HOPE THAT TRANSFORMS:
THE BELIEVER’S FUTURE HOPE
AND PRESENT HOLINESS
1 John 3:3
For most of us our trials are internal —
we yearn to grow (in holiness) in our
Christian walk, but find sin still firmly
rooted within us (Romans 7:18-20).
One of our most formidable enemies
is the enemy that lies within –
our flesh, our sinful tendencies.
BIBLICAL HOPE ENABLES US
TO SEE GOD’S PERSPECTIVE ON
LIFE AND ALLOWS US NOT ONLY
TO PERSEVERE FOR A LIFETIME
BUT ALSO TO PURSUE HOLINESS
UNTIL WE REACH OUR FINAL GOAL
– CHRIST AND HIS LIKENESS!
Romans 5:4-5
BIBLICAL HOPE
IS THE EAGER EXPECTATION THAT
WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED IN HIS
WORD WILL CERTAINLY HAPPEN IN
THE FUTURE.
We, Christians, are living in time
between the “now” and the “not yet”.
“(NOW) we are children of God…
(NOT YET) what we will be…”
(1 John 3:2)
Hope declares that time will
surely come, when God will
fulfill all that He had promised
in His Word!
This kind of hope helps us
to look beyond our present
circumstances, and enables us
to ride victoriously over them.
Knowing that we are secure in God’s
love and our future in Christ is sure, as
children of God, in this present day
and age, we are to live and experience:
A. THE BLESSING OF HOPE:
SECURITY OF SALVATION - “And
everyone who has this hope in Him”
Contrary to the thought that the
security of his salvation would
cause him to become careless in
his life and testimony, the correct
teaching and understanding of this
truth should drive the true believer
to live more faithfully for his Lord.
Titus 3:7-8
Colossians 1:5
HOPE IS ROOTED IN THE GOSPEL!
“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.”
The Solid Rock (Hymn):
My hope is built on nothing less, than
Jesus’ blood and righteousness,
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
1 Peter 1:3-6
1. We have a marvellous hope.
2. We have the most secure hope.
B. THE INFLUENCE OF HOPE:
HOLINESS IN LIFE
– “purifies himself”
“Purify means not only to get rid of
the tarnishing effect of sin upon me
but also to avoid sin in my whole
nature and in my whole being…
(Martyn Lloyd Jones, Life in Christ, p.301).
“…not only that I try to separate
myself from the sins I have
committed in the past but beyond
it…I have a desire within me to be
like Christ; I am striving to be like
the Lord Himself.” (Martyn Lloyd
Jones, Life in Christ, p.301).
HOLINESS IS NOT JUST A MATTER
OF OBEYING RULES AND
REGULATIONS BUT OF
UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTH
CONCERNING GOD AND HIS WORK
IN CHRIST ON OUR BEHALF.
HOLINESS IS A NECESSARY
RESULT OF OUR BEING IN CHRIST.
1 Corinthians 1:30
“The Christian is a man whose main
possessions lie in reversion. Most
men have a hope, but his is a peculiar
one; and its effect is special, for it
causes him to purify himself.”
- Charles Spurgeon, Purification by Hope
2 Corinthians 7:1
2 Peter 3:11-14
Hebrews 12:14
Holiness is what we already are
positionally as children of God
but experientially, we must seek to
live it out (Phil. 2:12-13).
"You've called me to be holy, Lord,
not famous; to be holy, not successful.
Keep me focused today on being the
person You want me to be, no matter
how significant or insignificant the work
You ask me to do. Amen." A.W. Tozer
C. THE VISION OF HOPE:
CHRIST OUR LORD
– “just as He is pure”
Hebrews 7:26
Hebrews 6:18-20
Colossians 1:27
“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
2 Thess 2:16-17
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself
and God our Father, who loved us and
by his grace gave us eternal
encouragement and good hope, 17
encourage your hearts and strengthen
you in every good deed and word.
Growing in holiness: not just about
fighting sin or practicing good works.
Active consideration of Christ’s purity
will do much to make us holy.
Hebrews 12:1-3
One of the greatest and most
purifying incentives is the hope that
Jesus will return and change
everything from the way we know it at
present.
The true Christian knows
that he will finally make it
because of Christ who lives
in and through him.
In this life we will experience trials,
tribulations, temptations
and failures along the way.
Only with a secure hope rooted in the
faithfulness of God will we be able to
weather the storms of life.
IT IS IN THE HOPE THAT CHRIST
WILL COMPLETE THE WORK HE
BEGAN IN US THAT WE COULD BE
CONFIDENT ALLOWING US TO
PERSEVERE IN LIFE AND
TO PURSUE HOLINESS UNTIL WE
REACH OUR GOAL – CHRIST AND
HIS LIKENESS
(Romans 8:29; Philippians 1:6)!