“Abound in Hope.”

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13 ESV)

Most Christians will tell you that it is easier to have hope despite the world we live in when we know Christ as our Savior. The Holy Spirit gives us this hope in our justification, and yes, it is a special kind of hope.

Even those who do not know the Lord can hope. They hope for money, a new car, a promotion, all tangible things of the world. We, Christians, are different. As Jesus said in John 15:19, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”  While Christ said this to the apostles, we are no different, for we who come to faith are all chosen out of the world by God.

The hope of the Christian is not found in things seen, but in the unseen. It is a product of faith in the unseen. Remember Christ's words to Thomas? “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) It is a stumbling block for many who will not believe in the unseen, for they, in their minds, are too intelligent for that type of belief. Do they have hope? Yes, in the world, but not the spiritual hope of Christ.

The hope of a Christian may be ridiculed, but Paul tells us, “And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5) You see, unlike those who hope in the world, we have hope despite the world, and that, my friends, is a world of difference.

The writer of Hebrews tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (11:1) Christian hope is about eternity. It is about deliverance from the troubles and trials of this world. It is also about our deliverance from the enemy who controls this world.

The hope of Christ delivers a calming peace to the believer. Despite the wars, the conflict in and out of our country, and the abandonment of God and morality, we fear them not. We do not worry about such things because we live, or should be living, our lives in the armor of God. He stands beside us and has already won the battles most important in our lives: the victory over sin and death. It is this victory which is the foundation of our hope in eternal life, and this victory is the result of Christ's finished work on the cross.

It is very easy to hope for the things of the world. Many of these things are given to the unbeliever. But ask them about eternity, about everlasting life, and about an eternity in hell, and they will laugh and walk away. Lost are they in the world.

We are called to spread hope, and we do it by giving the gospel to those who do not know Christ. The Word of God can open the door to a changed life for someone who is lost. We do not know who the elect are, so we spread hope to everyone. It is what makes us stand out, the beacon on the hill. Have hope, spread hope, and people will want the same hope and assurances you display in your life.

Do you know Christ as your Savior? Have you changed your mind about sin and want Christ to give you the hope found in salvation? Seek Christ today. If you have questions, contact us at In Messiah Ministries, and we can point you to the Scriptures that show salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ alone.

Grace and Peace.