HOPE FOR SALVATION
Romans 8:24-25- “For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
What is Apostle Paul saying? To me, Paul, the Apostle of Jesus emphasizes that, based on our faith in Jesus Christ there’s salvation for “anyone.”
Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever (anyone) shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” There is nothing too complex about this verse but it’s not easy to see the simplicity of it too. Simply put, it is about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The word “anyone” in the verse also refers to people, whoever you are, wherever you live, regardless of your status, or a particular characteristic. In short, this is the universality of the gospel message.
“Believing in Him” means trusting and depending on Christ for salvation. This is an open invitation to all who call on the Lord in repentance with faith and believing with hope. Luke 5:32 confirms that Jesus came to call people who know they are sinners and need to repent, not those who think they are righteous. Salvation is for anyone who’s ready, regardless of what you are and who you are. You have to repent, believe, and activate your faith to receive your salvation.
Here is the deal if you are a non-Christian. You must be conscious of the fact that this hope of salvation is rooted in the belief that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross offers forgiveness and reconciliation with God. IT IS FOR ALL HUMANITY. The deal is cemented and never to be walked back. It is the pathway to an unshakeable hope for salvation. All you have to do is come boldly repent for your evil past or sins and declare that you have ACCEPTED him as your Lord and personal Savior and indeed as the son of God.
The Lord’s promise of salvation provides comfort, strength, and hope in times of difficulties and encourages us as Christians to live an honorable and virtuous life.
If you are not a professed Christian and you are reading this piece, I must say you are not here by chance. The Holy Spirit has brought you this far. Do not turn your back on the Lord.
If on the other hand, you are devoted or a baby Christian, it is a reminder for you to increase your relationship with the Lord, eradicate your unbelief, and stop being focused on your “selfish self.”
I would emphasize that this hope in Christ in the subject under discussion is much bigger than the idea of an everlasting life where believers in Christ will experience timeless life with God in Heaven beholding our Lord God forever.
I will also stress that Christians who are struggling with hopelessness should remember their covenant with Christ. Your faith, trust, confidence, and motivation will increase your hope and break the chain of hopelessness to allow you to glorify the Lord here and eternally.
Your future is brighter than you think. Don’t you ever quit, open your heart to the Lord. Hope with perseverance will yield results for God’s glory. Without hope, we don’t have Christ and without Christ, we don’t have salvation.
DECISION
1. You have the choice to renew your Salvation, and the time is now.
2. You have the choice to accept the Lord as your Lord Jesus your Salvation. The time is now.
Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.”
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WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT BUILDING WALLS?
“In this day and age, walls can be viewed with negative nuances but the truth with the matter is building walls is for many reasons, spiritually and physically. In the Christian belief, walls symbolizes divine protection spiritually for a faithful life and physically as boundaries for a peaceful environment on Earth for God’s people.
Physical boundaries are not a new norm in the world when we go back into history and it is always aligned with Biblical beliefs of the faithful ones and secularists alike.
“Overall, walls in the Bible carry rich and varied meanings, from literal structures of defense to powerful symbols of spiritual truths. They reflect the human need for security, the reality of division, and the hope of divine protection and unity.”
In Revelation 21:12,” the New Jerusalem is described as having a great and high wall with twelve gates, symbolizing the perfect and eternal security of God’s redeemed people.” [Bible Hub]
One of the most popular walls physically and divinely rebuilt from Biblical history was the wall of Jerusalem by Nehemiah. It is recorded that, after the Babylonian exile, Nehemiah was moved by God to return to Jerusalem and oversee the rebuilding of the city’s walls, which had been destroyed. The book of Nehemiah 2:17 says: “Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace,” and the walls were built for security and peace of the people.
Nonetheless, to some, walls can be seen as a source of imprisonment and division. They are often called things we need to break down and overcome.
However, when we look at walls in the Bible, they are also seen as structures that protect, provide security, and represent a place of peace, and shelter forming a sense of belonging. In the Old Testament, physical walls were built to serve as a deterrent vital for a city’s survival against intruders or enemies.
In the Christian life, walls are not only physical deterrent but also spiritual defense against attacks from the devil. So as spiritual walls of salvation and security are built through Christ our physical life must be protected by aligning it what the Bible say.
Critics on the other hand misinterpret Ezekiel 13:10 by using it as an excuse to support and justify their argument of tearing down of physical structure of walls whereas this is a spiritual statement warning false teachers and prophets – wall as a metaphor to say.
Exekiel 13:10-12 states: “Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash,say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and stormy winds break out. And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?”
“In Acts 23, Paul stands before the Sanhedrin and is struck on the order of the high priest Ananias. In response, Paul exclaims, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck” (Acts 23:3). Here, Paul uses the term to denounce the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who outwardly uphold the law but inwardly act unjustly.”
“Paul’s rebuke highlights the theme of God’s wrath against those who maintain an outward appearance of righteousness while engaging in unrighteous actions. The whitewashed wall serves as a metaphor for the superficial piety that God condemns, emphasizing the importance of genuine faith and integrity.”
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HAVING HOPE
HAVING HOPE
“Having hope links your past and present to the future. You have a vision for what you hope will happen. Having hope is important to the very act of being a human being.” As Dr. Judith Rich writes, “Hope is a match in a dark tunnel, a moment of light, just enough to reveal the path ahead and ultimately the way out.”
Having hope in God will never lead us into misery or depression, because God has a plan for everyone who believes and trust him. God is the only one that we as believers can count on for a future that is filled of hope.
In a straightforward term, Biblical hope is built on faith and hope. You cannot alienate one from the other.
The biblical definition of hope is “the sure and confident anticipation of getting what God has promised believers in Christ for the future.” In the simplest term Biblical hope is built on faith. The believer’s hope is not a faint or obscure wish but a firm foundation in Christ. “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil” [Hebrews 6:19].
The Word of God lays a clear emphasis on Hope as a virtuous quality because it contains no doubt, always trusting in God’s faithfulness and presence no matter what and how the circumstances, whether it is good or it is bad. “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.” [Psalm 71:5].
FURTHER REFERENCES:
“Jesus Christ is our hope..” [1 Timothy 1:1].
“Hope of Israel in time of distress..” [Jeremiah 14:8]
“That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people..” [1 Timothy 4:10]
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” Romans 8:24
Paul the Apostle’s writings by far explains extensively hope in God and faith in God more than the Christian or non -Christian can imagine and understand.
As Christians if we have worldly hope in people and things of this life we will be in realism living in a state of hopelessness. We can’t count on people, else we will be disappointed, but if we have our confidence in Christ we will never be disappointed as long as we trust in him with Faith and Hope.
Without hope and without God in our life the world will be hopeless. [Read: Ephesians 2:12] In contrast, the believer’s hope cannot be frustrated or hindered by anything in this life. We know what we have safely “stored up for [us] in heaven” [Colossians 1:5]
Paul’s hope was so secured in his eternal future that he was willing to suffer and die for it: “I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead” [Acts 23:6].
Consequently we recognize at this point that hope is unseen. So, the question is: Can we now trust this assurance from the Scripture and from the Lord? That said, we trust things in our natural surroundings that we don’t see its finality more than what the Scripture says.
When it starts raining, you don’t know when it will end, but you trust that it will, you have that envisioned. Why that? I will tell you why, for the reason that, it is God’s natural law through the physical. Even though you don’t know when the rain will stop but you have the faith and hope that it will stop. Isn’t it interesting?
So, why is it difficult for you to relate or trust the Lord about your request to him the same way you envision this law? Why then do you doubt if your request is going to be answered positively by God?
We are confident in them because these are natural laws. In the same way, although we can’t see the end or when but we can be full of hope of the rain ending. Hope assures us that we can be confident in it because it’s the law of God.
So then, let us consider the following and apply them to our faith and hope in God.
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” Romans 8:24
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” [Hebrews 11:1]
“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 23:18. Trust in the Lord always.
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