5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
When I read this verse, I thought this is a perfect solution and summary to the issues and controversies surrounding the debate raised by opponents and proponents of NPP. It shows that:
- ", by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness." - the righteousness of God is not exchanged with our sins when we believe. There is no need for faith or to hope for it when it is already given.
- "For through the Spirit," - the ability to continue in the hope of being declared righteous by God in the end is enabled by the Spirit, not something that we could work out on our own. Thus, the important role of the Spirit in the working out of our salvation i.e. the guarantor of our salvation.
- "but only faith working through love" - real faith is inevitably acted out in the physical world as works of love. It is not merely a mental or emotional state. This harmonizes Paul and James where faith is never separated from actions or works, just like the body is never be separated from the spirit in a living human being.
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