A Know-So Hope

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5 NAS95).

What a glorious thought. As believers there is an inheritance beyond what we can even imagine waiting for us who have hope. Not a-hope-so kind of hope, but a-know-so kind of hope. It is a-know-so kind of hope because it is protected by the power of God through faith.

While there are times when sin and distress causes us to waver, the power of God always returns us to the cross. There are two reasons this happens.

The first reason is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that worked in our hearts to believe the Gospel, and it is the Holy Spirit that keeps us believing the Gospel. We are kept by the power of God. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6 NAS95). For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified (Romans 8:29-30 NAS95).

The second reason is we have ears to hear and eyes to see. We understand the Gospel. We no longer seek to please God with good works because we know those works done in the flesh are like filthy rags. We go to the cross because we know the only righteousness we have is the imputed righteousness of Christ. Like the tax collector we beat our chests and cry “God have mercy on me a sinner.”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. What blessings we enjoy, what hope we have, what an inheritance is laid up for us who believe.