Saved by Hope

Background Scripture: Romans 8:15-39
Lesson Scripture: Romans 8:24-34

Introduction

Our hope is secured by Jesus Christ. We have been called by Him and justified through his blood and are glorified in Him. Hope that is placed anywhere else than in Christ will ultimately end in disappointment. There is nothing more solid than a hope secured by Jesus Christ. With Him, there is a way forward no matter what the future may hold. Christian hope is only given for this life and will end when Christ returns; then what we hope for will become reality.

Key Verse

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil (Heb. 6:19).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Men everywhere cling to hope of some kind, for without hope, life on this earth would be unbearable. Many hope that tomorrow will be better and that mankind is somehow becoming more enlightened through education. Many are hoping that their good deeds will justify them and that by praying and reading the Bible, they will surely be saved at the last. Others hope that a loving God will not cast a sinner into hell, and another hopes to deal with his sin someday in the future and still be alright. An old Hindu proverb states that there is no disease like hope. In the above context, for the fallen sons of men, this is true. Hope that has no guarantee of fulfillment is a false friend that comforts us for a while and then leaves us to the enemy. Any hope that does not have the redeeming blood of Christ as its basis is a false hope and will surely lead us astray.

A Christian’s hope stabilizes his soul because it is a link to a changeless God. This kind of hope, though it cannot be seen with physical eyesight, is an absolute reality but is recognized only with the spiritual vision of eternal things. Hope is strong, sure, and safe when it is coupled with faith in God. One of the reasons we can have hope is found in verse 28 of our lesson verses: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Many of God’s promises in the Bible will inspire us to hope as we believe. In fact, this is the whole tenor of the Scriptures. If we are lacking hope, we can find it in the Word. Hope produces the fruits of having trust and confidence in God: patience in trials, perseverance in prayer, and a quiet assurance of the soul’s destiny. It is a deep source of our joy.

Hope is the confident expectation that God will do what He promises. It is a peaceful certainty in the character of God that He will never let us down. Hope looks forward and adds sparkle to the Christian’s life. It gives us the power to carry on through life, whatever may happen. A Christian who has little hope will be miserable and will be unable to effectively share the gospel. Is that “lively hope” that Peter speaks of real in your own heart? (1 Pet. 1:3).

Practical Truths for Today

Perhaps it would be helpful to clarify exactly what our hope is. Our hope is in the completion of our redemption, expressed as inward groaning in Romans 8:23. We shall have a glorious, perfect, new body and rise up out of this world into a new and eternal home. Our hope here on earth is for the deliverance of our loved ones, for victory in trial, and that many more would come into the blessedness found within the kingdom of Christ. Christians should be radiant with hope, a light in a dark world. We should not be overly concerned with the sinfulness of this untoward generation. Conversations about current world events that do not end with the conclusion that this world is not our home are fruitless; our trust in God should make us calm in the face of darkening world conditions. If we focus on the sinfulness of the times that we live in, becoming disheartened will be an almost natural reaction.

Discouragement is a part of the human expression. It was also a very real emotion for many of the people in the Bible. It seems to come most often when we have tried to do the right thing and have been defeated in our efforts. We should not be content to live with a discouraged, despondent mindset; God has a way out of despair. The way may not look like we think it should or be according to our feelings, but our Deliverer will have a quiet, sure way for his people. Everything that the church needs to make it safely to eternity is supplied in Christ Jesus, and He is able “to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20). These are surely exciting times to be a Christian! God is able to do far beyond our expectations, so if you are discouraged by events in your own life, start the change by pinning your hopes on God’s methods of deliverance. Hope is not a loud, boastful emotion but the quiet courage to trust God and carry on.

There are two notable things that will destroy hope. One is the sin of impatience; the other is worry. Impatience has its roots in lust and is a demanding, complaining spirit that wants its own way immediately. God never hurries, and we must try to remember that which happens to us will make us more Christlike if we will allow it. Worry is a corrosive way of thinking that will eat away at joy, happiness, contentment, or anything positive it comes in contact with. Worry completely shuts out the fact that God is in control and will intervene in our lives as He sees fit.

Hoping means having a strong desire, an insistent longing for something. Most people have hopes and dreams of how they would like their life to be. As God’s children, we should not be too surprised if life does not turn out as we had planned. Jesus warned in the parable of the sower that one of the most insidious traps for the believer is becoming caught up with the cares of this life. The world with its attractions and cares can consume our thinking, nullify our feelings and emotions, and deprive us of the power of a living hope. How can we be more focused on our eternal home as God’s people? Could heaven find more of a place in our conversations and in more of our meditations? What if we would question our desires and motives more often? Thinking about eternity is not just for those who are facing the end of life. By all appearances, there is little danger in our day of becoming too caught up with contemplating and studying eternity. Doing so will color our thinking and help us temper our response to life’s challenges and difficulties. Bringing others to Christ will take on greater importance, and we will be less inclined to coddle this old flesh as we think more on the hope of a redeemed and sinless body. An eternal perspective will change our vision and will make us less concerned about life treating us fairly if we focus more on our inheritance. Someday soon “hope [will] be emptied in delight.” 1 The eternal reality of realizing that which we have longed for is now closer than it has ever been.

Questions

1. Describe a lively hope (1 Pet. 1:3).
2. How involved should a Christian be in setting earthly, material goals?
3. 1 Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885), “Therefore Give Us Love,” Christian Hymnal

Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).