The Source of Our Hope

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

(1Peter 1:3-5 ESV)

Hope is essential in this life.  As we live in a world of sin, as we live in a world suffering the consequences of sin, we need hope. Without it, life suddenly feels futile. We swiftly begin feeling discouraged and desperate.

As we live our life in this world, we place our hope in various places. We place our hope in wealth and possessions. We place our hope in man, whether it be a loved one, a physician, or a political leader.  We place our hope in various religions and philosophical systems.

However, all of these sources of hope are only temporary.  They are fleeting and futile. Even if they sustain us in the short-term, they end up disappointing us. They disappoint us because none of them can deliver us from sin. None of them can deliver us from suffering and death.  None of them can truly save us.

This is where the gospel steps in.  Peter, in the above passage, tells us that God has caused us to be born again to a living hope. In other words, it’s not simply a passing wish. It’s not merely a temporary source of confidence. It’s something that is true and enduring. And he’s done this through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. 

His resurrection fills us with hope because it assures us that the penalty of our sin has truly been paid. It fills us with hope because it assures us that the power death has been defeated.  And, in this way, it enables us to confidently trust in the promises of God.

It fills us with the hope of an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. In other words, it’s eternal, and it isn’t stained or corrupted by sin. It’s the hope of a never-ending existence in the presence of God. It’s the hope of an existence free from death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4).

It’s also secure.  It’s not something that can be taken from us.  It cannot be taken from us by man, or by the enemy of our souls. It cannot be taken because, as Peter tells us, it’s kept in heaven for us. It’s kept in heaven for we who are guarded by faith for salvation, which will be revealed in the last time.

The question that we must ask ourselves, as we’re continually confronted with sin and the suffering that flows from it, is this: What is the source of our hope? Are we continuing to place our hope in the temporary and the powerless?  Or are we placing our hope in the only true source of salvation?