Hope: Living in the Real World

Faith, hope and charity are the defining characteristics that set apart a life lived in the presence of God.  Jesus of Nazareth was the only man ever to live this “set apart” life perfectly from the moment of his conception in Mary’s womb until his dying breath on the cross.   He was the God-man, we are not; but because of who he was and what he did, you and I who know him as Savior and Lord have hope that, “just as we have born the likeness of the earthly man, so also we will bear the likeness of the man from heaven.  (1 Cor.15: 49).  That is a promise. The Word also tells us that: “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” (Eph. 1:3,4). One day we will be completely healed of the brokenness of our lives caused by sin. We do not yet see what we as individuals will be, but we know we will all bear the image of Christ.

This Biblical hope is what our faith looks like, as the writer of Hebrews tells us: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1). Unlike the hope of the one who lives exclusively by sight, we who live by faith in the unseen God can be sure of what we hope for.  If our hope is that we will be changed into the likeness of Christ, the lamb without blemish, then we can be sure of being healed from the physical, emotional, and spiritual brokenness of this world… if not here on earth, then in heaven. We too will be without blemish, and this hope impacts our life right now, here in this body.  Paul said “…the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”(Gal. 2:20 KJS). Christ is our model for living successfully in the real world here on earth, and that new life starts with faith that is sure of what we hope for – faith like Christ’s.

How can faith in the unseen be certain while belief that is restricted to what is seen is only more or less probable? The author of Hebrews tells us that, “…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Heb. 11:6). Naturalists do not believe that God exists and they do not believe that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  They believe the only source of knowledge is the physical senses and scientific instruments. We may summarize their belief about living in the real world by the phrase, “they walk by sight.”  We who have faith in the unseen God have a source of knowledge that they do not have. It is revelation from God, the Bible, and this knowledge does not contradict that which comes by sight, but includes and makes sense of it.  God rewards us with knowledge and depth of insight so we may be able to discern what is best for our own lives and for those we love as we live in the real world, trusting him with all our heart to direct our paths and to heal all our brokenness.