6 Ways Hope Helps the Christian
A guest post by David Stafford.
Christians are not immune to suffering, sorrow, and sickness, but there is a component that we have that the lost do not have.
Christians have hope (Ephesians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 15:12-34; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:13-20; 1 Peter 1:3-5).
Hope is expectation and desire. Life is difficult to say the least, but our hope can help us, especially when we experience the trials of life (James 1:2-12).
Let’s consider how hope helps us.
Hope helps us to be patient.
The word “patience” is translated from two Greek words in the King James Version. Let’s consider the first usage of patience.
The Greek word makrothumia is translated as patience and longsuffering (Matthew 18:26; 1 Corinthians 13:4; James 5:7-8; 2 Peter 3:9). We as Christians are to be longsuffering and wait on the return of Christ when we suffer.
James addressed the importance of this concept to Christians. He said,
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:7-8).
Hope motivates us to be longsuffering when trials occur. We can patiently wait on the Lord’s return, because we have hope that He will (1 Corinthians 15:12; James 5:7).
Hope helps us to endure.
The Greek word hypomonē is translated as patient, patience, or enduring (Romans 5:3-4; 15:4-5; James 1:3). We can endure, because we have hope of a bright future. We know that the present is bleak, but the future is bright.
Paul said,
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:18-25).
We anticipate the return of Christ. In fact, this is what God’s grace teaches us.
Paul said,
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14).
Hope motivates us to persevere when we are persecuted. Hope motivates us to never give up that we may reap everlasting life (Galatians 6:7-9).
Death is often what people fear the most. The faithful Christian, however, does not have to fear death, because he has hope of eternal life (Titus 1:2).
Hope helps us by comforting us.
It is true that many people live with false hope, but this is not true for faithful Christians. Paul addressed the Thessalonian Christians who had a misunderstanding of what happened to their loved ones who died in the Lord.
He said,
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Faithful Christians have comfort that their loved ones will be resurrected to eternal life (John 5:28-29).
Hope helps us by encouraging us to rejoice.
Persecuted Christians were commanded to rejoice when the trials occurred (James 1:2-5). We cannot rejoice without hope, but we can rejoice in hope (Romans 12:12).
Paul was imprisoned when he said, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).
The Christian’s hope encourages him to look on the bright side of things.
Hope helps us by encouraging us to remain faithful.
We will be presented holy, unblameable, and unreprovable if we are not moved away from the hope of the gospel (Colossians 1:23).
Hope should encourage us not to move away from the bright future that is promised to us.
Hope helps us to look to the bright future that is promised to faithful Christians.
Hope is not about what we see but what we expect to see (Romans 8:24-25).
Hope will motivate us to have a proper perspective of life to patiently endure, live in comfort of what is expected, and remain faithful so that we will reap everlasting life (Galatians 6:9).
David Stafford preaches for the Piedmont Church of Christ in Piedmont, Alabama. David and I went to school together for a year and served together for a year at the Nesbit Church of Christ - he was in the class ahead of me.
David has always been a good friend and encourager. His hard work has always demonstrated to me how much he cares about serving the Lord. I’m glad he agreed to share his thoughts with us! You can read more from David on his website, Hiding His Word in Our Hearts.
