The Hope

Now faith is assurance of things hoped for . . . —Hebrews 11:1

R. E. Evans

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are from the American Standard Version.

One of the most difficult problems with the translation of the Bible into English is the inability to properly indicate the emphatic nature of some Greek words. In the nineteenth century Benjamin Wilson and Joseph B. Rotherham attempted to resolve this problem in their respective translations by introducing special markings. To this writer’s knowledge, little attention has been given this problem since their efforts. In this article the notation used by Wilson in his Emphatic Diaglott (placing emphatic words in uppercase) will be followed in a limited way.

The Apostle Peter gave an instruction that all who follow Jesus should seek eagerly to obey: ". . . sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, . . ." (1 Peter 3:15).

To be ready always to respond to a question concerning the hope of a Christian requires preparation. It requires a clear understanding of the makeup of that hope—its essentials, its characteristics.

God provided the Bible so that those he calls may have this needed understanding —so they may come to a full knowledge of the hope of a Christian (Eph. 1:17,18): " . . . because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. (Col. 1:5). "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have [the] hope" (Rom. 15:4). So, to have the hope, to be ready always to give answer, it is necessary to turn to the Bible—to search the scriptures daily as did the noble Bereans (Acts 17:11).

Essentials of the Hope

Christ Jesus: The Apostle Paul in his greetings to Timothy made manifest the basis for the hope. "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and Christ Jesus our hope" (1Tim. 1:1).

The hope rests in Christ Jesus. It is through faith in him we have access. ". . . through whom [Jesus Christ] also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom. 5:2).

So, the hope of the Christian is founded on the work of Jesus. It is through our faith in that work that we rejoice in hope—the hope that reveals the glory of God.

Resurrection of the Dead: Following his arrest in Jerusalem, Paul attempted to divide his accusers by detailing the crux of this hope. "But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees: touching the hope[,] and [namely, (kai, Strong’s 2532)] resurrection of the dead[,] I am called in question" (Acts 23:6). [For text editing see Rotherham; Vine under ‘hope’]

The hope, then, is directly related to a resurrection of the dead. In his appearance before Felix, Paul restated this hope. "having hope toward God, which these also themselves [Paul’s accusers] look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust" (Acts 24:15).

So, to Paul, the hope was to be realized by a resurrection both of the just and unjust, a resurrection of all of the human race (1 Cor. 15:22)—the just and unjust.

Abrahamic Promise: Later, during his appearance before King Agrippa, Paul again spoke of this hope. "And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king! Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?" (Acts 26:6-8).

The hope of the resurrection comes from the promise God made to Israel’s fathers—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4). To be fulfilled, this promise requires the awakening from death and the restoring to life of all families of the earth.

Work of Church: The Apostle also wrote of the hope in his epistle to the Romans. "The Spirit him[it]self beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him" (Rom. 8:16, 17).

The church, those who are the children of God are joint-heirs with Christ of the promise God made to Abraham. Paul continued in verses 20 and 21: "For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God"

The human race has been subjected to sin and death (Rom. 8:2) since the disobedience of Adam (Rom. 5:12); yet, there has always been the hope of deliverance (Genesis 3:15).

Having established that there is this hope for humanity, Paul, as he continued in his epistle, turned to the work of the church. "For in [the] hope were we [the church] saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?" (Rom. 8:24). [For text editing see a Greek grammar on dative case]

As joint-heirs with Christ the church is being developed as a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5), a priesthood to be used of God to deliver the human race from the bondage of corruption. It is for this hope the church is called. For this hope the church is saved!

New Covenant: In his second epistle to the Corinthians, Paul asserted: "Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech" (2 Cor. 3:12).

The phrase "having therefore such a hope" refers back to verse six: "who [God] also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; . . ." (2 Cor. 3:6).

Thus, Paul indicated the church’s hope is directly related to the ministration of a new covenant. It is through the New Covenant the hope will be fulfilled (Heb. 7:19, 22). As the ministers, as the priesthood (1 Peter 2:5), of that covenant, the church with Jesus as its Head will fulfill the promise—the promise that is their inheritance.

Characteristics of the Hope

Only the Called Know: Paul made it manifest that only those whose eyes are opened by God and who are called by him know of the hope. ". . . having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling," (Eph. 1:18).

All who are called of God to participate in his plan of salvation as members of the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22, 23) will have the eyes of their heart, their spiritual eyes, opened. They will be enlightened of the hope, for it is the hope of the calling of God.

Only One Hope: As Paul continued in his epistle to the Ephesians, he gave another important characteristic of the hope. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling" (Eph. 4:4).

There is only one hope of God’s calling— not two, not three. Some think of the church’s hope as being glory, honor, and immortality (Romans 2:7), but can three such egocentric goals be the hope? No! There is one hope— the hope based on the promise.

A Future Hope: Another characteristic of the Hope was given by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. "If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable" (1 Cor. 15:19).

Unlike some who believe in immediate compensation, instant reward in this life, the Apostle Paul declared if our hope is for this life only we are most miserable (KJV). So, the hope is not for this life. It is a hope for the future.

A Better Hope: A fourth aspect of the hope is given in the epistle to the Hebrews. ". . . (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God" (7:19).

The hope is a better hope than that given by the law. The law made nothing perfect. It provided only the forgiveness of sin. The better hope will provide the release from sin! It will make perfect!

The Faith

The Promise: As stated in the theme text, the faith of the Christian is to be centered on the hope. "Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1).

This is a common theme in Paul’s epistles. " . . . if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister" (Col. 1:23).

The faith is belief in the hope of the gospel, a hope founded on the promise. "But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before [the] faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. . . . But now that [the] faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. . . . And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise" (Gal. 3:22-29).

As heirs to the promise made to Abraham (Gal. 3:8), the Church’s hope is to bless all families of the earth, a hope to be fulfilled through the New Covenant—the covenant for which Jesus was the surety (Heb. 7:22).

The Salvation of Souls: The Apostle Peter wrote of the faith in a similar manner. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us {again} unto a living hope [hope of life] by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, . . . receiving the end [aim, purpose (telos, Strong’s 5056)] of your [the] faith, {even} the salvation of {your} souls. Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of [for] Christ, and the glories that should follow them" (1 Peter 1:3-11). [For text editing see Diaglott interlinear; Vine under ‘end.‘ Words in {brackets} above not supported in the Greek text.]

Peter declared that the end, the purpose, of the faith is salvation of souls, the salvation of the children of Adam in the Kingdom of God —the hope for which the church is developed. It is belief in the glories of this hope that makes the church willing to experience the sufferings for Christ.

" . . And he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again" (2 Cor. 5:15).

Those in the faith no longer live unto themselves! Their purpose, as a holy priesthood, is salvation of souls. Their goal is to bless all families of the earth. As joint-heirs with Christ, they were begotten for the hope of life for all humanity through the resurrection of the dead (1 Peter 1:3)—a resurrection made possible by the ransom given by Jesus.

Hold Fast: Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, stressed the importance of the faith. "Deacons in like manner must be grave, . . . holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience" (1 Tim. 3:8, 9).

Then, in 1 Timothy 1:19, he warned that those who do not hold fast to this faith are lost; "holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concerning the faith" (1 Tim. 1:19).

Not only did some shipwreck in that day, Paul indicated a falling away would be evident in the latter times as well. "But the Spirit saith expressly, that in latter times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1).

In the closing words of his letter, before encouraging Timothy to fight the good fight of the faith, he again pointed to those who had erred. " For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on {the} life {eternal} [of the age (aionios, Strong’s 166)], whereunto thou wast called, . . ." (1 Tim. 6:10-12). [For text editing see Greek grammar on suffix ‘-ios’; Rotherham; Diaglott Appendix under ‘age.’ Words in {brackets} not supported in original Greek text.]

Let us not be led astray and become shipwreck. Let us fight the good fight of the faith. Let us lay hold on life of the age—the life to be restored to the world in the Millennial age. It is this hope that emerges repeatedly in the epistle to the Hebrews. ". . . but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our [the] hope firm unto the end" (3:6); "And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fullness of [the] hope even to the end" (6:11); "that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us" (6:18); "let us hold fast the confession of our [the] hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised" (10:23).

The charge, being ready always to give answer . . . concerning the hope, makes it imperative that we know and understand the hope. Only with such knowledge can we hold fast the confession of the hope. Only with such knowledge can we insure we are not led astray from the faith. Let us make Paul’s prayer for the Romans the fountainhead of our Christian walk. "Now the God of [the] hope fill you with all joy and peace in [the] believing, that ye may abound in [the] hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:13).

Only in the faith, only in the believing of the hope, can we be filled with joy and peace. Let us all lay hold of the hope set before us!