Romanos 8:24

‘For in hope were we saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he sees?'

For we were saved ‘in hope' (through faith - Efesios 2:8). When we committed ourselves into the hands of our Saviour we were accounted as righteous and entered into the process of salvation. But that was in order to enjoy the ‘hope' of what was to come as we awaited the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when our salvation will be completed in the final transformation of our bodies. Thus we can know that we are ‘saved', while at the same time looking forward with confident certainty (certain hope) to our complete salvation at ‘the redemption of our bodies'. It is not something that we have as yet seen or experienced. For if it were we could not hope for it. We would know that we had it. Thus this hope refers to something promised, but as yet not experienced.