The Hope of Christ

What is the hope of Christ? In John 10:10 Jesus explains that He brings life and life more abundant. In other words, we don’t really know what life is all about until we know Jesus. There seems to be an already not yet aspect to our faith journey with Jesus. When we are saved, we are promised an eternal home with Jesus. He says in John 14:1-4 that He goes to prepare a place for those who believe Him and follow Him. This residence is prepared by Him and customized for us. There is more to salvation than a home in heaven though. In Matthew 7:14 Jesus lays out that life is found on a different path, one that looks radically different than the world we live in. This path is described as a narrow Gate and few find it. Paul says that when we are saved God’s spirit comes into our life and becomes the “earnest of our inheritance” the seal or evidence of our relationship to Him (Ephesians 1:13-14). So, this means that from the day we are saved God’s spirit dwells in us. Our task is learning to abide in Him (John 15). We will spend the rest of our lives learning, practicing succeeding and failing at abiding in Him. In Jesus is were life is found (John 1:4). Paul then says in Romans that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. We are eternally secure. I cannot lose my salvation. What hope, what assurance this gives to us as believers. This is not a license to live anyway we want, but gives us freedom from sin to live and enjoy the life God desires for us. Jesus envisioned a life where God’s will is done in our life while we are here on earth. Salvation is not something we wait for in the future, but it is something we live and enjoy now and in the future. Jesus prays in Luke 11:2-4 in what is known as the Lord’s prayer for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, Jesus wanted God’s will done in mine and your life right now like it already is in heaven. There is more to LIFE than what lies in the future. There is more to the life that Jesus died to give us than eternal security. Eternal security and heaven are one part of the Hope of Christ, but there is much more that we have today. Today we are called to abide in him, to follow him, to love him. Are you enjoying the fullness?