Hope in God
Middle of 1980 was when I first visited Bethlehem, and the signs had already been repainted with the new pastor's name. Rollin inquired as to what I would like painted on the north sign's reverse side, which would be visible from the parking lot. I requested the verse from Psalm 42:5, "Hope in God."
This is the message I want us to take with us every Sunday when we leave Bethlehem and head into the workweek. The entire verse begins with,
Why are you feeling low and troubled inside of me?
Have faith in the Lord, for I will sing praises to him once more.
An Address to Oneself: Put Your Faith in God.
Among the famous old Puritan preachers of Cambridge was Richard Sibbes, who passed away in 1635. He devoted an entire book to meditating on Psalm 42:5. He earned the nickname "the sweet dropper" because of the uplifted feeling of hopefulness and optimism that his sermons spread. Because of what you see in Psalm 42:5, he titled his book The Soul's Conflict with Itself. If you're feeling down in the dumps, ask yourself this: "Why am I so troubled within? Trust in God!"
For sinners like us, having faith in God is not second nature. Otherwise, we risk succumbing to a gloomy and uneasy frame of mind if we don't preach to ourselves, and do it with all the vigor we can muster. It's clear that the practice of "preaching to yourself" isn't common knowledge among all believers; when I suggested it to several Christians in Cameroon as a means of combating discouragement, they were surprised by the suggestion. In fact, I heard from one of the young ladies who had the toughest time three months after Nol and I got back. What did she say?
"Biblical hope does not merely want for a better future; it anticipates that a better future will come to pass."
I took the time at the end of May to write myself four sermons on various topics, and I've found that they've been fairly beneficial to look back to now and then, especially in times of depression when it's easier to just try to hang on to specific verses or truths and let go of the rationale.
Indeed! Three simple words: "Hope in God" could be the best sermon you give yourself this week.
I like the psalmists for the way they battle and fight for their faith in God. While we are still merely redeemed sinners, this is a common experience for Christians. And if we don't accept it, we risk becoming complacent and careless in our fight for optimism. Our text makes it quite clear that this is a grave error.
Storing Up Feelings of Confidence
Last week, a young woman from California approached me for an interview; she was collecting pastoral interviews for a psychology research on "forgiveness." She said, "What are some of your sentiments when you forgive someone?" or anything along those lines. My first idea was that I needed hope in order to forgive rather than seek revenge. I have found hope to be a source of inner fortitude, and I believe this to be the biblical pattern as well.
When I feel discouraged, I draw on my store of optimism to do something positive in response. Without faith, I can't muster the strength to take the wrong and keep walking in love, so instead I wallow in pity or justify my own actions.
My emotional reserve of optimism is what keeps me going when my plans go awry, such as when I fall sick or when the board meeting doesn't go as well as I had hoped.
When I'm tempted to cheat, steal, lie, or give in to lust, I draw on the hope that keeps me moving forward on the path of righteousness rather than giving in to the temptation for a momentary jolt of pleasure that won't last.
For me, that is the solution. It's how I defend Christian holiness. The Bible teaches us to be doubly sure of our calling and election, and I think this is the right method to do so.
Over the following sixteen weeks, I pray that God would fill your reservoir to overflowing as we meditate on our Christian hope, and that the vast hydro-electric generators of joy, love, boldness, and endurance would churn with new power in the Hoover Dam of your spirit, all to God's glory.
We begin today with the most basic question of all: What is hope? We're not satisfied with just knowing what Webster says, though; the biblical definition would be helpful, too. Before we can fully understand the tremendous truths about biblical hope, we need to know what we're talking about.
Three Meanings of the Word "Hope"
The word "hope" is used in at least three distinct contexts in our language. Hope is the longing for something wonderful in the future. They may say something like, "I hope daddy gets home early tonight so we can play kickball after supper before his meeting." So, they want him to go home early so they may enjoy this pleasant activity, which consists of playing together after supper.
The future good that we wish for is hope. We express our wish that Jim will get there without incident by saying, "We hope that Jim will arrive safely." Simply put, we're praying for Jim's safe return.
And because of optimism, it just might happen. The only way we'll make it there on time is if there's a strong tailwind. That favorable breeze is the reason why our hoped-for future good may come to fruition. Our only chance lies in this.
The term "hope" is used in three different contexts, each referring to a different aspect of the human experience: the yearning for a positive future, the object of that yearning, and the foundation for believing that one's wish will come true.
Understanding Biblical Optimism
These three interpretations are all rooted in biblical texts. These common contexts for the term "hope" lack, however, the central element of biblical hope. In fact, the unique biblical meaning of hope is nearly antithetical to its common usage.
I don't think the Bible would define hope as a negative emotion (instead of something good). And I don’t mean that in Scripture hope is rejection of good (instead of yearning for it) (instead of desire for it). No, it's not the inverse in those regards. In this regard, it is the inverse, as the term "hope" is more commonly used to convey doubt than assurance.
To say something like, "I hope daddy gets home early," is to express a wish rather than a certainty that something will happen.
What we really mean when we say, "We hope Jim will arrive safely," is that we have no idea whether or not he will.
To arrive on time requires a favorable tailwind, but there's no guarantee we'll have one, so the phrase has a double meaning.
When people talk about having hope, they usually mean they have doubt. The unique biblical notion of hope, however, is not this. This morning, I want to show you from the Bible that biblical hope is a confident anticipation and desire for something good to happen in the future, not merely a wish for something good to happen in the future.
Hope in the Bible isn't just wishing for a better future; it's counting on it. And it's not just hoping for it to happen; it's certain it will. The good we hope for and anticipate to happen is a moral certainty.
Unwavering Faith in Right Conduct
First, let me define "moral certainty" so that we can approach the Bible with an informed perspective.
Not based on logic or mathematics
It is different from, say mathematical or merely logical certainty. The requirement of natural, mathematical, or purely logical laws leads to absolute certainty. We may be "mathematically" assured that we now have four apples if we start with two and add two more. That much is certain based on mathematics. We can be "logically" convinced that Plato was mortal because all men are mortal and because Plato was a man. That's an undeniable fact, supported by reason.
Having that sort of perspective is crucial. It's not just helpful in studying the Bible, but in every aspect of life. However, this isn't how most of us spend our time. Not all valid certainty and confidence can be reduced to the application of simple logical rules or the results of mathematical computations. It's what I mean when I say "moral certainty."
This is what I mean by "moral," and it stems from the dedication of individual will. Furthermore, morality resides in the will. Therefore, moral judgments may only be made in respect to intentional behaviors. So anything has to do with the will is a matter of morality. And the conviction that comes from doing the right thing is called moral certainty.
Positive Anticipation
Let me illustrate. My marriage to Noel is one of the most important things in my life, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that it will last till the end of time. This is not founded on logical or mathematical proofs alone. It's founded on the integrity of our own desires and the reliability of God's promises, which are nothing more than manifestations of his own will. We have over twenty years of evidence about the nature and commitments of our wills and the graciousness of God’s will.
“Perseverance in holiness is the proof of the genuineness of a person’s salvation.”
When discussing our future, we do not use typical optimistic language. We don’t say, for example, “We hope that we don’t get divorced.” Because the quality of a will based on God is like iron, we speak with certitude and assurance.
But we might be completely wrong. Yes, and all the communists in the world may convert to Christianity this afternoon. And it may be that not a single false term will seep into any advertisement for the next five years. Men will learn to control their libidinal impulses, which might put every pornographic publisher out of business by the end of the year.
There is a logical and mathematical basis for believing all of this. They cannot be ruled out with absolute confidence, either mathematically or logically. Why, therefore, do we have such tremendous confidence that they will not happen? Since we have some understanding of the human spirit. Knowing a man's, or a group of men's, or a wife's character provides some measure of assurance. Despite its fallibility, it exudes confidence and safety. You can finally get some shut-eye. It's what keeps you going through difficult times. Eventually, it can see you right through the grave.
Hope in the Bible is more than just wishing for the best. Hope is a firm belief that the future will bring one's heart's desires. All moral uncertainty is removed from biblical optimism. When the Bible says, “Hope in God!” it does not mean, “Cross your fingers.” In the words of William Carey, it implies, "Expect great things from God."
Textual Support
Let's check the Bible to see where I'm getting my idea of biblical hope from. First, let's look at Hebrews 6:9-12. After cautioning his audience that even those who have had profound religious experiences can fall into heresy and cross a "invisible line," he writes:
Despite our words, dearly loved, we are confident in the better things that are yours through salvation. Because God is not unjust, your efforts and the affection you've shown in serving the saints for his sake will not go unnoticed. So that you may not be slothful, but rather imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises, we urge you to demonstrate the same zeal in attaining the full certainty of hope until the end.
The Writer’s Confidence in His Readers
The author is confident that his readers will not turn away from the faith since they have been faithful servants for God's sake in the past and continue to do so today. You notice the emphasis on perseverance, don’t you, towards the end of verse 10? You've demonstrated your devotion to the saints before, and you continue to do so via your service to them today. Their conversion was not a fleeting choice made at summer camp, a Keith Green concert, or a Billy Graham rally. It had not stopped. A person's salvation can be verified by their continued godliness. Because they had helped the saints in the past, and because they continue to do so now, the writer has complete faith in the populace.
This is the Author's Words of Caution to His Audience
The next two verses (12 and 11) urge the reader to keep going and not let laziness set in. And we want each of you to exhibit the same seriousness in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end, because now the war is portrayed in terms of hope, not merely love and service.
Keep on seeking the complete assurance of hope until the very end with the same fervor that drove you to work and love in Christ's name in the first place. Nothing else compares to this battle as far as importance goes. Have a burning ember of hope!
The Absolute Confidence in a Positive Outcome.
But what exactly does "the complete assurance of hope" refer to in verse 11? It denotes confidence in the future. Hope which is confident. Hope that has moral assurance in it. This isn't wishful thinking. If you're behind by two points with ten seconds left in the game, it's not watching the placekicker attempt a field goal while biting your lip.
According to the context of verse 12, hope and faith are virtually interchangeable. Notice the connection: verse 11 says, go hard after full assurance of hope; verse 12 says the result of that pursuit of hope is that you will be like those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Try to maintain optimism so that you can be courageous and confident like the men of faith whom you admire.
Where Faith and Desire Meet
Let's dig a little more into the relationship between trust and optimism. The term “full assurance” (used here in verse 11, plerophorian) is found one other place in Hebrews, namely, 10:22. However, there it is “full confidence of faith” instead of “full assurance of hope.” Let us approach with a sincere heart and firm faith. "Let us hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful," it continues in the next line. Notice, hope is something that should not fluctuate, because it is rooted on the faithfulness of God. There should be moral certainty in it because the will and purpose of God are like iron, not chalk.
But what about the relationship between complete confidence of faith and full assurance of hope? Does it make a difference? To me, faith is the overarching concept, and hope is an integral aspect of the biblical faith. Hope is that aspect of faith that focuses on the future. According to the Bible, hope is defined as faith focused on the future. But faith can focus on the past and the present too, therefore faith is the bigger concept. Hebrews 11:1 is clear on this point. This is the closest thing we have to a definition of faith in all the New Testament, I suppose.
Faith, then, is the confidence in what is expected but not seen.
Here’s how I would paraphrase this verse. Faith exists wherever there is positive certainty about the future. With faith, one can have complete confidence in one's expectations being met. Biblical faith is a confident hope and desire for good things in the future.
Faith, though, goes beyond that. The "conviction of things not seen" can also refer to the past or present, in addition to the future. For example, verse 3: “By faith we realize that the universe was created by the word of God.” Faith is capable of both looking forward (to the future) and backward (to the creation). Faith, then, is the overarching concept. It incorporates hope, but is more than hope. You may put it this way: faith is our confidence in the word of God, and anytime that word bears reference to the future, you can call our confidence in it hope. Simply put, hope is confident expectation of a positive outcome in the future.
The Importance of This Bond
This needs to be seen for two reasons. One is that it helps us appreciate the genuine essence of biblical hope. Most of us know that biblical faith is a firm confidence. Doubt is the enemy of biblical faith. If, however, we reframe hope as a form of faith in the future tense, we can recognize it for what it really is: a robust confidence, not wishful thinking.
The other reason it is vital to observe this relationship between faith and hope is that it reveals how indispensable hope is. We are saved by God's grace via faith, as is common knowledge. To be saved, we need to have faith. But we don’t as often speak of hope in such terms. However, we need to. Faith is incomplete without hope. The Hebrews 11:1 definition of faith is nullified if people give up on finding a better future. We are not just saved by grace via faith. We are saved by grace through hope.
That's the kind of optimistic outlook that Paul shares.
Now , let’s notice how Paul offers this similar idea of hope in Romans 4:18. He describes Abraham as the great exemplar of faith, and in particular, of justification by faith. Paul explains why Abraham's faith was "reckoned to him as righteousness" in Romans 4:22. The faith of which Paul speaks is the trust that God will indeed grant Abraham a son, Isaac.
Faith in God's future work was hence the basis for Abraham's justification. Verse 21 makes this plain clear: he was “fully confident that God was able to achieve what he had promised.” In other words he possessed what Hebrews 6:11 called the “full assurance of hope.”
Verse 18 describes how faith and hope worked together: “In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of countless nations.”
“Wherever there is full confidence of hope, there is faith. Hope is fully assured by faith.
“Against hope” suggests that from the ordinary human standpoint there was no hope: Abraham was too old to have a child, and his wife was barren. Hope in the Bible, however, is never predicated on human possibility. Biblical hope turns away from man to the promise of God. When this occurs, a person can have "full certainty of hope," or the conviction that God will accomplish great things on their behalf.
It is not easy to clarify exactly what Paul means in verse 18 when he says, “In hope Abraham believed . . . that he should become the father of many nations.” But I think it's fair to argue that Abraham's faith was his strong confidence in the veracity of God's word, and that Abraham's hope was his strong confidence in the fulfillment of God's promise.
In other words, hope is a synonym for confidence in God if the focus is on the future. And wherever hope rests on the word of God, it might be termed faith.
An optimistic anticipation
Therefore I pray that the major point of the sermon is apparent from Hebrews and from Romans, namely, that the biblical notion of hope, which we are going to be analyzing for the next 16 weeks, is not the usual word we use in everyday discourse. Assertions of doubt or insecurity are not implied. Instead, biblical hope is a confident anticipation and desire for something good in the future. It provides undeniable ethical certitude.
I count it a tremendous joy and delight to spend the next sixteen weeks with you revealing what it means to declare that our God is a “God of hope”; (Romans 15:13) and that the basic admonition of our church is very simply and very profoundly, Hope in God!
This is the message I want us to take with us every Sunday when we leave Bethlehem and head into the workweek. The entire verse begins with,
Why are you feeling low and troubled inside of me?
Have faith in the Lord, for I will sing praises to him once more.
An Address to Oneself: Put Your Faith in God.
Among the famous old Puritan preachers of Cambridge was Richard Sibbes, who passed away in 1635. He devoted an entire book to meditating on Psalm 42:5. He earned the nickname "the sweet dropper" because of the uplifted feeling of hopefulness and optimism that his sermons spread. Because of what you see in Psalm 42:5, he titled his book The Soul's Conflict with Itself. If you're feeling down in the dumps, ask yourself this: "Why am I so troubled within? Trust in God!"
For sinners like us, having faith in God is not second nature. Otherwise, we risk succumbing to a gloomy and uneasy frame of mind if we don't preach to ourselves, and do it with all the vigor we can muster. It's clear that the practice of "preaching to yourself" isn't common knowledge among all believers; when I suggested it to several Christians in Cameroon as a means of combating discouragement, they were surprised by the suggestion. In fact, I heard from one of the young ladies who had the toughest time three months after Nol and I got back. What did she say?
"Biblical hope does not merely want for a better future; it anticipates that a better future will come to pass."
I took the time at the end of May to write myself four sermons on various topics, and I've found that they've been fairly beneficial to look back to now and then, especially in times of depression when it's easier to just try to hang on to specific verses or truths and let go of the rationale.
Indeed! Three simple words: "Hope in God" could be the best sermon you give yourself this week.
I like the psalmists for the way they battle and fight for their faith in God. While we are still merely redeemed sinners, this is a common experience for Christians. And if we don't accept it, we risk becoming complacent and careless in our fight for optimism. Our text makes it quite clear that this is a grave error.
Storing Up Feelings of Confidence
Last week, a young woman from California approached me for an interview; she was collecting pastoral interviews for a psychology research on "forgiveness." She said, "What are some of your sentiments when you forgive someone?" or anything along those lines. My first idea was that I needed hope in order to forgive rather than seek revenge. I have found hope to be a source of inner fortitude, and I believe this to be the biblical pattern as well.
When I feel discouraged, I draw on my store of optimism to do something positive in response. Without faith, I can't muster the strength to take the wrong and keep walking in love, so instead I wallow in pity or justify my own actions.
My emotional reserve of optimism is what keeps me going when my plans go awry, such as when I fall sick or when the board meeting doesn't go as well as I had hoped.
When I'm tempted to cheat, steal, lie, or give in to lust, I draw on the hope that keeps me moving forward on the path of righteousness rather than giving in to the temptation for a momentary jolt of pleasure that won't last.
For me, that is the solution. It's how I defend Christian holiness. The Bible teaches us to be doubly sure of our calling and election, and I think this is the right method to do so.
Over the following sixteen weeks, I pray that God would fill your reservoir to overflowing as we meditate on our Christian hope, and that the vast hydro-electric generators of joy, love, boldness, and endurance would churn with new power in the Hoover Dam of your spirit, all to God's glory.
We begin today with the most basic question of all: What is hope? We're not satisfied with just knowing what Webster says, though; the biblical definition would be helpful, too. Before we can fully understand the tremendous truths about biblical hope, we need to know what we're talking about.
Three Meanings of the Word "Hope"
The word "hope" is used in at least three distinct contexts in our language. Hope is the longing for something wonderful in the future. They may say something like, "I hope daddy gets home early tonight so we can play kickball after supper before his meeting." So, they want him to go home early so they may enjoy this pleasant activity, which consists of playing together after supper.
The future good that we wish for is hope. We express our wish that Jim will get there without incident by saying, "We hope that Jim will arrive safely." Simply put, we're praying for Jim's safe return.
And because of optimism, it just might happen. The only way we'll make it there on time is if there's a strong tailwind. That favorable breeze is the reason why our hoped-for future good may come to fruition. Our only chance lies in this.
The term "hope" is used in three different contexts, each referring to a different aspect of the human experience: the yearning for a positive future, the object of that yearning, and the foundation for believing that one's wish will come true.
Understanding Biblical Optimism
These three interpretations are all rooted in biblical texts. These common contexts for the term "hope" lack, however, the central element of biblical hope. In fact, the unique biblical meaning of hope is nearly antithetical to its common usage.
I don't think the Bible would define hope as a negative emotion (instead of something good). And I don’t mean that in Scripture hope is rejection of good (instead of yearning for it) (instead of desire for it). No, it's not the inverse in those regards. In this regard, it is the inverse, as the term "hope" is more commonly used to convey doubt than assurance.
To say something like, "I hope daddy gets home early," is to express a wish rather than a certainty that something will happen.
What we really mean when we say, "We hope Jim will arrive safely," is that we have no idea whether or not he will.
To arrive on time requires a favorable tailwind, but there's no guarantee we'll have one, so the phrase has a double meaning.
When people talk about having hope, they usually mean they have doubt. The unique biblical notion of hope, however, is not this. This morning, I want to show you from the Bible that biblical hope is a confident anticipation and desire for something good to happen in the future, not merely a wish for something good to happen in the future.
Hope in the Bible isn't just wishing for a better future; it's counting on it. And it's not just hoping for it to happen; it's certain it will. The good we hope for and anticipate to happen is a moral certainty.
Unwavering Faith in Right Conduct
First, let me define "moral certainty" so that we can approach the Bible with an informed perspective.
Not based on logic or mathematics
It is different from, say mathematical or merely logical certainty. The requirement of natural, mathematical, or purely logical laws leads to absolute certainty. We may be "mathematically" assured that we now have four apples if we start with two and add two more. That much is certain based on mathematics. We can be "logically" convinced that Plato was mortal because all men are mortal and because Plato was a man. That's an undeniable fact, supported by reason.
Having that sort of perspective is crucial. It's not just helpful in studying the Bible, but in every aspect of life. However, this isn't how most of us spend our time. Not all valid certainty and confidence can be reduced to the application of simple logical rules or the results of mathematical computations. It's what I mean when I say "moral certainty."
This is what I mean by "moral," and it stems from the dedication of individual will. Furthermore, morality resides in the will. Therefore, moral judgments may only be made in respect to intentional behaviors. So anything has to do with the will is a matter of morality. And the conviction that comes from doing the right thing is called moral certainty.
Positive Anticipation
Let me illustrate. My marriage to Noel is one of the most important things in my life, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that it will last till the end of time. This is not founded on logical or mathematical proofs alone. It's founded on the integrity of our own desires and the reliability of God's promises, which are nothing more than manifestations of his own will. We have over twenty years of evidence about the nature and commitments of our wills and the graciousness of God’s will.
“Perseverance in holiness is the proof of the genuineness of a person’s salvation.”
When discussing our future, we do not use typical optimistic language. We don’t say, for example, “We hope that we don’t get divorced.” Because the quality of a will based on God is like iron, we speak with certitude and assurance.
But we might be completely wrong. Yes, and all the communists in the world may convert to Christianity this afternoon. And it may be that not a single false term will seep into any advertisement for the next five years. Men will learn to control their libidinal impulses, which might put every pornographic publisher out of business by the end of the year.
There is a logical and mathematical basis for believing all of this. They cannot be ruled out with absolute confidence, either mathematically or logically. Why, therefore, do we have such tremendous confidence that they will not happen? Since we have some understanding of the human spirit. Knowing a man's, or a group of men's, or a wife's character provides some measure of assurance. Despite its fallibility, it exudes confidence and safety. You can finally get some shut-eye. It's what keeps you going through difficult times. Eventually, it can see you right through the grave.
Hope in the Bible is more than just wishing for the best. Hope is a firm belief that the future will bring one's heart's desires. All moral uncertainty is removed from biblical optimism. When the Bible says, “Hope in God!” it does not mean, “Cross your fingers.” In the words of William Carey, it implies, "Expect great things from God."
Textual Support
Let's check the Bible to see where I'm getting my idea of biblical hope from. First, let's look at Hebrews 6:9-12. After cautioning his audience that even those who have had profound religious experiences can fall into heresy and cross a "invisible line," he writes:
Despite our words, dearly loved, we are confident in the better things that are yours through salvation. Because God is not unjust, your efforts and the affection you've shown in serving the saints for his sake will not go unnoticed. So that you may not be slothful, but rather imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises, we urge you to demonstrate the same zeal in attaining the full certainty of hope until the end.
The Writer’s Confidence in His Readers
The author is confident that his readers will not turn away from the faith since they have been faithful servants for God's sake in the past and continue to do so today. You notice the emphasis on perseverance, don’t you, towards the end of verse 10? You've demonstrated your devotion to the saints before, and you continue to do so via your service to them today. Their conversion was not a fleeting choice made at summer camp, a Keith Green concert, or a Billy Graham rally. It had not stopped. A person's salvation can be verified by their continued godliness. Because they had helped the saints in the past, and because they continue to do so now, the writer has complete faith in the populace.
This is the Author's Words of Caution to His Audience
The next two verses (12 and 11) urge the reader to keep going and not let laziness set in. And we want each of you to exhibit the same seriousness in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end, because now the war is portrayed in terms of hope, not merely love and service.
Keep on seeking the complete assurance of hope until the very end with the same fervor that drove you to work and love in Christ's name in the first place. Nothing else compares to this battle as far as importance goes. Have a burning ember of hope!
The Absolute Confidence in a Positive Outcome.
But what exactly does "the complete assurance of hope" refer to in verse 11? It denotes confidence in the future. Hope which is confident. Hope that has moral assurance in it. This isn't wishful thinking. If you're behind by two points with ten seconds left in the game, it's not watching the placekicker attempt a field goal while biting your lip.
According to the context of verse 12, hope and faith are virtually interchangeable. Notice the connection: verse 11 says, go hard after full assurance of hope; verse 12 says the result of that pursuit of hope is that you will be like those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Try to maintain optimism so that you can be courageous and confident like the men of faith whom you admire.
Where Faith and Desire Meet
Let's dig a little more into the relationship between trust and optimism. The term “full assurance” (used here in verse 11, plerophorian) is found one other place in Hebrews, namely, 10:22. However, there it is “full confidence of faith” instead of “full assurance of hope.” Let us approach with a sincere heart and firm faith. "Let us hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful," it continues in the next line. Notice, hope is something that should not fluctuate, because it is rooted on the faithfulness of God. There should be moral certainty in it because the will and purpose of God are like iron, not chalk.
But what about the relationship between complete confidence of faith and full assurance of hope? Does it make a difference? To me, faith is the overarching concept, and hope is an integral aspect of the biblical faith. Hope is that aspect of faith that focuses on the future. According to the Bible, hope is defined as faith focused on the future. But faith can focus on the past and the present too, therefore faith is the bigger concept. Hebrews 11:1 is clear on this point. This is the closest thing we have to a definition of faith in all the New Testament, I suppose.
Faith, then, is the confidence in what is expected but not seen.
Here’s how I would paraphrase this verse. Faith exists wherever there is positive certainty about the future. With faith, one can have complete confidence in one's expectations being met. Biblical faith is a confident hope and desire for good things in the future.
Faith, though, goes beyond that. The "conviction of things not seen" can also refer to the past or present, in addition to the future. For example, verse 3: “By faith we realize that the universe was created by the word of God.” Faith is capable of both looking forward (to the future) and backward (to the creation). Faith, then, is the overarching concept. It incorporates hope, but is more than hope. You may put it this way: faith is our confidence in the word of God, and anytime that word bears reference to the future, you can call our confidence in it hope. Simply put, hope is confident expectation of a positive outcome in the future.
The Importance of This Bond
This needs to be seen for two reasons. One is that it helps us appreciate the genuine essence of biblical hope. Most of us know that biblical faith is a firm confidence. Doubt is the enemy of biblical faith. If, however, we reframe hope as a form of faith in the future tense, we can recognize it for what it really is: a robust confidence, not wishful thinking.
The other reason it is vital to observe this relationship between faith and hope is that it reveals how indispensable hope is. We are saved by God's grace via faith, as is common knowledge. To be saved, we need to have faith. But we don’t as often speak of hope in such terms. However, we need to. Faith is incomplete without hope. The Hebrews 11:1 definition of faith is nullified if people give up on finding a better future. We are not just saved by grace via faith. We are saved by grace through hope.
That's the kind of optimistic outlook that Paul shares.
Now , let’s notice how Paul offers this similar idea of hope in Romans 4:18. He describes Abraham as the great exemplar of faith, and in particular, of justification by faith. Paul explains why Abraham's faith was "reckoned to him as righteousness" in Romans 4:22. The faith of which Paul speaks is the trust that God will indeed grant Abraham a son, Isaac.
Faith in God's future work was hence the basis for Abraham's justification. Verse 21 makes this plain clear: he was “fully confident that God was able to achieve what he had promised.” In other words he possessed what Hebrews 6:11 called the “full assurance of hope.”
Verse 18 describes how faith and hope worked together: “In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of countless nations.”
“Wherever there is full confidence of hope, there is faith. Hope is fully assured by faith.
“Against hope” suggests that from the ordinary human standpoint there was no hope: Abraham was too old to have a child, and his wife was barren. Hope in the Bible, however, is never predicated on human possibility. Biblical hope turns away from man to the promise of God. When this occurs, a person can have "full certainty of hope," or the conviction that God will accomplish great things on their behalf.
It is not easy to clarify exactly what Paul means in verse 18 when he says, “In hope Abraham believed . . . that he should become the father of many nations.” But I think it's fair to argue that Abraham's faith was his strong confidence in the veracity of God's word, and that Abraham's hope was his strong confidence in the fulfillment of God's promise.
In other words, hope is a synonym for confidence in God if the focus is on the future. And wherever hope rests on the word of God, it might be termed faith.
An optimistic anticipation
Therefore I pray that the major point of the sermon is apparent from Hebrews and from Romans, namely, that the biblical notion of hope, which we are going to be analyzing for the next 16 weeks, is not the usual word we use in everyday discourse. Assertions of doubt or insecurity are not implied. Instead, biblical hope is a confident anticipation and desire for something good in the future. It provides undeniable ethical certitude.
I count it a tremendous joy and delight to spend the next sixteen weeks with you revealing what it means to declare that our God is a “God of hope”; (Romans 15:13) and that the basic admonition of our church is very simply and very profoundly, Hope in God!
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