OUR LIVING HOPE

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a LIVING HOPE…” – 1 Peter 1:3

GOD’S WORD portrays CHRIST as OUR LIVING HOPE: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant MERCY has begotten us again to a LIVING HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3). The Christian Hope is a Living Hope. We who believe in Christ are born again by Mercy, to a Living Hope; one that’s rooted in the Resurrected and LIVING LORD. Titus 2:13 says, “Looking for the BLESSED HOPE and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”!

CHRIST our LIVING HOPE, is the ultimate fulfilment of everything we wait for in this life. He is coming soon to make all things new, and true Believers are expecting His return with joy. But while we await His coming, we can live with a blessed assurance and confident expectation that all shall be well! Romans 8:28 assures us: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” We are assured that, in Christ, no matter the interlude, all things will work out on a positive note!

Christ makes the difference. The world is full of false hopes, disappointment, and disillusionment. Our Lord confirms this: “In the world you will have tribulation” (Jh.16:33). But based on the things He has spoken to us, we can “be of good cheer” knowing that He has overcome the world! The reality is: Whatever one’s achievements, accomplishments, or accumulations in the earthly realm, without Christ, there is NO HOPE. Paul described our old state: “that at that time you were WITHOUT CHRIST, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, HAVING NO HOPE and without God in the world” (Eph.2:12).

Ours is a Living Hope because God’s Mercy is unending: “Surely goodness and MERCY shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psa.23:6a). God never removes His Mercy from His children: “Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, nor HIS MERCY from me!” (Psa.66:20). Mercy is not God’s temporary mood; but His eternal disposition. His Mercy is Unfailing, and our Hope is living: “Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not, they are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness” (Lam.3:22-23). There are three main attributes to our Living Hope, namely:

A Sure Hope (v.3): Our hope does not come from possessions or what we do but who we are. Our new life in Christ is accompanied by new hope. Our salvation begins with God’s foreknowledge and election (Rom.8:29); is secured by God through the Blood (crucifixion); accomplished by God (regeneration); and confirmed by God (resurrection). Any hope outside of Christ is superficial and temporary.

An Eternal Hope: “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (v.4). In contrast, hope in this world is a dying hope because the world itself is passing away with all of its lusts (1Jh.2:is perishing! Hope in Christ is imperishable and immortal (untouched by death); Pure and undefiled (unstained by evil); and unfading (unimpaired by time).

An Enduring Hope: “who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (v.5). Hope that does not persevere and overcome is not a real hope. This Living Hope is one that endures through the toughest of times. Satan tempts; the world lures, and the flesh battles us, but God's Power prevails.

These three virtues of Hope show that Believers are steady because our eyes are on God’s eternal promises rather than earthly things which quickly fade away. Our Living Hope guarantees our freedom from anxiety and perplexity. Nothing can disappoint us in this life as long as Christ – the Living Hope – reigns in our hearts. The radiance of Christ’s Love, Joy and Peace shall perpetually shine in and through our lives.