Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we wait with patience for it.
Like Pastor Malcolm used to humorously say ‘hmmmmmm,, when did they stick that on there?’ I loved it when he said that because I so identify with that.
I’ve read through the Bible around thirty times. I have read the book of Romans 1500 times at least. I have never seen this verse using the word ‘hope’. My mind blinded me to that word. I would always mentally interchange the word hope with the word faith. If you had said to me an hour ago that the Bible said, ‘we are saved by hope’ I would have adamantly told you ‘no!’ But I would have been wrong. We are saved by hope.
Please don’t confuse the ‘hope’ of modern day vernacular with the word ‘hope’ that is found in the Bible. If someone truly accepts the Lord into his heart, he doesn’t ‘just hope’ he’s saved. He knows he’s saved. Many Christians say they hope that they’re saved. One evangelical praise and worship leader told me he was just waiting to hear what St. Peter had to say when he arrived at the pearly gates of heaven. I almost fainted.
Biblical ‘hope’ is a confident expectation of good.
The Bible not only describes hope as one of the great virtues (1 Corinthians 13:13), but as:
good – 2 Thessalonians 2:16
blessed – Titus 2:13
sure and steadfast – Hebrews 6:19
living – 1 Peter 1:3
The grounds of Christian hope are God’s Word (Psalm 119:42-81; Romans 15:4) and God’s promises (Acts 26:6-7; Titus 1:2). The kinds of hope identified in the Bible include: money from Paul (Acts 24:26), overcoming the impossible (Romans 4:18), spiritual assurance (2 Corinthians 1:7), eternal life (Titus 1:2).
Hope produces courage (Romans 5:4-5), salvation (Romans 8:24), patience (Romans 8:25), joy (Romans 12:12), stability (Colossians 1:23), assurance (Hebrews 6:18-19) and purity (1 John 3:3).
The Bible says that we’re not ashamed to have hope, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Interestingly enough, the following are objects of hope:
God – Psalm 39:7
Christ – 1 Corinthians 15:19
Salvation – Romans 5:1-5
Resurrection – Acts 23:6
Glory – Romans 5:2
Christ’s return – Romans 8:22-25
Eternal life – Titus 1
Our biggest fight with the kids we work with is ‘hopelessness’. ‘No hope for the future’ is a satanic lie. We see beautiful children that we raised from infancy resign themselves to prostitution, drugs, gangs, prison and an early death just because they have a fatalistic view of the future.
Ephesians 2:12 having no hope, and without God
We try to give them God by loving them, praying with them, reading the Bible with them, encouraging them to congregate, helping them in any way that is within our resources. It’s a long road to hoe though, and it’s directly against the satanic worldly current of negative parents, family and friends. If they truly accept the Lord, and get out of the dump, they can break the chains. We don’t have the resources to get them out of there though at this time.
God keeps Winnie and I here by hope, doing what we’re doing, fighting. Against the current. Against even well meaning Christians who think our ‘biblical hope’ to get kids out of there is unrealistic. I say ‘biblical hope’ because I see it. I fully expect it for the kids. I don’t hope (verb), I have hope (noun).
Hebrews 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Our hope for Million Friends is an old-folks home and an orphanage on the same property. God has given us hope for this, faith in seeing it come to pass. Not for us, but for these beautiful children in need. Ages 9 months to 120 years old. Lots of resources required, but a lot of souls will go to heaven.
“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11