“…Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:27b NKJV
We all had great hopes for the year 2020, but the Coronavirus pandemic happened, and it seemed as though our hopes crashed. Hope is often defined as being optimistic, wanting something to happen with a sense of expectation that it might happen. It is usually conditional.
Biblical hope, however, has a different meaning. Paul explaining the gospel to the church at Colosse says that Christ in them and by extension, us, is the hope of sharing His glory. Unlike the usual explanation for hope, this hope means a confident assurance. It’s not conditional, it’s certain.
Through the Epistles, we see the description of our hope in Jesus as one not having any probability of failure. It is described as a sure anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19), one that will not lead to disappointment (Romans 5:5) and gives us confidence that we have eternal life (Titus 1:2, 3:7).
When we believed the gospel, God put in us His Spirit, His seal, thus marking us for eternal life (Ephesians 1:13-14). This is not a call to live reckless lives, but rather gives us the boldness to live for God regardless of what happens in this world. Because Jesus is alive, we will live forever!
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” – 1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT
As Paul admonished the church in Colossae, he admonishes us as well:
“But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News…” – Colossians 1:23 NLT
Dear believer, regardless of what is happening right now, you are not hopeless, you have sure hope, a confident assurance that you would reign with God forever. Glory!
Bible Reading Plan
John 19:1-16, Revelation 13, Job 36:1-15, Micah 6-7