The Gospel Gives You Hope

Thinking about Romans 8:24-25.

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For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans 8:24-25)

Christians eagerly await the return of Jesus, looking forward to the “redemption” of our bodies (Romans 8:22-23).

While we suffer in this world, we look forward to “the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

What is hope?

Hope “is an expectation of how circumstances will turn out in the future” (Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 290).

Hope is a positive outlook and not a negative one. Living with a negative outlook toward the future is fear, not hope.

Hope also includes a steadfast trust in God. We trust in the wisdom and power of God as Daniel did - even though he was facing difficult, dangerous times.

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. (Daniel 2:20-22)

The Christian eagerly awaits the return of Jesus - knowing that everything will be made better. Our bodies that become sick, grow old, and eventually die will be changed to be incorruptible and immortal (1 Corinthians 15:51-57). We look forward with confident expectation (hope) for the day when Jesus will destroy death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26).

Because Jesus has risen from the dead, we have hope in Him that we too will one day rise (1 Corinthians 15:20-24).

“We were saved in this hope.”

Waiting with endurance.

Christians eagerly look forward to Jesus’ return, to the “redemption” of our bodies. We have this confident expectation for this to happen, but we don’t yet see it with our own eyes.

If we could see it now, we would no longer need hope, for “why does one still hope for what he sees?… We hope for what we do not see.”

Faith is not accurately described as “a blind leap in the dark” even though we do “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). We walk trusting in the promises and word of God (Psalm 119:105) - which includes things we cannot currently see.

And so, trusting in the God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) to keep His promises, we eagerly wait with endurance or perseverance.

We run the “Christian race” with endurance, having our eyes set on Jesus.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Jesus is our perfect example of endurance - He “endured the cross” even though it was considered shameful. Even though He suffered tremendously, He endured it because He looked forward to what was after the cross.

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Some of you who read this suffer - physically, mentally, or emotionally.

The gospel reminds us of our hope in Christ and how “we were saved in this hope.” When you obeyed the gospel of Christ and arose from that watery grave of baptism, you were set free from sin by the blood of Jesus (Romans 6:3-7).

But not only that - you were given hope by the life of Christ.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. (Romans 6:8-9)

Our outlook on the future ought to be optimistic- regardless of what’s happening in the world around us. We have hope for what will happen when Jesus comes back to take us home!