WHERE IS

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

QUOTE

Romans 1:16-17

WHERE IS

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of

God

QUOTE

Romans 3:23

WHERE IS

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the

word of God.

QUOTE

Romans 6:23

WHERE IS

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord

Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,

thou shalt be saved.

QUOTE

Romans 10:9

WHERE IS

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

QUOTE

1 Corinthians 3:16

WHERE IS

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

QUOTE

2 Corinthians 5:17

WHERE IS

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

QUOTE

2 Corinthians 7:10

WHERE IS

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

QUOTE

Galatians 3:2

WHERE IS

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

QUOTE

Galatians 5:22,23

WHERE IS

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

GALATIANSThe Superiority of Christ

QUOTE

Galatians 6:2

EAGERLY AWAITING OUR HOPE

Galatians 5:5

INTRODUCTION A few questions to stimulate your thinking...

What is your hope as a Christian? How strong is that hope? Can you say that you are eagerly awaiting your hope?

Much of the joy of being a Christian is related to our hope... How real that hope is to us How eager we are to one day realize that hope How it enables us to serve the Lord with joy and patience

In Ga 5:5, Paul writes concerning his hope... What he was waiting for How he was eagerly waiting for it (Grk., apekdechomai, to

await eagerly)

For what do we hope?

WAITING FOR THE HOPE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

The hope of justification Paul had been writing about justification - Ga 5:4 Justification and righteousness come from the same

Greek word (dikaiosune) Thus Paul is talking about the hope of being made

right, not guilty of sin

They had no other hope of justification than by faith in the Redeemer – Barnes This was Paul's hope expressed to the Philippians -

Php 3:9 A hope that sustained him in his last days, his

darkest hours - 2Ti 4:8

We are to have a strong desire plus expectation (the meaning of hope) regarding our standing before the Lord guiltless of sin

WAITING FOR THE SAVIOR FROM HEAVEN

The Corinthians were eagerly waiting for the revelation of Jesus - 1Co 1:7

Paul also was eagerly waiting for Jesus from heaven - Php 3:20

For those who so eagerly await Him, Jesus will bring salvation - He 9:28

We are to eagerly await the coming of the Lord, for He will bring the righteousness (justification) we hope for!

GOD PROVIDES THE REWARD

ACCORDING TO OUR LABOR... God will reward each one according their labor - 1Co 3:8 The more we sow, the more we shall reap - cf. Ga 6:7 Those we lead to Christ will be a source of great joy - cf.1Th 2:19-20;

3Jn 3-4 The key is to build on the right foundation: Jesus Christ! - 1Co 3:9-11

EVEN IF OUR WORK IS LOST... The materials (i.e., souls) with which we build vary in quality - 1Co

3:12 Only time and the judgment will reveal the true quality of those we

reach - 1Co 3:13 If our work endures to the end, there will be great reward (joy) - 1Co

3:14 If our work does not endure, we are still saved - 1Co 3:15 Like Jeremiah, we might serve many years with little to show; but the

Lord knows and will reward our efforts! - 1Co 15:58

WAITING FOR THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY...

Paul wrote of awaiting the redemption of our bodies - Ro 8:23 This pertains to the hope of the resurrection - Ac 23:6; 24:15 In which our mortal bodies will be raised and put on

immortality - 1Co 15:42-44,48-54 Made possible by the coming and power of our Lord Jesus

Christ! - Php 3:20-21

We are to eagerly await that glorious transformation in which our bodies as well as our souls will be redeemed by the Lord!

Such are the things we are to hope for and await eagerly: Our justification from sin, our Savior from heaven, our resurrection from the dead! Now let's consider...

WE WAIT BY FAITH Faith is our part

We are to have faith "For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait”

Faith in Christ and His sacrifice, faith in His coming

A faith that is Bible-based A strong conviction in things unseen; in particular,

Jesus - He 11:1; Jn 3:36 Which comes through the Word of God - Ro 10:17; Jn 20:30-31 Which gives us hope, like a light shining in darkness - Ro 15:4; 2Pe 1:19

The eagerness with which we wait is proportional to the degree of faith we have

WE WAIT THROUGH THE SPIRIT This is God's part

"...strengthened by the Spirit we wait for the fulfillment of the hope which righteousness by faith instead of the law insures to us." - B.W. Johnson

Paul wrote of God helping us to abound in hope via His Spirit - Ro 15:13

We receive the Spirit's aid as we: Walk in the Spirit - Ga 5:16 Set our minds on the things of the Spirit (i.e., the Word) - Ro 8:5-6; Ep 6:17

Ask God for strength by His Spirit (via prayer) - Ep 3:16,21

The eagerness with which we wait is proportional to the strength we receive from the Spirit

CONCLUSION

What is your hope (desire plus expectation) as a Christian? It should include... The hope of righteousness (justification) The Savior's revelation from heaven The glorious resurrection from the dead

How strong is your hope? It all depends... Are you growing in faith (through the Word)? Are you being strengthened by the Spirit

(through prayer)?

QUOTE

Romans 1:16-17

WHERE IS

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

QUOTE

Romans 3:23

WHERE IS

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of

God

QUOTE

Romans 6:23

WHERE IS

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the

word of God.

QUOTE

Romans 10:9

WHERE IS

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord

Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,

thou shalt be saved.

QUOTE

1 Corinthians 3:16

WHERE IS

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

QUOTE

2 Corinthians 5:17

WHERE IS

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

QUOTE

2 Corinthians 7:10

WHERE IS

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

QUOTE

Galatians 3:2

WHERE IS

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

QUOTE

Galatians 5:22,23

WHERE IS

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

QUOTE

Galatians 6:2

WHERE IS

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.