INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
My earlier articles discussed the results of trying to find hope in the Bible using the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (link: Finding Hope in the Bible Using the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible | Steve Belsheim), an exhaustive concordance (links Finding Hope in the Bible using an Exhaustive Concordance – Part One | Steve Belsheim and https://stevebelsheim.com/?p=933 ), and Bible dictionaries (link: Finding Hope in the Bible Using Bible Dictionaries | Steve Belsheim). Careful consideration of the results reported in the above articles reveals many essential benefits for a person who has placed their hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.
First and foremost, a person who has hope in Jesus Christ has a secure eternal destiny in heaven. See John 14:2-3; 10:25-30. A home in heaven is the benefit most people default to when thinking about being saved. Yet, a person who has placed their hope in Jesus Christ experiences many benefits while on earth, i.e., temporal benefits.
The table below compares the differences between a saved person and a lost person in reference to temporal benefits.
| Temporal Benefits for a Believer | Temporal Detriments for Lost Person |
| Biblical Hope Encourages Living a More Holy (Sanctified) Life Biblical Hope Generates Love Biblical Hope Produces Endurance Biblical Hope Causes Boldness Biblical Hope is an Anchor Biblical Hope Leads to Happiness Biblical Hope Causes Protection Biblical Hope Leads to Victory in Spiritual Warfare Biblical Hope Helps a Believer to Confidently Face Suffering and Death Biblical Hope Causes a Believer to be Eager to Do Good Works Biblical Hope Leads to Good Things Biblical Hope Does Not Lead to Shame Biblical Hope Results in a Persistent Godly Life Biblical Hope Gives Rise to a Joyous Expectation of Jesus’ Return | The Absence of Hope Means a Separation from God The Absence of Biblical Hope Results in Depression and Turmoil The Absence of Biblical Hope Causes a Futile Hope The Absence of Hope Leads to Grief |
My more detailed discussion follows.
A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF BIBLICAL HOPE
Briefly, “hope” in the biblical sense is not a “cross your fingers” kind of hope. To say “I hope I win the lottery today” is not an expression of biblical hope. To the contrary, biblical hope is the confident expectation that something good will occur in the future. Biblical hope has the sense of moral certainty in that something will take place and it will be good or beneficial.
The Little Kittel[i] theological dictionary defines biblical hope this way:
2. When fixed on God, hope embraces expectation, trust, and patient waiting. It is linked to faith, as in Heb. 11:1, which stresses the certainty of what is divinely given. Rom. 8:24–25 makes not only the formal point that we do not hope for what is visibly present but also the material one that what is visibly present offers no basis for hope since it belongs to the sphere of the sárx. Hence we have to wait patiently, in hope believing against hope, i.e., unable to count on controllable factors and hence thrown back on God (Rom. 4:18). Patient endurance is the main point in Rom. 5:4; 1 Th. 1:3; Heb. 6:11, but sure confidence is meant in 1 Cor. 15:19; 2 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 1:20; Heb. 3:6; 1 Pet. 1:21. The main difference from the OT is that the act of salvation has now been accomplished in Christ, so that hope itself is an eschatological blessing, and there is every reason for confidence such as Paul has in the Corinthians (2 Cor. 1: 12ff.). Hope rests on faith in the act of salvation (Rom. 8:24–25) and is sustained by the Spirit (vv. 26–27). It is an integral part of the Christian life (Rom. 15:13; 12:12). As such it goes closely with faith and love (1 Th. 1:3; 1 Cor. 13:13). It endures even when we attain to sight, for its focus is not on what is to be given but on the God who gives it and will maintain it when it is given. Endurance may be stressed in this life (Rom. 5:2, 4–5), but our waiting is confident, for we are saved by hope (Rom. 8:24).
In the context of salvation, hope manifests itself in a believer through the confident expectation of Jesus’ Second Coming, which ushers the way into eternity in heaven in the presence of God. For a believer, it is a certainty they will inhabit their heavenly dwelling place per Jesus’ promise recorded at John 14:2–3 (HCSB)
2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.
John 10:25–30 (NASB95) teaches that a believer’s salvation is secure:
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 “But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 “I and the Father are one.”
BIBLICAL HOPE IS AN INHERENT ATTRIBUTE OF A BELIEVER
The Bible teaches that biblical hope is an inherent attribute of a believer. A believer has the confident expectation that Jesus will return and take them into their eternal home in heaven. For example, 1 Corinthians 13:13 (HCSB) teaches that hope (elpis) is an inherent attribute of a believer:
13 Now these three remain: faith, hope (elpis), and love. But the greatest of these is love.
One lexicon[ii] defines elpis as, “to look forward with confidence to that which is good and beneficial.”
1 Peter 3:15 (NET) reads:
15 But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope (elpis) you possess.
The NASB95 translation reads:
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
The predicate for the Apostle Peter to have written 1 Peter 3:15 “the hope you possess” (NET) or “the hope that is in you” (NASB95) was that a believer possessed hope (elpis).
BIBLICAL HOPE IS ABSENT FROM A LOST PERSON
Without hope in God, there is separation from God. Paul taught this truth when he wrote Ephesians 2:11–12 (HCSB), which reads:
11 So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
BIBLICAL HOPE HAS A FUTURE HEAVENLY ASPECT
Biblical hope has an eschatological aspect that focuses on eternity in heaven. A believer has the confident expectation of Jesus’ Second Coming, which ushers the way into eternity in heaven in the presence of God.
When thinking about “hope,” many people default to the eschatological kind of hope. Yet, there is more to biblical hope than one’s future in heaven. The Bible teaches that biblical hope has a present-day benefit that manifests itself during a believer’s earthly life.
BIBLICAL HOPE HAS MANY PRESENT-DAY EARTHLY ASPECTS
Cautionary Note
It is critical to understand that there is no promise that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ will live an easy life. Jesus promised persecution because of one’s faith per John 15:20–21 (ESV):
20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
The Apostle Paul experienced a difficult life from a secular perspective as he wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:7–10 (HCSB):
7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. 8 We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 10 We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
Yet, Paul possessed all of the temporal benefits of salvation that lifted him above his circumstances.
Biblical Hope Encourages Living a More Holy (Sanctified) Life
1 John 3:3 (HCSB) reads:
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.
This verse teaches that a believer will strive to live a more holy life. Of course, living a more holy life is pleasing to God per what Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:14–16 (NASB95):
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Biblical Hope Generates Love
Paul instructed his audience that a believer’s hope generated love when he wrote Colossians 1:3–6 (NIV), which reads:
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
Biblical Hope Produces Endurance
A believer’s hope in Christ produces endurance per Romans 8:22–23 (NASB95), which reads:
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
Biblical Hope Causes Boldness
Biblical hope encourages believers to be bold according to 2 Corinthians 3:12 (ESV), which reads:
12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,
The boldness Paul rote about was boldness in proclaiming the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.
Biblical Hope is an Anchor
The Bible teaches that biblical hope is an anchor per Hebrews 6:18–19 (HCSB):
18 so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.
Biblical Hope Leads to Happiness
The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 146:5 (HCSB):
5 Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
Biblical Hope Causes Protection
A reoccurring theme throughout Psalms is that God protects His people, i.e., saved people. One example is Psalm 31:23–24 (HCSB), which reads:
23 Love the Lord, all His faithful ones. The Lord protects the loyal, but fully repays the arrogant. 24 Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.
Another passage that teaches about God’s protection of His people is Psalm 37:27–28 (NASB95), which reads:
27 Depart from evil and do good, So you will abide forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
Biblical Hope Leads to Victory in Spiritual Warfare
Biblical hope in a believer equips them for spiritual warfare per 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (NET), which reads:
8 But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation.
Biblical Hope Helps a Believer to Confidently Face Suffering and Death
Philippians 1:20 (HCSB) teaches that hope facilitates a believer to confidently face suffering and even death:
20 My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
Biblical Hope Causes a Believer to be Eager to Do Good Works
Our hope in God allows us to lead a godly life eager to do good works per what Paul taught in Titus 2:11–14 (HCSB):
11 For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, 12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.
Biblical Hope Leads to Good Things
The God of hope gives good things per Romans 15:13 (HCSB), which reads:
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Biblical Hope Does Not Lead to Shame
Biblical hope does not put a believer to shame according to Romans 5:3–5 (ESV), which reads:
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 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.
Biblical Hope Results in a Persistent Godly Life
Hebrews 6:10-12 (HCSB) teaches that hope leads to persistent godly living:
10 For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints—and you continue to serve them. 11 Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope, 12 so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.
Biblical Hope Gives Rise to a Joyous Expectation of Jesus’ Return
One fundamental aspect of a believer’s hope is in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Paul revealed this kind of hope when he wrote Titus 2:11–13 (NET), which reads:
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
This is the reason for a believer not to fear Jesus’ Second Coming per the teaching of 1 John 4:17–18 (HCSB), which reads:
17 In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, for we are as He is in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love.
THE ABSENCE OF BIBLICAL HOPE HAS NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
The Absence of Hope Means a Separation from God
Without hope in God, there is separation from God. Paul taught this truth when he wrote Ephesians 2:11–12 (HCSB), which reads:
11 So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
In Colossians 1:21–23 (HCSB), Paul taught the best news ever that salvation bridges this separation:
21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. 22 But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him — 23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.
The Absence of Biblical Hope Results in Depression and Turmoil
The Psalmist made it clear that the cure for depression and turmoil was hope in God when he wrote Psalm 42:11 (HCSB):
11 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.
The Absence of Biblical Hope Causes a Futile Hope
Many times people place their hope in the things of the world rather than the things of God. This is understandable in a secular sense because a person can see the things of the world in contrast to the things of God, which are unseen. In Psalm 33:17–18 (HCSB), God counsels that tangible power, wealth, and the like do not provide safety, but only God does:
17 The horse is a false hope for safety; it provides no escape by its great power. 18 Now the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him— those who depend on His faithful love
According to 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (HCSB), Paul taught that it is futile to place one’s hope in riches, but instead, one must place their hope on God:
17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real.
The Absence of Hope Leads to Grief
The absence of hope in God leads to grief according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (HCSB):
13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
CONCLUSION
Immediately after the Fall, God demonstrated His infite love, mercy and grace when He first set out His plan of salvation for mankind in Genesis 3:15 (NIV):
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
The classic passage about salvation through repentance and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ is John 3:16–17 (NASB95), which reads:
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Of course, there is an eternal benefit to being saved, i.e., possessing hope in Jesus Christ. Yet, there are also many temporal benefits as identified above.
If you are reading this post and are not a Christian, unless God intervenes, your eternal destination is hell. But, your destiny can change so that you have both the eternal and temporal benefits of being saved.
Today can be the day of your salvation! Please see my blog (https://stevebelsheim.com/2020/04/20/for-god-so-loves-you-2/) for a description of how you can be saved. You can also go to another article at my blog (https://stevebelsheim.com/2020/10/20/there-is-hope-even-when-there-seems-to-be-no-hope-2/ ).
Please send me any comments to steve@stevebelsheim.com or use the comments feature of the blog.
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[i] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 231). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
[ii] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 295). New York: United Bible Societies.