Articles
We Can Have Hope
We can have the HOPE of heaven because of what the Lord has done to make that possible. Only because He loves us enough and has the patience to give us time to listen to His Word do we have this special blessing. We have His promise of being with Him for eternity if we listen and obey the plan He has given us. That plan is given only since Jesus His Son came to earth, obeyed His Will, and completed it by sacrificing Himself on the cross. By His resurrection the plan was completed and we now have opportunity to obey and have the HOPE of heaven when this life is over, or when Jesus comes again. (Romans 1:16; Hebrews 9:27,28)
PROFILE OF OUR HOPE Sometimes hope is defined as CONFIDENT EXPECTATION. Why would that be? Confidence can only be ours when we listen and obey our Lord and His commands. (1 John 2:17)
"And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, BUT THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER." (1 John 2:17)
"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40) God's plan gives us His Son, and the Gospel of Christ to make that possible.
These are promises from our Father in heaven. We can be confident He will keep those promises just as He has always done before. The history of the Bible tells us He has never failed to fulfill any promise made. Since Jesus was raised from the dead, we have His promise of our resurrection also.
"If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming.' (1 Corinthians 15:19-23)
Our faith and trust in God's Word gives us both CONFIDENCE AND EXPECTATION that His promises make possible. When observing the faith of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians, and also to Timothy we are able to be just as he was; CONFIDENT in God and God's Word.
"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and BE WITH CHIRST, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake." (Philippians 1:21-24)
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there IS LAID UP FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, WILL AWARD TO ME ON THAT DAY, AND NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Jesus had power over Satan and over death by His resurrection gives us that wonderful promise of overcoming also. When we consider all He has done for us, both now and in His promises, can we not be CONFIDENT AND EXPECT the future He has promised for us? To be with Him and His Son in heaven, for AN ETERNAL LIFE.! What a wonderful HOPE we can have, as Peter puts it A LIVING HOPE!!
"Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. " (Hebrews 2:14,15)
As we begin a new year, why not determine to think and put our minds more on things eternal than those of this world. (Colossians 3:1-4; Philippians 4:8
Ross
