Table of Contents
Our hope is in God
Psalms 15:8-9: I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Psalms 42:5: Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
Joel 3:16: The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Romans 15:13: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
When we set our Lord before us, we will not be left in discouragement, but our hearts will be filled with praises to him for the wonderful deliverance that he has wrought in our lives. It is God in whom all the repentant and broken in heart center their hopes. It is he who will fill their hearts with joy and peace, so that love can overflow and be a blessing to others.
Hope in human strength is vain
Psalms 33:16-19: There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psalms 147:1, 9-11: Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely… He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Jeremiah 17:7-8: Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
There is no way of saving ourselves, no way of gaining even temporal victories without the Lord strengthening us and giving us courage. All the ways of the ungodly are wickedness and all their earthly hopes are vain. But those who trust in the Lord and rely on his mighty arm and his outstretched hand for deliverance will have their hopes fulfilled and their faith strengthened.
Those who fear the Lord are given the assurance that he will be with them to strengthen them and deliver them from death (Psalms 147:11).
Here, we are told about a final deliverance for the second death that is the lot of the wicked – we are assured that the righteous ones will not take part in this. They will be delivered from their bondage to sin, and thus delivered from the wages of it, and we know that the wages of sin is death – Romans 6:23. The verse, however, continues, and the righteous are given the following assurance: “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Our lives are preserved because of God’s mercy
Lamentations 3:22-26: It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
1 John 3:1-3: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Since the fall of Adam, all men are subject to the fearful results of sin that has marred our world and caused immense sickness and suffering. But the Second Adam lived a life of perfect obedience to the holy Law of God, and he gained the victory over every sin and temptation.
Through the atonement of his blood and through his priestly ministration in the sanctuary above, we are given a chance to become the sons of God – heirs to the eternal inheritance. What greater honor can we dream of and what higher blessing can we attain? Children of the heavenly King, heirs of the Majesty of heaven.
Considering the marvelous love that God has bestowed upon us, by giving his only begotten Son to die for us, we can only be filled with awe, and – unable to find words to express this sublime reality, we can only exclaim, together with the apostle: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…”, and fall on our knees in adoration and heart-felt worship, surrendering all that we are and all that we have to him.
Hope in the resurrection – The basis of the Christian’s faith
Acts 24:15: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
1 Corinthians 15:19-20: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
The promise of the resurrection is aimed to inspire courage in the believers and trust that their heavenly Father cares for them, and has prepared for them a better country, even a heavenly one. Knowing that this life is not all and that there will be a resurrection, how much more shall we strive to be among the faithful ones, and be counted worthy to receive the crown of life.
Justification by faith
Romans 5:1-5: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: and joy in our hope. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts…”
Titus 3:7: That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
A reconciliation of the sinner to God is made possible only through the sufferings and death of his dear Son because no other life could atone for the transgression of the divine Law. Therefore, if we believe in Christ as our personal Savior and accept by faith his perfect righteousness, we are made partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
And even though troubles and trials may come, we will still have the assurance that tribulation produces patience, and then every good quality that is necessary for the Christian life, and lastly hope, through which we may have the love of God shed in our hearts.
Hope cannot be hidden – it is revealed in our practical lives
1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Romans 12:10-12: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…
Luke 6:35-36: But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
1 Peter 3:15: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear…
There is one aspect of true faith in Christ that makes the believer a channel through which the divine grace can flow to others, and thus lead men to God and to his Son, to find eternal life. Love cannot be hidden – it is as a light on a hill and as a candle that is not put under the bed or under a bushel but is placed on high so that it can give light to the house.
When we accept Christ, we will rejoice in his love and we will then think of our loved ones and our relatives, of our friends and our neighbors, and we will desire the same blessing to be given to them. We will strive to lead them to Christ so that they can also share in this blessed hope of salvation.
The Holy Scriptures – The basis for our hope
Romans 15:4: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1 Corinthians 13:13: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 Peter 1:18-21: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Psalm 119:114: Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
Hope without a foundation is not truly hope but some fanciful idea. But we can rejoice and be glad because our faith is not in vain, but it is based on the infallible Word of God that is a sure anchor. God is our hiding place in storms and tempests, his Word is our shield in the battles with self and sin, and in every temptation that we may encounter in this life.
The Word was the defense that Christ used when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. He did not begin to argue with the adversary, but he showed him a clear “Thus saith the Lord!” which finally gave him the victory. Christ said: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matt. 4:4.
Christ in us – the hope of glory
Colossians 1:26-28: Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus…
As the branch abides in the vine, so we – if we abide in Christ and he abides in us – can have the living hope that makes us not ashamed but sanctifies us and prepares us to will and to do the will of God. “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing,” said Christ. John 15:5. If we have a living connection to Christ as our Savior, and feed continually on his word, we will bear fruit for his glory, and have life in Him who is our love and our everlasting hope.
Hope, a part of the armor of God
1 Thessalonians 5:8-10: But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Titus 2:11-13: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope…
Hebrews 11:1-3: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
1 Peter 1:13-16: Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
The inspired apostle Peter talks of hope as the aim of grace which will be fulfilled in the revelation of Jesus Christ, or his glorious coming in the clouds of heaven. This will be the consummation of the faith of all the faithful patriarchs from past ages and of all the loyal disciples of Jesus in the past two millennia. Since the first promise of the gospel that was given to Adam after he sinned, in Genesis 3:15,
Christ has been guiding the faithful men and women of previous ages to the knowledge of his truth and to a blessed expectation of him as the promised Deliverer. Through the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, and the rite of holy Communion in the New, Christ represented himself as the Lamb of God which was slain for the sins of the world. It is only through faith in him that we can receive forgiveness and peace and hope for salvation.
The conditions – repentance and the keeping of the Word
Psalm 119:165-167: Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
Job 11:13-19: If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; if iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot… thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
The observance of the grand moral law of the Ten Commandments is enjoined upon us as a requirement if we want to receive the fulfillment of our most sincere hopes. As we hold communion with our Savior, we will not only keep the law because we are required to do so but – like the psalmist – we will love the commandments and we will find joy in them. They will be to us a guide and a stay.
We will always have the holy Law before us and we will not have any desire to sin. As a result, we will rest in safety. And we are given the assurance: “Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid.” And that many people will follow after our example of Christian life and be led to copy the Pattern, which is our Lord, Jesus Christ.
The promise of everlasting life with Christ – our blessed hope
Colossians 1:5: For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth…
1 Peter 1:3-5: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The country of the faithful ones which is promised to them and also called a “reward” for their good deeds, is the glorious fulfillment of numerous promises and prophecies in the Holy Word.
To this aim, we must strive, and we must have the diligence to be doers of the Word and not hearers only, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts” and living “soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world”, “looking for that blessed hope”, so that Jesus “might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.“ Then Jesus will come “with clouds; and every eye shall see him…” Rev. 1:7.
For Further Study: