What Is Hope

Do we learn anything from history? The only thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn anything from history. The Jewish people lived under several different forms of government. They went from the patriarchal to the theocratic to the judges and to the kingdom under Saul, David, and Solomon, to the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam and Jeroboam. There were 20 kings under Rehoboam and 19 kings under Jeroboam and their successors. After these came the exile. After the restoration, they were under a government with limited powers under Persia, Greece, Egypt, Syria, and Rome.

Today Christians pray and look for the coming theocratic kingdom of Jesus Christ. The consequence of a national rejection of God is seen in the Old Testament, and we are getting pretty close, nationally speaking, in America today. The Jews were willing to degrade themselves by breaking the Divine law of separation. It is only natural that when the God of heaven has been dethroned in man’s thinking, the natural consequence would be to break God’s laws. Rejection of God means to forsake the best welfare for people politically, socially, or morally. Such rejection means ultimate destruction, even though it may be delayed according to our way of thinking.

Finally, can we make the distinction between human and Divine anger? There are some who repent only after sin has been openly revealed. Here is the hurt of human anger—hurt only because the sin has been publicly revealed. The one thing that makes such hurt so ridiculous is that so long as only God knew the sin, it did not greatly matter. It hurts only when it becomes known by individuals. It is a horrible mistake when hating sin is only the result of it being revealed. Sin is to be hated because it is sin (Psalm 139:20-24). We must see sin as God sees it, and that can be seen only by looking at the cross.

Our subject today is “What Is Hope?” The Scripture passage is Romans 8:18-25. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope [locative case, ‘the sphere of hope’] we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it” (NASB).

Hope is the expectation of something good, but not in the sense of charismatics who manifest interest only in the things of the flesh—physical healing, and prosperity. Hope will be disappointing to those who are guilty of the sin of assumption. The sin of assumption is the result of “easy believism” followed by a physical act. They follow a man-centered, man-manufactured, and man-manipulated way of getting decisions. This means sinners think they do the Spirit’s work and save themselves by their decisions. An ignorant man may persuade himself to be wise; and a religious man, not a Christian man, may persuade himself to be saved.

The Christian’s hope is like Rebekah’s hope of Genesis 24 which was seeing and marrying Christ, as typified by Isaac. There is no greater passage of Scripture on typology than Genesis 24. To begin with, there is the Godhead. The Father is typified by Abraham; Isaac, the Son, typifies the Lord Jesus Christ; and the Holy Spirit, working through the servant Eliezer who was sent out to find a wife for Isaac. So, you have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all typified in this chapter. The following is an outline of Genesis 24: 1. The servant was instructed. 2. His zealous interest was displayed. 3. He was given spiritual discernment. 4. He declared the things of Isaac. 5. He manifested intense earnestness. 6. He was a faithful guide to Rebekah. 7. He presents Rebekah as a chaste virgin to Isaac in the same sense that Paul presented the Corinthian Christians to Christ.

The Christian never finds the world to be his rest, but he does possess one incomparable advantage—his hope never disappoints him. If you have the hope that God has given you in regeneration, it will never disappoint you. The proof is found in Romans 5:5—“and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (NASB). This makes duty delightful. Hope teaches contentment, enlightens the darkness, and alleviates sorrow. Like the helmet of salvation, it guards the head in the day of battle (I Thess. 5:8). Like the anchor of the soul, it holds and secures in the day of storm (Heb. 6:19). Like a pleasing companion, it travels through the wilderness (Heb. 6:11).

Abraham believed in hope. “In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE” (Rom. 4:18). Abraham’s spiritual descendants also believed in hope. Abraham’s seed must be viewed in three different senses: (1) His natural seed—this is the subject of John 8:33, 37, and Romans 9:7. (2) His spiritual seed—“they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel” (Rom. 9:6 NASB). (Read Rom. 9:7, 8; I Pet. 1:1, 2.) Distinguish between Israel as Israelites and those who are the chosen of God to salvation from the chosen nation (Rom. 9). (3) Abraham’s spiritual seed that are not natural—the Gentiles or non-Jews (Gal. 3:29; Rom. 4).

Hope is based on the past, present, and future. As to the past, its foundation rests in the covenants—not only the eternal covenant of grace but the covenants of time that are found in the Old Testament. Therefore, the hope that rests in the covenants is reiterated by the prophets and renewed by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As to the present, this hope is centered in God, manifested in Christ, and wrought in the heart of God’s chosen people by the Holy Spirit. “In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 6:17-20 NASB). “To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27 NASB).

As to the future, the eye of faith must look to the second advent of Christ for its realization. The first advent brought saving grace to the elect, those chosen by the Father and given to Christ in the covenant of redemption. The second advent consummates their salvation. The first advent brought the earnest of redemption to the people of His choice, but the second advent completes it in glory. When we pass out of this life into the presence of Christ, we have a new body; but when Christ comes for His own (the rapture) that transformation will take place for all that He has come to receive unto Himself. That is what Paul was talking about in Romans 8:23—“And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body” (NASB).

Christianity is essentially a life of hope. No other religion has it. Hope is entertained and expressed in the absence of the Redeemer. “For in hope [in the sphere of hope] we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it” (Rom. 8:24-25 NASB). The hope of the Christian never disappoints (Rom. 5:5), because the Object of the believer’s love is always the same. Therefore, the believer never questions the reality of God’s love because Jesus Christ is eternally the same. The subjective heart can never ignore the objective truth of God’s Word. Can anyone feature a young man who is the heir of an estate ignoring the title deed? The heart of the Christian may, like the needle of a compass, be disturbed by temporary attractions. However, the disturbed compass hastens to its resting place which it always re-seeks.

Every professing believer is obligated to give a reason for his hope. “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence, and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (I Pet. 3:15, 16 NASB). Every declared reason for one’s hope should consist of three things: (1) an active faith that is greatly enlarged day by day (II Thess. 1:3), (2) the love of each believer toward one another which is ever greater in its increase (II Thess. 1:3b), and (3) a patient waiting for the kingdom (II Thess. 1:4, 5).

Hope causes shame when the object is not sufficient because of the weakness of the foundation and the sham of its assurance. These are represented by the love of the world, the self-righteousness of the pharisee, and the antinomian’s false view of the moral law. On the other hand, the Greek noun elpis (hope) means confident expectation because its foundation rests on the promises of the sovereign God. In Romans 15:13, God is spoken of as the God of hope. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (NASB). Hope is a factor included in regeneration and conversion. “For in hope we have been saved…” (Rom. 8:24). This is in the locative case which can mean we have been saved in the sphere of hope. Furthermore, hope finds expression in endurance under trial because it is the effect of waiting for the coming of Christ. “Constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing brethren beloved by God, His choice of you” (I Thess. 1:3, 4 NASB). Hope, therefore, has been guaranteed by the doctrine of election. That means those who are afraid of Divine election are afraid of hope.

The person who loves the world is a stranger of grace. The world which lies in the power of the evil one (I John 5:19) is that order of things about us, or that spirit in us, which is blind and deaf to the value and reality of spiritual things. The world has the sentence of death within itself. “And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever” (I John 2:17). If in this life only man has hope in Christ, then he deserves pity (I Cor. 15:19). “When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish” (Prov. 11:7 NASB).

The pharisee who depends on his works, righteousness, and faith has a weak foundation. Works before faith are evil, and works subsequent to faith are imperfect. Neither evil nor imperfect works can do anything for the person who is dead in sin. The indulgence of hope in pharisaism is highly offensive to God according to the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). “So are the paths of all who forget God, And the hope of the godless will perish” (Job 8:13 NASB).

The antinomian has false hope. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God—living with a false hope. As an ignorant man may persuade himself to be wise, a religious man may persuade himself to be saved. That does not mean that he is saved. Christ said, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you, DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS” (Matt. 7: 21-23 NASB).

True hope not only purifies, but it is manifested in holiness of life. True believers cannot live that which Christ came to take away and destroy. The ceremonial law was fulfilled by Christ, but He did not take away the moral law which was designed for all mankind for all ages. Sin dwells and reigns in the sinner. However, it does not reign though it dwells in the Christian (Rom. 6, 7). The believer’s heart, like the magnetic needle of a compass, may be disturbed by a temporary attraction; but it hastens to its resting place.

Believers are always the same with the object of their affection, Jesus Christ. However, the manifestation of love is not always to the same degree. Christ’s love for us and our love for Him are two different things. It is a dangerous thing to make a person’s opinion of his own state the criteria by which to judge one’s safety. In the natural life, we have to know in order to love; but in the spiritual life, we love in order to know. That which flows from God goes back to God. Thus the believer can give a sound reason for his hope (I Pet. 3:15), because of the indwelling love that he experiences.

God blesses His people with His whole heart. Christianity is sometimes spoken of as “trust in God,” sometimes as “love of God,” sometimes as “obedience to God,” and sometimes as “fear of God.” Godly fear is the fruit of grace. God said to Israel, “…I will put the fear of Me in their hearts, so that they will not turn away from Me” (Jer. 32:40 NASB). This Godly fear is the beginning of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (Prov. 1:29; Job 28:28; Prov. 19:23). It is referred to as God’s treasure (Is. 33:6), hatred of evil (Prov. 16:6), the cause of the believer working out his salvation (Phil. 2:12), given to a holy manner of life (Mal. 3:16), manifested in humility (Rom. 11:20), and self-denial (Gen. 22:12). This Godly fear is the fruit of the blessed hope of Titus 2:13-15—“looking for the blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you” (NASB).