“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” Romans 5:1-5

Defining Hope

Hope is not wishful thinking, “Well, I hope so.”  It is not “pie in the sky hope”, which Frank Sinatra sang of, impossible expectations. It is also not a desperate attempt to cover the torments of life. Niche said, “hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torment of man.”

The Greek word for hope is “elpis.”  When used of the Christian life, it is a confident expectation, or assurance of the future. Hope is always future, whether tomorrow, many years or eternity away.

Our verse in Romans 5:2 tells us Christian hope produces rejoicing during the problems of life. Expectation that our problems and trials are temporary bring a great hope of what lies just ahead and even for eternity ahead. Divine hope begins at salvation, carries us through death and into eternity.

Hope is the First Thing We Should Teach New Believers

Not prayer, grace, sanctification, Holy Spirit, or guidance. We must give a hope where there was no hope. Initial hope and restored hope come from knowing God and His word. No relationship with God equals no hope.

“At that time (before salvation) you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). Again, hope is a great stabilizer in life, even causing us to offer praise during the worst of problems.

“Through whom also we have access by faith into the grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2).

Hope Came Before Anything Else

When we heard the gospel, hope was the first thing produced.

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will that we who first trusted (hoped) in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted (hoped) after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, …that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” (Ephesians 1:11-13,18)

Notice, when the gospel came to us, as with anyone, hope was the first thing produced where there had been no hope. After that, faith came, having believed. No sinner has hope for the future, only a fearful, wishful thinking that their works will be pleasing enough to God to let them into eternal life. Sinners fear the events of life, eventual death and eternity beyond. Hope is the first thing produced in sinners when they hear the gospel. All of a sudden future security is attainable, beginning the moment they believe in Jesus. Hope paints the target they can attain to. Faith aims at and hits that target making it all come to pass.

Hope Is an Anchor For Our Soul

In other words, hope gives us mental stability in the storms of life and is a guard for our mind.

“Keep your mind set on the hope of salvation” (1Thessalonians 5:8).

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19).

It is our mind which looks at the problems and circumstances of life and can open the door for fear. Where hope looks at the future in confidence, fear sees the future as hopeless. Fear can nullify hope. 1 Thessalonians 5 also tells us that hope is our helmet. Of course, it is. It covers the head, mind, thoughts and imaginations.

Four Types of Hope for the Believer

1. We Have Hope in Life

We become members of an eternal family the moment we become a Christian. We are sons and daughters of God Himself and a brother to the One Who saved us, Jesus Christ, God’s firstborn. By membership into this family, we have an inheritance on earth and in eternity. These are possessions even angels do not have. In fact, angels are part of our inheritance, sent to be with us and minister to us and for us (Hebrews 1:14). These are all things we cannot lose, part of an eternal inheritance.

God not only promises to meet our daily needs, but also promises to give us our desires in life. The scriptures promise us protection and deliverance from Satan, the world’s problems, sickness, disease and financial lack. When we sin, we find forgiveness and restoration of fellowship in God’s family. This security is not only promised to us, but to our children also when they accept salvation through Jesus Christ. There is not one area of life God has left uncovered in His love for us.

2. We Have Hope in Death

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14, 15)

The “fear of death” is no longer a bondage (Hebrews 2:15). Jesus conquered Satan and took from him the power of death. Paul said, “to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Physical death for a Christian should be glorious. We now know the moment we die, we are instantly taken from earth to heaven “absent from the body and present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Death is also not as many false doctrines teach, putting doubt and hopelessness about our passing to heaven. Heaven is not soul sleep. Though “sleeping” is taught in the Bible concerning the Christians who have already died, it refers only to the body, never the soul or spirit (1 Corinthians 15:5). The body will come to life again in an eternal form when Jesus comes for His Church.

Neither does the Bible teach purgatory. There is no hold over place on the way to heaven to absolve sins in life by penance or financial offerings from the living. You cannot pay to have your sins forgiven, it is all done by God’s grace and our receiving of His forgiveness by faith. God takes us immediately into heaven at the point of physical death.

I have been around the bed of Christians who were dying. Most were visited by Christian family members who had died years before, who came to escort them to heaven. Those dying have also told me they saw angels in the room and Jesus Himself. You are not alone in life and you certainly are not alone in death.

3. We Have a Future Hope of Heaven

“We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, …for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of truth, the gospel.” (Colossians 1:3, 5)

Heaven is not an imaginary place to escape earth’s problems.  It is a material place.  All the streets, gates, thrones and mansions are real. It is not a place we have to work to get to. We get there by God’s grace because heaven is a gift and it is guaranteed.

Unlike the fairy tales we hear as children, heaven is not a place where we all become angels. Angels are God’s servants. We are in God’s family, His sons and daughters.  Heaven is a place where all sorrow and tears will be wiped away.

It is a place that is forever new. We will never become bored. It is a place where we will all have resurrection bodies one day, like Jesus’. It is a place free from temptation, sin and sinners.

Without a hope of heaven, life, as good as it is, would be sad.  “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)