What does Galatians 5:5 mean?

Paul has firmly, even harshly, rejected the idea that any person can be made right with God by following the law of Moses. He has gone further, saying that anyone who tries to add works on top of faith in Christ is, in reality, rejecting faith in Christ. Christ's death for sin is useless to such a person (Galatians 5:2–4).

Yet, that is exactly what the Judaizers were trying to get the Galatian Christians to do: add circumcision and other works of the law on top of faith in Christ in order to be truly acceptable to God (Galatians 2:4). Paul has said in the previous verse that someone who tries to be justified before God by following the law is "severed" from Christ.

Now Paul turns to those who are trusting in Christ alone for their salvation, along with him. Together, he says, we wait eagerly for the hope of righteousness, by faith. What are we waiting for so eagerly? Paul is referring to the day of judgment, when we will hear God Himself declare us righteous because of our faith in Christ. Until that day, we wait, placing all our hope in just one person: Jesus.

Those who follow the law of Moses are waiting, too. Paul has shown that they are waiting in vain, though, since no one can be justified or made righteous without Christ. We can't follow the law perfectly, and so God will declare those who are not in Christ to be unrighteous, including those who are trusting in their attempt to follow the law to save them (Matthew 7:22–23).