Have you ever listened to the hopes people hold on to?
Maybe it is the hopes of your colleagues at work, or those shopping at the store, or those working out at your gym. Sometimes you might share a conversation with them. Other times you can’t help overhearing their conversation and so you listen discreetly.
The Hopes of Our Lives
Probably the main category of hope is things for this present life. Often we as Christians have a lot of hopes in common since we live in the same world and community. But, certainly, our focus as a Christian is God’s glory in our life above all, and seeing the Gospel of Christ transform our hopes, and through us those of the world.
Conversations get more interesting when talking about people’s hopes after death. Many believe that we live in a time of hopelessness and despair at the uncertain future, especially after death. So people often choose to have happy thoughts about their afterlife, some keeping their ideas general, others giving them a lot of definition.
It is amazing that so many people seem so happy about something to which they never give any definition, and typically do not want to talk about. They take a strange comfort in not knowing much and just assuming life after death will be good and good for them. Much of this avoidance comes from uncertainty of being able to know for certain, and perhaps moreso from a fear of knowing for certain.
But, many others have very definite ideas, and yet the basis for these ideas is only their imaginations. They will pull together pleasant ideas from a variety of sources as it suits them, whether from spiritual sources, drama series on cable, or movies. But, mostly their ideas are original.
I have listened to a number of people describe heaven as a Disney-like place of happiness, peace, simplicity and magic. I have to admit I sometimes get so intrigued by the stories I keep asking questions just to hear how far this fantasy world extends. When I insert an alternative idea, they quickly back away, or incorporate it, and let me enjoy my fantasy too. How sweet!
However, our hope is a hope that is alive and valid, not vacuous and uninspiring, nor a wish-like hope of those without hope really.
The Doxology of Christians
We have a specific and real hope worthy of excitement. It is the opening doxology of the Apostle Peter’s letter.
1 Peter 1:3–5 ESV “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
This “Doxology for Life” gives us six blessings for which we can praise God.
More of the Details
God Himself: God the Father of Our Lord Jesus christ has become our Father, in that He has fathered us, that is brought us to life spiritually. He has given us new birth, new life, that is a spiritual regeneration.
Mercy: This was a desperate need of ours, being in a situation more dire than often realized, especially by those considered “good” by human standards. We really were naturally dead in our sin, unable to please God, and destined for eternal judgement.
New Birth: This rebirth from Father by Spirit, was achieved by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This was the acceptable offering as the Son of God become Man on our behalf. This was the merciful plan of God on behalf of His chosen ones.
Preservation: As Jesus Christ lives now, so our hope lives now; and so we will live forever because of Him. Our true hope, our inheritance cannot be lost; it is untouchable and out of danger in heaven. “Imperishable” means that it won’t disappear, die, or decay. “Undefiled” means that it is free from impurities as a perfect gift, and that evil cannot steal it away. “Unfading” means that it is free from the ravages of time and holds permanent beauty.
Power: Not only is our inheritance being kept for us, we ourselves are being kept for it. We are being watched over by God’s own power that He used to raise Christ from the dead. God has designed it so that His power is going to be shown through the instrumentality or means of the persevering faith of His people.
End and Beginning: The fullness of our salvation has been ready ever since the the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are are only waiting for God’s timing, for His predetermined date of the revelation of it all at the Return of Christ. We will be receiving a new land and a new wealth in the Kingdom of God when Jesus Returns. Don’t over spiritualize the inheritance—yes it is spiritual, but it is also material. There will be plenty of activities and all sorts of expressions of it in New Heavens and New Earth. In other words think of it truly as the word implies: it is an inheritance!
This paragraph of praise in 1 Peter is one you can use all the time to praise God. And it can be the source of your conversation about hope with those who are desperately desiring a real hope.
Maybe it is the hopes of your colleagues at work, or those shopping at the store, or those working out at your gym. Sometimes you might share a conversation with them. Other times you can’t help overhearing their conversation and so you listen discreetly.
The Hopes of Our Lives
Probably the main category of hope is things for this present life. Often we as Christians have a lot of hopes in common since we live in the same world and community. But, certainly, our focus as a Christian is God’s glory in our life above all, and seeing the Gospel of Christ transform our hopes, and through us those of the world.
Conversations get more interesting when talking about people’s hopes after death. Many believe that we live in a time of hopelessness and despair at the uncertain future, especially after death. So people often choose to have happy thoughts about their afterlife, some keeping their ideas general, others giving them a lot of definition.
It is amazing that so many people seem so happy about something to which they never give any definition, and typically do not want to talk about. They take a strange comfort in not knowing much and just assuming life after death will be good and good for them. Much of this avoidance comes from uncertainty of being able to know for certain, and perhaps moreso from a fear of knowing for certain.
But, many others have very definite ideas, and yet the basis for these ideas is only their imaginations. They will pull together pleasant ideas from a variety of sources as it suits them, whether from spiritual sources, drama series on cable, or movies. But, mostly their ideas are original.
I have listened to a number of people describe heaven as a Disney-like place of happiness, peace, simplicity and magic. I have to admit I sometimes get so intrigued by the stories I keep asking questions just to hear how far this fantasy world extends. When I insert an alternative idea, they quickly back away, or incorporate it, and let me enjoy my fantasy too. How sweet!
However, our hope is a hope that is alive and valid, not vacuous and uninspiring, nor a wish-like hope of those without hope really.
The Doxology of Christians
We have a specific and real hope worthy of excitement. It is the opening doxology of the Apostle Peter’s letter.
1 Peter 1:3–5 ESV “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
This “Doxology for Life” gives us six blessings for which we can praise God.
- For God Himself as the Blessed and Self- Revealing One in Jesus Christ.
- For His great mercy toward us who are most unworthy.
- For His giving us new birth, new life, and a new hope.
- For His promise and preservation of an indescribable inheritance for us.
- For His power in keeping it and us, and doing it through faith.
- For the coming end of the world, which is none other than a new beginning.
More of the Details
God Himself: God the Father of Our Lord Jesus christ has become our Father, in that He has fathered us, that is brought us to life spiritually. He has given us new birth, new life, that is a spiritual regeneration.
Mercy: This was a desperate need of ours, being in a situation more dire than often realized, especially by those considered “good” by human standards. We really were naturally dead in our sin, unable to please God, and destined for eternal judgement.
New Birth: This rebirth from Father by Spirit, was achieved by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This was the acceptable offering as the Son of God become Man on our behalf. This was the merciful plan of God on behalf of His chosen ones.
Preservation: As Jesus Christ lives now, so our hope lives now; and so we will live forever because of Him. Our true hope, our inheritance cannot be lost; it is untouchable and out of danger in heaven. “Imperishable” means that it won’t disappear, die, or decay. “Undefiled” means that it is free from impurities as a perfect gift, and that evil cannot steal it away. “Unfading” means that it is free from the ravages of time and holds permanent beauty.
Power: Not only is our inheritance being kept for us, we ourselves are being kept for it. We are being watched over by God’s own power that He used to raise Christ from the dead. God has designed it so that His power is going to be shown through the instrumentality or means of the persevering faith of His people.
End and Beginning: The fullness of our salvation has been ready ever since the the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are are only waiting for God’s timing, for His predetermined date of the revelation of it all at the Return of Christ. We will be receiving a new land and a new wealth in the Kingdom of God when Jesus Returns. Don’t over spiritualize the inheritance—yes it is spiritual, but it is also material. There will be plenty of activities and all sorts of expressions of it in New Heavens and New Earth. In other words think of it truly as the word implies: it is an inheritance!
This paragraph of praise in 1 Peter is one you can use all the time to praise God. And it can be the source of your conversation about hope with those who are desperately desiring a real hope.
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