No one has a greater hope than the Lord’s people. It truly sustains us in this walk of life that is filled with trials and tribulations. We know that no matter how much we have to endure in this life, we have something far greater waiting for us in the life to come (Romans 8:18).
As we have seen in this week’s blogs, our hope consists of receiving glorified bodies like the one possessed by our Savior (Philippians 3:21) and an eternal home in heaven with God (John 14:1-3). A question that I need to address before wrapping this series of blogs is, how does one obtain this hope? Many people have false hope because they follow a way that is not of God.
Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Biblical hope is based on biblical truth, and such is the case when it comes to God’s plan of salvation. Hope is not attained by mere mental assent. Faith alone never saved anyone. No one was ever clearer about this than James.
James 2:24, 26 (ESV)
24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone… 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Hope is not obtained by dead faith. It is obtained by obedience to the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). We do not have to guess how one goes about obeying the gospel because we have several Bible examples of people doing it, none better than Acts 2, where people asked what they had to do to be saved and were given a direct answer.
Acts 2:37–38 (ESV)
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Anyone who follows the inspired instructions of Peter, an apostle of Christ, will be saved, become a child of God, and immediately become eligible to receive what Peter called a living hope, and an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, and that is kept in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3-4).
There is something else. Once people obey the gospel, they have to remain faithful until death.
Revelation 2:10 (ESV)
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
These are words from Jesus Himself. It is not enough to be baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27); one must continue in the faith. This does not mean we have to live a perfect life, but if we sin, we must repent and ask God to forgive us (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:7-9). We sometimes call this God’s second law of pardon.
This is God’s plan of salvation, and it is necessary to obtain the hope of eternal life. Heavenly hope is obtainable for all, but God’s will must be obeyed. The reward for doing so could not be any better.
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.