A Word from the WORD: "ANCHORED IN HOPE" (Article 214)

[Life Fellowship]

ANCHORED IN HOPE

The people of Colosse had heard the Gospel through Epaphras. Having believed, they were steadily growing in the faith. As we read a description of the kind of Gospel message they initially heard, we find a striking feature of what it included, something that seems to be lacking in much of today's preaching- it was the element of “heavenly hope”.

Notice what Paul says: “.....we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints- the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you.” (Colossians 1:4-6). And as the apostle continues writing to the believers there, he urges them to continue in their faith, established and firm, not moved from the “hope held out in the gospel”, the gospel which they had heard and that was being proclaimed all over the world (Colossians 1:23).

“Hope” is one of the characteristics which distinguishes the Christian community from other people. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul tells them not to be ignorant about what happens to dead believers or to grieve like the rest of the men “who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Hope is the anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:18-19), enabling us to stand firm and stay focussed in the midst of the pressures and pleasures that relentlessly come our way.

God has given us new birth into a “living hope” through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). Every Christian has a “blessed hope”, the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). In this message, we examine in greater detail the various aspects of the Christian's hope.

1. The Christian's Hope- Rescue from the coming wrath (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)

The wrath of God is going to be poured out. Many would read this statement and find it shocking. Not only because it is “disturbing” but also because it is “different” from what people commonly believe about New Testament Christianity.

We have somehow developed an understanding that the God of the Old Testament was harsh and angry, but the God of the New Testament is soft and gentle. That God, with age and time, has mellowed down and become sober. This is a heresy and a slander on our God.

God was and will always be the same. He does not change His character. He has always been both tender and tough. He was patient and merciful in Old Testament times; He gets angry and pours out judgment in New Testament days. The Book of Revelation is just one book we need to read to understand this truth. Infact, no book in the Old Testament can be compared to it in terms of the extent and depth of God's wrath unleashed. We come across an interesting description there of the Jesus we serve- the “wrath” of the “Lamb” (Revelation 6:16). Does that not seem like a contradiction to talk of a “Lamb” which is “angry”? And yet this is the indisputable fact.

The message of the “coming wrath” is what needs to be emphasised in our preaching to unbelievers. The “love of God” is not the primary message we have for the world. That was not the message Jesus or the apostles preached to unbelievers.

A study of the Bible would reveal some startling, even shocking facts. For one, there are very few references in the entire Bible in relation to the love of God. Majority of the books never mention God's love at all. Of the thirty-five thousand verses present, hardly thirty-five directly and explicitly refer to the love of God. That's one in a thousand! We tend to think the Bible is full of it!

Secondly, every mention in Scripture of the love of God is always mentioned in the context of the community of believers. In the Old Testament, Jews only talked about the love of God to Jews. And in the New Testament, Christians only talked about the love of God to Christians. The love of God is a subject directed either to God in praise or to believers in fellowship. Not a single verse about the love of God is directed to unbelievers.

More striking is that the book of Acts, which is a description of the early church evangelising, spreading the Gospel, and planting churches, does not have a single reference to the love of God. That was not what the apostles preached. It was not how they spread the Gospel. It was not how they planted churches.

What then did the early church preach about? It was the “righteousness of God”. They spoke of how God has set a day when He will judge the whole world with justice by the man He has appointed, Jesus Christ (Acts 17:30-31; 20:21; 26:19-20). And because they preached in this manner, “repentance” and “fear of God” was birthed in the hearts of people.

When we keep talking about a “loving God” to unbelievers, it raises several problems. First, they come up with questions related to suffering in this world and the next- “If there is a loving God, how can you explain the suffering in this world?” “If God is a God of love, how can He send anyone to hell?” Second, they develop a mindset which makes them think that there is no need to “change (repent)” since God already loves them unconditionally. Thirdly, there arises a tendency to “treat God like a servant”- someone who exists to keep me happy and healthy, rather than One whom I must give pleasure, joy and delight to.

The love of God revealed in the Scriptures does not talk about His attraction to us, nor His affection for us, but His attention to our need and His action on our behalf. If we just tell unbelievers “God loves you”, they will assume very quickly that they must be likeable, loveable, attractive to God. They will not realise that it is precisely because they are unlovely to God- because He hates how they live and what they do- that it becomes so marvellous that He sent His Son to die for them.

John 3:16, often described as the gospel in a nutshell, is often misunderstood. The word “so” in English translations makes people think about the “measure” of God's love- “For God so-o-o-o loved the world”. But this is not what it stands for. It is talking about the “manner” of God's love- “For God, in this way, loved the world”. In other words, more than showing how “loveable” we are, the passage is actually trying to point out how “undeserving” we are.

The context refers to an incident which had occurred in the lives of the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9). They had grown impatient and begun to find fault with God's ways and dealings. They complained about the leadership. They complained about the food and water. They made the Lord angry and He sent venomous snakes among them as a result of which many Israelites died.

When the people saw this, they realised their folly and confessed their sin. They rushed to Moses begging for forgiveness and pleading that he might ask the Lord to take away the snakes. God was merciful to hear their cry but He did not respond by removing the snakes! Instead, He provided a way of escape by directing Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they would live.

This incident serves as the background to John 3:16. And it tells us clearly that we are all like those Israelites who have angered God through our rebellion. That the sentence of death is even now present and punishment is a surety for everyone. That God's loving act has not been to remove the verdict of death but to provide a way out through the Cross of Jesus Christ. That just as any poisoned man could look at the snake and live, so also, every sinner who repents and puts their trust in Christ can now be saved from eternal death.

2. The Christian's Hope- Redemption of the earthly body (Romans 8:22-25; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 3:4)

When Jesus returns, we will become like Him. This primarily refers to our bodies being transformed to become like His glorious body.

There is a passage of Scripture which is normally read during funeral services (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). It tells us what will happen to the believer's dead body. The body which is “perishable” will be raised “imperishable”- it will not wear out and cannot be destroyed. The body which is sown in “dishonour” will rise up as a “glorious” body- it will be beautiful and have a radiance or brilliance around it (Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:14). The body which is “weak” now will become a “powerful” body- one that does not become sick, weak, old or tired but is full of energy, vitality and life. The body which is “natural” (of the earth) will be turned into one which is “spiritual”- a body without any sinful tendency or capacity, full of the Holy Spirit, having flesh and bones but no blood, able to eat, drink, and move around without any restriction or limitation.

3. The Christian's Hope- Renewal of the Universe (Romans 8:20-21; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2 Peter 3:13)

God intends to make “all things” new. Everything will be restored and even the very universe will be transformed (Matthew 19:27-28; Acts 3:2; Revelation 21:5). We are going to have a New Heaven and a New Earth. All that we see today will pass away, destroyed by fire.

Today, people all over the world are excessively worried about the climatic changes thinking that if this earth is destroyed, there will be no future environment for human life to exist. But the Christian has no need for alarm or anxiety. While he is committed to protecting and looking after the planet because it belongs to his Heavenly Father, he does not panic seeing the depleting condition of this earth. He knows two things- one, that this earth will last till the Lord returns and completes His thousand year reign; second, that this planet will be replaced by a better one.

The making of that new home of righteousness is the greatest building project that has ever been undertaken (Hebrews 11:10). Life in that new home will be totally dynamic and exciting. It will be our place of residence and God will be dwelling with us. How wonderful it will be when all the saints and angels join together and live in the presence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.

In keeping with the hope of our calling, we are exhorted to encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:11; Hebrews 10:25), to not become lazy but to be diligent (Hebrews 6:11-12), to not throw away our confidence in the midst of persecution (Hebrews 10:35), to be thankful and worship God acceptably with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28-29), to purify ourselves (1 John 3:3), to lead holy and godly lives (2 Peter 3:11), and to make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with the Lord (2 Peter 3:14).

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you!

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