HOPE : A Christian Perspective
美佳之窗 His Window 108（ Oct - Dec 2024 ）主流话题
Text by Rev. Matthew
For most people, hope is a big event of life that brings a drastic or significant change to their current circumstances where their lives generally change for the better, and they call it a hopeful situation. Hope, by contemporary definition requires the existence of something or someone to symbolise and materialise hope. Hope must be seen, felt, and heard. In some ways, the Christian perspective of hope is similar. Yet, at the same time, it is dissimilar. Let us break down the idea of hope according to the Christian view point.
1. Hope : Salvation
Of all the passages of Scripture that speaks of hope, none is clearer than that of 1 Peter 1:3-5, “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.”
Peter is writing to a group of Christians who were going through some form of difficulty in life. While they were not facing persecution from the Roman authorities during this time, life was by no means easy. Their neighbours mistreated them, the local authorities denied Christians their rights, and they faced poverty all for being Christians. And under such circumstances, while the easy choice is to give up and give in to the demands and pressures of society, Peter encourages the believer to hold on to their faith because their faith brings them great hope.
Peter explains that the Christians have a “living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The words “living hope” reminds the Christians that they are not worshipping or believing in a dead God. Jesus has resurrected and with his resurrection, the same resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead is in us and given to us. So when Peter speaks of living hope, he is speaking of a supernatural power for Christians to overcome the devil. The living hope for the believer is the hope that we have God’s power within us to overcome enemy number one — the devil. For the Christian, while we may crave for many other things, we must remember that things can be bought with money, effort or time. But, we can never buy our salvation, neither can we win the spiritual battle over sin without God’s intervention. That is why God gives us salvation, the one thing we need most, yet we cannot purchase, create or obtain on our own.
Secondly, Peter points out to the believers that the “living hope” they have is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven… (v. 4)” For the Christian, we know that we are living and heading towards a greater hope — heaven. Heaven, was not just a concept or a delusion that the apostles preached to bring some form of comfort to the suffering. Heaven is a reality, it is the life with God in his presence that Christ promises us. For the 1st century Christians Peter was writing to, this message of heaven was to encourage them to fix their eyes and keep their hope in Jesus. While on this earth they may lose possessions, face hardships and even have their lives threatened, nothing will take away the eternal hope of heaven the believer has. The assurance is hopeful, because while we may lose everything on earth, we will gain everything in heaven. For us as Christians today, this hope must still be a reason for joy and assurance. If we fail to look beyond the material possessions on this earth, we will fail to see the great inheritance promised to us in the life to come. Heaven is for all who believe, and heaven becomes a reality for the one who can continue to press on, persevere in faith and trust in God’s faithfulness. But, as a Christian, if we can live life on earth with eternity in sight, it will also remind us of God’s goodness to us. Eternity serves as a reminder that our suffering, no matter how great is temporal, and one day God will bring us home into His presence where we will suffer no more.
2. Hope : Present Life
Hope is not just restricted to spiritual and future concepts. Life with Christ promises us hope for the future, and also hope in the present. In Ephesians 1:3, Paul writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” It is important to take note that while Paul speaks first of the heavenly and spiritual blessings, he also speaks of blessings in the present life.
The term “spiritual blessing” is not to be restricted to merely spiritual matters. But, in the context of Ephesians, it can be used to refer to everything that we have, own, and need. If we divide the spiritual and material, then unfortunately it will lead us to think that God only cares for our spiritual needs, and not our material needs. And some might even go to the extent of thinking that to ask God for material blessing is a sin. It is not, because in Ephesians 1:3, Paul carefully explains to the Christians that God, through Jesus Christ, blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. The word “every” signifies that God does not hold back his blessings for His children. It does not mean that God gives you everything that you want either. Rather, a more appropriate and balanced view is to understand that when it comes to our needs, God will not hold back. He will ensure that all the needs of our lives are met. And when God meets your needs, you will not lack or be in want, to signify that you will find peace, joy and satisfaction in what God pours out into your life.
In conclusion, life in Christ brings us salvation and secures our lives for eternity. But, life with Christ also has great meaning for us, living in the present. It ensures God’s constant accompaniment through life and it secures our needs on earth. So, trust in God, there is great hope in Him both for the present and the future.
Rev. Matthew