Galatians 5:5

Galatians 5:5. For we, by the Spirit, from faith wait eagerly for the hope of righteousness. ‘For' introduces an argument from the opposite for the judgment passed in Galatians 5:4 against those who seek justification by the law. ‘By the Spirit,' the Holy Spirit, who is the Divine source of faith and spiritual life in us. ‘From faith,' which is the subjective source of our expectation. ‘Wait eagerly,' or persistently, patiently. The hope of the Christian does not decline, but increase until the time of fruition. Comp. Romans 8:19; Romans 8:23; Romans 8:25; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 3:20. ‘For the hope of righteousness,' the righteousness hoped for by us as a possession that is secured here by faith, but extends into eternity and involves the bliss and glory of the future life. Comp. Romans 8:30. Others take ‘hope' as equivalent to the crown of glory which awaits the justified as their reward. The passage affords no aid to the doctrine of a gradual increase of justification, which, as Meyer says here, ‘is entirely un-Pauline. Justification does not, like sanctification, unfold itself and increase, but it has as its normal consequence sanctification through the Spirit, which is given to him who is justified by faith. Thus Christ is to us righteousness and sanctification. 1 Corinthians 1:30.'