Hope is the desire for something and the expectation of obtaining it. The Bible defines it as the “assured anticipation of unseen things” (Romans 8:24-25; Hebrews 11:1, 7). Without it, a person loses his purpose in life (Lamentations 3:18; Job 7:6) and eventually the good things that God planned for him.
When the human race fell and was sentenced to death, despair entered our world. But the Lord in His infinite mercy planned a way of salvation by offering His only begotten Son to redeem humanity from sin. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Thus, the Christian hope is built and obtained by accepting Christ as a personal Savior and obeying His Word (Galatians 5:5). Through the death and the Resurrection of Christ, the believer can now have the hope of the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6), meeting the Lord at the second coming of Christ without shame (Titus 2:11-14), and finally obtaining the crown of glory to live forever (Colossians 1:27).
God’s hope makes the believer sing with happiness “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him” (Psalm 28:7). Once the believer learns to trust in the Lord, he can be completely be free from fear and doubt “Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling” (Psalm 46:2-3).
The apostle Paul teaches that hope is one of the three characteristics that identify the believer. These are faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Hope is the corner stone of love (Colossians 1:4-5). And as believer prepares for heaven, it is hope that keeps him close to God, protects him from discouragement (Titus 2:11-14, 1 John 3:3), and helps him to bear the trials of this life with patience (Romans 5:2-5; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 6:11).
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
