Hope is yet another one of those words or concepts which means one thing in a Biblical sense and an almost completely different thing in a worldly sense. In the world today the word hope is often associated with the terms “wish” or “desire.” However, when the word hope is used in the Bible it possesses a much stronger meaning. Biblical hope is not flimsy or fragile like a wish. Biblical hope is much deeper than a simple desire.
In the Bible the word hope indicates a confidence that Christians have in the Lord. A Christian’s hope is that he will be in heaven with the Lord if he remains faithful until death or the Lord comes again. A Christian’s hope in the Lord is built upon the faith which he has in Him. Biblical hope is bold, strong, and true. Thinking of the word hope I remember the song which is often sung: “Our Hope is Built on Nothing Less.” The song reminds Christians that our hope is built upon Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. Christians also need to realize that hope is not something which we can see with our own eyes (Romans 8:24), because if we could see the prize, it is no longer hope. Our hope in the Lord is a precious promise of a life in heaven with the Lord. Our hope in the Lord is a gift, a gift so wonderful we cannot even grasp its very meaning.
Here are a few verses which discuss the concept of hope in the Bible:
- Romans 5:3-5: “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 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.”
- Ephesians 4:4-6: “There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call– one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
- Hebrews 10:23-25: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Related topics and words which may be useful in study: faith, trust, confidence, belief, expectation, promise, heaven, glory
How would you teach someone who was not a Christian about the Biblical concept of hope? What struggles do you think that person would have in understanding this concept?