Romans 8:24-27 - Hope and Help

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Believers are earnestly waiting for the future redemption of their physical bodies, which will be changed into incorruptible glorified bodies!

Romans 8:24-27 (KJV)
²⁴ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
²⁵ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
²⁷ And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Biblical hope is not a term that signifies some desire that may or may not come about. Rather, hope and faith are waiting for something that assuredly will happen in the future. In verse 24 Paul stated that believers were saved by hope. This demonstrates how closely hope and faith are related. In fact, they are elements of the same concept. Faith is the actual trust in God's promises, specifically in this case, the promise of glorified bodies. However, hope is the waiting for the promise, knowing that God is faithful. Paul went on to say that hope that comes to fruition is no longer hope. Compare the definition of hope to the definition of faith in Hebrews.

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
¹ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

In verse 25 Paul continued by saying that in hoping for a future promise, believers will wait patiently for it.

Likewise, the Holy Spirit will help our infirmities (verse 26). Remember that Paul's discussion concerns the curse and the groanings that creation and mankind are going through. Waiting for our gloried bodies is difficult. We go through many hardships because of our sin, but also because of the cursed and fallen world that we live in. However, believers have help through the Holy Spirit. When believers don't even know how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings that can't be uttered.

And the Holy Spirit searches the hearts of believers and intercedes for them according to the will of God (verse 27).

As we wait in patient hope for the return of Yeshua and the redemption of our bodies we have help from the Holy Spirit. Stay tuned for more!

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