A Christian Believer's Hope

Blog Repost

Have you ever noticed how the word "hope" gets tossed around? "I hope to pay the bills," "I hope I pass the test," "I hope you don't get sick"... Even politicians like to throw that word around. Contrary to what most people would believe, President Obama was not the first one to use the phrase "Hope And Change" as that designation would go to the former dictator of Cuba, the Marxist Fidel Castro. There used to be images on search engines showing a young Castro with the slogan as a backdrop at his speeches but they seem to have disappeared off the web. I seen them a few years ago and now they're gone. But so's as you don't have to take my word for it you can check out the video of the testimony of someone that escaped Cuba having come to the U.S. (legally) at the bottom of this post. But not to be distracted by politics, this post will deal with the word "hope" and why Christian believers have The Hope that is promised them of God through the scriptures we know as The Holy Bible. And perhaps give you some ammo that you may have an answer to give to anyone that asks you of this... your Christian believer's hope. "Hope" defined by Webster-Dictionary.org is, "A desire of some good, accompanied with an expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable; an expectation of something which is thought to be desirable; confidence; pleasing expectancy." There is not much control in hoping for something. Hope is more of a desire that things turn or turn out for the best. Misusage of this word by Christians has caused no small misunderstanding of what the Christian believer's hope is today. Why? Because for the most part they are "hoping" when they should be "believing!" If something is presently available one does not hope for it. One takes the appropriate believing action to acquire it. Hope by definition is an expectation of something future. It's not available at the present moment as God's Word defines it in Romans 8:22-25. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by (to) hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Those last two sentences sum it up nicely. What you can see, what is available now is not hoped for, it is believed for and acquired. It is believing that appropriates results. Hope anticipates.

So what profit is there to a Christian believer's hope? If it's not available right now, if it can't be seen at the present time, what good is it?! As explained in the Faith - Hope - Love post, "Unlike 'hoping' for all the petty things we want in life, this hope is available. Just not right now." A Christian believer's hope is as rebar set in concrete. "Poured concrete is extremely strong and does very well under compression, but when there are tension stresses placed on it, it can fail. For example, if a concrete beam is supported only at the two ends, the middle will be subjected to tension stress. This stress can be relieved by strengthening the concrete with reinforcing steel bars or rebar. The rebar absorbs the tension stress and thereby prevents the concrete from cracking or breaking." -ehow.com A Christian believer's hope is an unseen, underlying strengthening aspect of a believer's mindset that assists one to endure hardships that come at us from time to time. To help us from cracking up when the pressures of life bear down on us! It helps us to stay focused on the task of discipleship realizing that one day future we will receive all the promises detailed in God's Word concerning this hope. Just what are some of these details, these promises of future reward?

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. Colossians 3:23 - 25 (KJV)

For one... eternal life!
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
-I John 2:25 (KJV)

For God so love the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
-John 3:16

... with an immortal, spiritual body!
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
-I Corinthians 15:53 - 55

... and get our minds blown throughout eternity by God's grace!

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
-Ephesians 2:4 - 9 (KJV)

... and no more anything that causes pain!

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
-Revelation 21:4 (KJV)

People, my prayer for you concerning a Christian believer's hope is that of Paul's prayer for the believers at Ephesus as recorded in Ephesians 1:18... "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." That you might KNOW! Not guess. Not hope you know... but that you know! The hope of His calling AND that you might know what YOUR inheritance is in this body of believers concerning the riches of God's manifested power! You'll only get an accurate knowledge of this hope by studying this topic in the scriptures. Why? For what purpose? That you may endure this present evil world until we are all called home! And I don't mean through death. Death sucks! It is available for some to be alive in the physical realm at the time of The Lord's return. At the Father's own, good time. And what a day of rejoicing that will be!!!

This post originally published on my blog TheHollerinStump.com on 03/14/2014. The blog is built on Blogger and hosted by Google. They have locked me out of my account there until I update my payment details. Therefore it won’t be getting registered and will cease to be available in the late spring of 2023. I am reposting as many of these posts here as I see relevant before then.

- Home - Podcast - Chat - Videos - Bookstore - Social Media - Archive - About -