Christ, Our Hope

Romans 5:1-5 “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Christianity is the only doctrine of hope among the great religions of the world.  Hope is the confidence that everything works out according to God's ultimate plan ...  according to his divine design; according to his sovereign will. Hope is confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God's gracious promises. Biblically speaking, hope is different from what the world says hope is. Hope according to the Word of God is the ultimate fulfillment of God's purpose.

The first three verses of First John Chapter 3 are about truths related to the hope: past, present, and future. 1 John 3:1-3 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us,[b] because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

God's love is manifested in that He has made us his children. Beloved, now are we the sons and daughters of God, as such we are!  Prior to God's intervention through Jesus, we stood before God as complete strangers, having a debt of sin that we could not pay.  When Jesus intervened on our behalf and we confessed Him as Lord, God placed His seed of the Holy Spirit within us and made us His children. Words are inadequate to describe the beauty of God's created spirit within us. According to 1 Corinthians 2:9, “Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”  At the present time, it does not yet appear what we shall be. However, in the future we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as he is!  As 1 Corinthians 13 says, for now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face we shall know him even also as also we are know by him.” Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that he always cheers for us as His dear children. Even though we see our own frailties and imperfections, He sees us not as we are, but as we shall be. For even if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things.

Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

Our spiritual response is that we are children of God and that the hope of the return of Jesus Christ covers all of the negative contingencies of this present life.  The hope of the return liberates us ... it frees us to live, not according to the problems of this present world, but that we may live genuinely according to the security we have in anticipation of the hope of his return. The fleshly desires of humanity chases after the things that do not really matter. Being a man or woman of God means to chase after “the Man of God”, Jesus Christ, who gave His life on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.  Our hope is in Him, for all things work together for good to those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose – Romans 8:28.  For this light affliction which is but for a moment worketh a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory – 2 Corinthians 4:17.  Our Hope is the blessed assurance of knowing how the story ends.

1 Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

May God richly bless you.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael