Ed and Patsy now live in Athens, Alabama and are members at the Pepper Road church. As administrator of this blog, he enjoys sharing thoughts about spiritual maters. Not only his thoughts but good articles from other authors. He is also thankful to have been able to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ for over sixty years.
It would be hard to find a sadder commentary on the human predicament than the one given by Paul concerning the former condition of the Gentiles. He says they were “without Christ, … having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). In between saying they were without Christ and without God, he describes them as “having no hope.”
Google’s definition of hope is “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” It is the fuel that keeps one going during hard times. It gives the Christian strength to endure persecution and indignities, heaped upon him because of his willingness to live true to his faith and share it, while most folks are rejecting it.
This hope is not a pipe dream of eternal optimists. It is not manufactured by emotional manipulation by a skilled motivational specialist. It is a reasonable hope (1 Peter 3:15) – one for which solid reasons or facts can be given beyond mere subjective feelings. It can be proclaimed and defended using objective evidence.
The Hebrew writer speaking of “the hope set before us” (6:18), describes it as the anchor of the soul (6:19). It offers something “sure and steadfast” for people to embrace while living in a world of trouble. It transcends this world “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable” (1 Corinthians 15:19).
Going back to Hebrews 6, we are impressed with the three-fold basis that we have for this hope set before us
- The certainty of God’s promises. These promises come from One, who by His very nature, cannot lie (6:18; cf. Titus 1:2); nor change with time (cf. Hebrews 13:8). They come from One who takes His promises seriously – not being “slack” concerning them (2 Peter 3:9). They come from One whose track record of promise keeping is absolutely perfect. His promises to Abraham are prime examples (6:13-15). The length to which God went to assure us of the certainty of His promised hope is beyond awesome. Not only was He willing to give His promise, which of itself would be unchangeable, He backed it up with His oath that by two unchangeable things we can be doubly assured of one day realizing the object of our hope.
- The redemptive work of Jesus. When Jesus entered into heaven He, as high priest, carried His own blood. The blood shed on the cross for our redemption (6:19-20; cf. Hebrews 9:12). There He made it possible for souls from both the new and old covenants to be redeemed from sin (Hebrews 9:15). Without this there could be no forgiveness, thus no hope. He has entered as our forerunner, signifying that we can be the “after-runners” because of what He has done for us. His redemptive work not only involved his dying for our sins, but also His being “raised for our justification.” (Roman 2:25). His redemptive work did not end with his death. It also involved His resurrection and ascension into heaven with His blood and taking His seat as both King and High Priest. There He remains until He comes again to redeem the resurrected bodies sufficiently changed into spiritual bodies suited for heavenly existence (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:35ff).
- The diligence of our service. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (6:10-12). This shows that our “full assurance of hope” is, at least partially, based on our showing diligence in service until the end. (Cf. Rev. 2:10). One of the reasons Paul gave for confidently declaring that he had the crown of righteous awaiting was that he had fought a good right, finished his course, and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
There is very little in this world to generate a sense of security within us. The evening news brings reports of harm and threats on every side. What passes as religion is more frightening than comforting to the spiritually minded. We learn more and more of the passing of our peers. Mixed in all that are the constants reports of false doctrine (old and new) pulling many away from “the faith.” Is there any light at the end of this tunnel? Yes. A thousand times, yes. It is that hope that is set before us that keeps us from making shipwreck of our faith in the mist of these storms of life. We can calmly weather these storms knowing we are firmly anchored to the One gone on before us to prepare a place for us.