Hope-The Rest of the Story

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15.

If I asked what you are hoping for today, many would respond, “The end of this virus. So we can return to normal.” My answer would differ. I’m hoping we do not return to the same normal we knew but to one that is filled with the hope that comes only from the resurrected Jesus Christ. This post is to the chosen of God and to those looking for a sure hope.

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:2-5.

When void of hope, despair fills the void with more emptiness. Returning to our past normal will leave many in the same place they were…without real hope. This post hopefully fills each reader with reason to possess the sure hope found in Jesus Christ’s death, resurrection, ascension, and return. This hope begins in the here and now to be revealed fully in the future. But it is known only by a select few.

It’s offered to all but received by the,

“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…” Some translations render, Elect, as chosen. Don’t confuse chosen with select. The gospel is for all. It is to be taken to all. The Father desires for all to be chosen. The reality is not all will be chosen.

• “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28:19.
• “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

The call goes out even during the days of the tribulation judgment.

• “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6-7.
• “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14

If you’re reading this and not among God’s chosen, He wants you to know you can be. He has made the way in Jesus Christ.

“Jesus saith unto him, I

am the way, the truth, and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

John 14:6.

Without Jesus Christ as your Savior, no matter what your hopes, they will leave you empty, satisfying only for a moment. He paid our sin debt in full on the cross when He breathed His last and said, “It is finished.” He paid the debt and opened the door to the hope of glory through His resurrection. The moment we are born again we go from death to life.

“Buried with him in baptism,

wherein also ye are risen with him

through the faith of the operation of God,

who hath raised him from the dead.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh,

hath he quickened(made alive) together with him,

having forgiven you all trespasses;

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,

which was contrary to us,

and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

Colossians 2:11-14.

Everlasting life is ours. We will never know separation from God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our guarantee. This sure hope alone is reason for joy in life here, but there is more. The hope we’ve been given fills this life with purpose.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…

Blessed used here speaks of praise. We live to praise the name of our God for the hope born in us.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings

in heavenly places in Christ:

According as he hath chosen us in him

before the foundation of the world,

that we should be holy and without blame before him in love…

to the praise of the glory  of his grace

wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved…”

 (From Ephesians 1).

How we live life brings the greatest blessing to our heavenly Father when it lives in the hope of the resurrection.

Hope frees us from guilt, fills us with peace, and releases us to rejoice.

“Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith

into this grace wherein we stand,

and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. “

Romans 5:1-2.

The resurrection produces a hope that motivates us to live honorably before our Lord for we stand confident in His love.

“And hope maketh not ashamed;

because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts

by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Romans 5:5.

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,

and hope to the end for the grace

that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ:

As obedient children,

not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;”

1 Peter 1:13-15.

The resurrection hope frees us from the fear of death.

“And if Christ be in you,

the body is dead because of sin;

but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up

Jesus from the dead dwell in you,

he that raised up Christ from the dead

shall also quicken your mortal bodies

by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

Romans 8:10-11.

 The resurrection hope is our confidence:

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,

both sure and stedfast,

and which entereth into that within the veil;

Whither the forerunner is for us entered,

even Jesus made an high priest forever

after the order of Melchisedec.”

Hebrews 6:19,20

Christ’s victory over death and sin through the resurrection guarantees our victory over death and sin. We can live in confidence not fear, honor not shame, peace not strife, rejoicing not sorrow, hope not despair.

Warren Richards, at wcr281.wordpress.com expressed it this way:

“Through the resurrection, in this life we don’t just get to know the breadth of Father’s love, but experience the fullness. The hope found therein, the joy felt within, and His love for the journey… home!”

And with that I will leave you with this prayer:

“Now the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

that ye may abound in hope,

through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Romans 15:13.