May 17

For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? — Rom 8:24 BSB

What does it mean to be "saved by hope"? It doesn’t mean we are saved actually, but instrumentally—not in terms of our eternal security, but in terms of our experience of salvation. By hope, we are saved from despair, saved from turning away from Christ and the gospel, saved from seeking any other Savior, and especially saved from making this world and this life our ultimate happiness and home. Hope enables us to wait patiently for the redemption of our bodies.

It is by hope that we cling to and remain in Christ. This is why hope is called “an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast, which enters into the inner sanctuary behind the veil.” Just as an anchor keeps a ship steady during a storm and prevents it from being dashed upon the rocks, so hope keeps our souls anchored in Christ. Though we may be tossed about by doubt, fear, and distress, hope maintains the bond of union between us and Him, stronger than any worldly connection.