Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. ─1 Peter 1:3 NKJV
We’re living during the time of the great fall away. The Bible calls this apostacy; those who at some point had faith in God, but for whatever reason have left the faith. In Matthew 24:12, it says because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. However, when we read Romans 5:20-21, God provides humanity with the ultimate solution to the problem.
Romans 5:20-21 says, Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When we turn on the news and listen to current events that are taking place in the world around us, it is a strong indication of the level of darkness that has increased rapidly in the world today.
What would cause such anger and hatred in people’s hearts? The Bible explains the degenerate sinful nature of fallen humanity, which can only be regenerated through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ!
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. ─1 Cor. 15:22 NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ─2 Cor. 5:17 NKJV
When a person becomes born of the Spirit, the spirit-man receives new life. Moreover, it causes one to hope and dream again by the power of the Spirit. A person may be on the verge of giving up in life, but through the grace of God, they can receive hope, strength, and gain a new and godly perspective. Therefore, hope is offered by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ. As Spirit-filled believers, we have Christ living in us, the hope of glory; Colossians 1:27.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. ─John 16:33 NLT
Understand there will still be some high-pressure moments in life. In times like this, we must maintain a living hope if we’re going to endure the trials that will test our faith. Therefore, it’s critical that we know God’s Word, understand our individual and corporate roles as Spirit-filed believers, and maintain an eternal perspective; based on our redemption through Jesus Christ.
Cultivating a Biblical PerspectiveThe lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. ─Matthew 6:22 NKJV
Here’s something for you to ponder: Is the substance of your hope temporary or eternal? In other words, is it driven by circumstance or is it based on the Word of God?
In light of the question, understand a non-biblical meaning of hope can be considered wishful thinking. In other words, it wouldn’t be sustainable by anything supported in Scripture. In contrast, a living hope is sustained by revelation of the Word of God.
Why is this important? So that you do not lose sight of the vision. Therefore, it’s critical to get understanding of God’s Word and maintain an eternal perspective based on our redemption through Jesus Christ.
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 NKJV
Here’s another question for you to ponder: If evil people have an agenda to do evil independent of what the righteous say or think, then shouldn’t the righteous have a greater heart attitude or mindset to continue doing good independent of evil that’s taking place in the world? As the days get darker, we must draw even closer to God, through prayer, worship, and meditation on the Word of God; James 4:8. The result is that God will give us counsel, direction, and strengthen our hearts.
Distinction between Faith & Hope
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ─Hebrews 11:1 KJV
So, from this Scripture, here’s how I would best describe the correlation between faith and hope. Whenever there is full assurance (confident expectation) of hope, it will cause faith to arise from within.
So, we could say that hope is a building block to faith. Moreover, In the midst of trials, hope says, you have something to look forward to based on the Word of God. Faith says because you have hope, you can now act upon what you believe in your heart.
Next, let’s go over three key points of why hope is critical to us walking in complete victory as we press forward to finish our race strong.- Who as well as what we hope in is important- This is key because it determines whether we hope in vain or with a promise that’s rooted in the Word of God. Therefore, hope based on the promises of God is a living hope that’s sustainable; Psalm 119:49-50.
- Hope gives us the right perspective- What we believe about our future determines the actions we take in our present. So, we can say a hope that is rooted in Scripture provides us with a proper perspective that will give us the fortitude to keep moving forward. Therefore, a living hope helps us to not lose sight of vision; Matthew 6:22.
- Hope gives us strength to go on- People tend to stop pursuing their dreams or desires when they lose hope. As people of God, we are renewed in strength by the Spirit of God; Zecharia 4:6. The Holy Spirit reignites our passions during moments of discouragement; Acts 2:17.