letter, Paul has been drawing comparisons between both of them. Now, seemingly out of the blue, Paul points to what the Spirit can do.
The “righteousness for which we hope” is not one that we achieve in this life. If it were, Paul would have it. Instead, Paul refers us to the righteousness conferred on us by the blood of Jesus (Isaiah 61:10).
Two words deal specifically with this kind of righteousness. First is the word “await.” What he is talking about is something that we do not yet have. This is why he adds the second word, “hope.” Being given the righteousness that comes with salvation is something we hope for.
The entire premise of Paul’s letter to the Galatians is that when it comes to salvation, there is something to be aware of: It is possible to turn your back on what God is offering us. We are, after all, like sheep. We can stray into dangerous territory. According to Paul, it is even possible for us to “fall from grace” (Galatians 5:4).
As we consider our faith walk with our Lord Jesus, it is important to remember that he is the Shepherd, and we are the sheep. We need to stay close to the Shepherd if we want to avoid trouble.
The Galatians had apparently turned away from the Shepherd. They had strayed into the field of justification by obedience to the law, an impossible task. At the end of the field is a bottomless pit, and every single sheep who goes there is caught in that pit unless God reaches down to save them.
In the Shepherd’s field is the Shepherd, the other sheep, and good grazing. At the end of the field is a stairway to heaven. When it is our turn, the Shepherd himself carries us up the stairs.
Application: Stay close to the Shepherd. As close as you can!
Food for Thought: How would things be different if Paul had written “For through the Spirit we have achieved the righteousness God requires.”
I find as we go through Galatians that Paul is quite stern, but he follows a pattern of truth and grace, meaning he makes very concise, declarative statements about faith in Christ verses works (the law), but then softens a bit and appeals to the “human” side of their intension. What I read, when I read verses 1-6, are very poignant statements about the ramifications of depending on works (the law) for salvation. I get the sense that in verse 5, Paul softens a little and is saying “what you seek (hope for) is righteousness before God, which is honorable, but that righteousness you seek can only come from the Spirit by faith in Christ.” I can’t help but ponder here if Paul is calling back to his own personal experience with Christ. He makes it very clear though, we are “eagerly awaiting” for the hope of that righteousness. He is saying we can never achieve righteousness, but in faith in Christ, His righteousness is counted toward us. In faith in Christ, we have the hope, not merely hoping for, but the absolute forward looking realization that Christ has paid for our sins, and we don’t have to work toward our salvation, but simply place our faith in Him, and make Him Lord of our life. I always feel like I should put a disclaimer though after a statement like that, faith in Christ doesn’t mean we are free to sin. Faith in Christ means we are a new creation, raised up from the dead to walk in newness of life with Him.
All of this leads me to your original question:
How would things be different if Paul had written “For through the Spirit we have achieved the righteousness God requires.”
There would be some that would take it as a license to sin. The subtext of the statement in your question is that “we would have achieved righteousness.” Someone who is “stamped” as righteous would fall in pride and sin. It’s in our nature. Our righteousness is in Christ.
Thank you, Chris.
I agree with your assessment. Some do seem to take it as a license to, at the very least, avoid expending effort to know God’s Word better. If we understand that faith means “believing in things unseen” then we have to continually work to confirm and refine our understanding of the Unseen.
This is a difficult question to answer because there are Scriptures that declare us righteous now because Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to us. His righteousness is counted as ours now through faith. Even Abraham was credited as righteous through faith.
Romans 5: 1 – 2 tells us: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we a have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
In this case we are justified (declared righteous) through faith in which we currently stand.
But in a practical sense of daily living, it is something being formed in us that we will not see until we are in our eternal dwelling.
Romans 6: 13: Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
Philippians 3: 12 – 14 (in context of having Christ’s righteousness): Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
So in Christ we have His righteousness imputed to us now, but in practical daily living it is not something that will be perfected until we see Him face to face. One is our standing in Christ. The other is our standing in this world battling our sinful nature.
Thank you, Rich!
Excellent analysis and summation. I wonder if God’s Word leaves a measure of uncertainty in this area simply to keep us on our toes?
🙂
Very possible 😊
How would things be different if Paul had written “For through the Spirit we have achieved the righteousness God requires.”
Positional sanctification is true of every believer. We have once and for all been set apart for God. This is why we are called “saints” because that is what we are in God’s sight. We have been sanctified and are holy before God. We are accepted in the Beloved. The greatest incentive for holy living is our position before God. Not by our works, but by His.
Once we begin to receive, accept this truth, an eternal home without boundaries is opened to each of us. Jesus Christ is dwelling in our hearts, how much more righteous can we become???? Our mission on earth is to accept our God given righteousness, get our old self out of the way, and allow Jesus Christ to work through us as HE ministers to this world around us.
Ephesians 2:8-9
Through faith, God legally declares believers righteous because of Christ’s righteousness imputed or attributed to them. He no longer counts their sins against them. This demonstrates that righteousness cannot be earned through good works or Law-keeping but is a gift of grace.
Ephesians 4:21-24, If in fact you have [really] heard Him and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self, which is being corrupted through deceitful desires, 23 and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, created in God’s image, in the righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Paul wrote, “For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.”
2 Corinthians 1:20-22, For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who establishes and confirms us [in joint fellowship] with you in Christ, and who has anointed us [empowering us with the gifts of the Spirit]; 22 it is He who has also put His seal on us [that is, He has appropriated us and certified us as His] and has given us the [Holy] Spirit in our hearts as a pledge [like a security deposit to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise of eternal life].
Would God place His seal on something unholy?
Thanks, Ron!
In answer to your question: No, absolutely not.
I like your statement, “The greatest incentive for holy living is our position before God.”
That speaks to everyone who is aware of their position before God.
Correct mungo!
Great Job with this one.
Ron
Thanks, Ron!
Keeping up with Paul isn’t easy! 🙂