Finding Hope

Published in God's Message (Pasugo) Oct 2007

“But we wait for what God has promised: new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will be at home.” – II Peter 3:13, Today’s English Version

“Fight the good fight of faith” so that the world would not be able to take away our hope for salvation.

IN TODAY’S WORLD, horrendous things may happen to our lives, but our defining moment lies not in what we experience but on how we react.

Devastated, overwhelmed, shattered, tormented are feelings of people who grapple with enormous problems – the loss of a loved one, the onset of a debilitating disease, acrimonious marital disputes, disastrous business or financial ventures – breeding hopelessness that threatens their very lives. Aggravating such hopelessness and despair are disasters, terrorism, wars, poverty, among others, which continue to haunt mankind. Little wonder then, that man’s life in this world is considered by many as grim.

Others, meanwhile, fall to the allure of worldly things when problems confront them. Their ready response to the stark realities of life is to rely on other people’s power and influence, in material wealth, or in earthly wisdom and knowledge, believing that these things can give lasting solution to their problems.

So the next time afflictions strike us, how do we react? Do we just surrender and give up hope, or do we trust fully in God’s graces? Do we depend upon someone with fabulous riches or those with immense fame and power? Where does our hope lie? Is there still hope for mankind?

Troubled world
If what we hope for is a kinder, gentler world, then we will be utterly disappointed. God, through the prophets, foreordained what would take place in these last days:

“This is what the Sovereign LORD is saying: ‘One disaster after another is coming on you. It’s all over. This is the end. You are finished. The end is coming for you people who live in the land’. …” (Ezek. 7:5-7, Today’s English Version)

“Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways. …” (Isa. 59:7-8, New King James Version)

Thus for the people of this world finding hope amid widespread hopelessness is a very arduous, if not impossible, task. In fact, most of media’s staple issues and topics today – the impacts of global warming, the alarming increase in disasters and diseases in the 21st century, Africa’s AIDS crisis, the unabated sectarian conflict in Iraq, the vicious cycle of violence in many parts of the globe – are enough to make one feel hopeless and afraid. For all we know, another terror attack, another disaster, and another pandemic are looming in the horizon and ready to strike anywhere with devastating consequences.

Undeniably, despite the gloomy forecast, man can still enjoy his mundane existence and live a productive life. Yet, the kind of happiness he relishes is but short and temporal. The incontrovertible fact remains that despite his best efforts to improve his lot, he still fails to even have a taste of absolute happiness. The Bible makes it clear that “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1, New International Version).

Source of all hope and blessings
On the part of God’s faithful children, He is their unfailing source of hope even if they experience tribulation. So just like the apostles who also experienced great troubles and affliction, they will never give up or quit trusting God (II Cor. 1:8-9, TEV). God declares:

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight’, declares the LORD.” (Jer. 9:23-24, NIV)

God’s people will feel His promised kindness even in their present, albeit temporary, sojourn in this world. To them who trust and put their confidence in Him, God will grant length of days, riches, honor, happiness, and peace (Prov. 3:16-18, NKJV). Even in times of drought or famine, God’s faithful servants are likened to “a tree planted by the water … It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jer. 17::7-8, NIV).

Indeed, God’s help and loving care to His people cannot be overemphasized. In a world filled with poverty, injustice, famine, and violence, they should neither doubt nor despair; He is their refuge: “The LORD is good, a refuge on the day of distress; He takes care of those who have recourse to Him.” (Nah. 1:7, New American Bible)

Vanishing hope
The hope of those who trust only in other people’s power, in influence and affluence or in worldly wisdom and knowledge is so fleeting and uncertain. Such hope goes away quickly, for it is as weak as reeds or a spider’s web, which easily breaks or disappears (Job 8:13-15, TEV).

The Bible proves that those whose hope rests on their fellow human beings are “like a bush in the desert, which grows in the dry wasteland, on salty ground where nothing else grows.” They will not succeed or have a good fortune because the Bible declares, “Nothing good ever happens to him” (Jer. 17:5-6, Ibid.) The prophet Isaiah also clarifies that earthly wisdom and knowledge alone can lead man to the wrong direction: hence, man should not put his trust and hope in it, too (Isa. 47:1, Ibid.). Those who count upon great wealth, meanwhile, should hearken to the admonition of the Bible: “… not to be proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God …” (I Tim. 6:17, Ibid.).

Hence, nothing in this world is permanent: fame and power are illusory, wealth ephemeral. Man himself has been appointed by God to die and afterward to face judgment (Heb. 9:27, NKJV). Even this world in which we sojourn will not exist forever because on Judgment Day, all ungodly men and both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up (II Pet. 3:7, 10, Ibid.).

Therefore, putting their hope solely on worldly things which together with this world will perish should not be the option of God’s righteous servants even when trials and tribulations beleaguer their lives.

Man’s remaining hope
Inasmuch as life and all worldly things will come to an end, what then remains as man’s only hope?

“But we wait for what God has promised: new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will be at home.” (II Pet. 3:13, TEV)


Unlike this world we live in, in the Holy City we will never experience tribulation: thus, there will be no more sorrow or crying there. The promised new heaven and a new earth is a perfect and blissful place: no more death, thirst, and hunger (Rev. 21:1-4, NKJV).

However, not just anyone can truly hope to gain entrance to the Holy City and receive eternal life. Only those who are “heirs according to the promise” can hope to receive the promise as stated by Apostle Paul: “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29, Ibid.). Those in Christ become heirs of God’s promise, though it is written that there is only one seed of Abraham which is Christ, because our Lord Jesus Christ created one new man from two – Christ and those who are in Him (Gal. 3:16; Eph. 2:15, Ibid.). The composition of the one new man is Christ as the head and the Church as the body (Col. 1:18, Ibid.).

The Church is indispensable because only through it can man become one with Christ, he cannot be an heir since Abraham has only one seed. Therefore, to become an heir, he must become one with Christ through His body which is the Church of Christ (Col. 1:18, NKJV; Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation). Joining the Church of Christ and remaining obedient to God’s commands until the end is of paramount importance in order to enter the Holy City.

Members of the Church of Christ are fortunate indeed. They are the heirs of the promises of God because they are of Christ and are God’s children (Rom. 8:16-17, NKJV). They are referred to as God’s people who, in the Christian Era, are the chosen ones who have been called into one body and given the right and privilege to worship and pray to Christ and to the Lord God (I Pet. 2:9-1; Col. 3:15; 1:18, Ibid.).

Whatever trouble is tormenting their lives, they should take comfort and hope in God’s blessings even in this life, and above all, they need not look elsewhere, they should set their sight in His promised Holy City where true peace and righteousness reign – and where God will grant them eternal life and salvation (I John 2:25, Ibid.).

Not losing their hope
Given the travails of their journey in this world, the apostles teach God’s people to “Fight the good fight of faith” so that the world would not be able to take away their hope for salvation (I Tim. 6:12, Ibid.).

A parable of Christ about those to whom the word of God was sown or taught illustrates how the devil tries to take away their hope for salvation. Those who have fallen to the devil’s scheme are those who are overcome by trials because the word of God do not sink deep into their heart and those who are preoccupied with “the worries and riches and pleasures of this life” such that “their fruit never ripens” (Luke 8:12-14, TEV).

Undoubtedly, miseries and the cares of this life, riches and vices or worldly pleasures are being used by Satan to hinder the faithful from serving God, to render the words of God sown or planted in their heart fruitless, and thus take away their hope for salvation. However, the Bible emphasizes that the hope of the ones who will bear fruit will not be taken away. This means that the words of God sown in our heart must bear fruit by being devoted to God’s words (Luke 8:15, Ibid.).

Hence, God’s faithful servants do not succumb to the lures and temptations of worldly things: instead, they labor and strive to obey His commandments (I Tim. 4:10, NIV). Obedience to His words – attending the worship service, performing their Church duties, loving and reconciling with his brother or sister in faith, among many others – is a testament to their hope in God.

Also, Church of Christ members strive to leave all evil deeds in order to guard their hope for salvation and never lose it. They always bear in mind that “The hopes of the wicked come to nothing” which means that “The wicked will not remain in the land” or will not dwell in the Holy City. On the other hand, the Bible attests that “The righteous will never be uprooted,” that is, their hope will never be lost (Prov. 10:28; 30, Ibid.).

And so, braving life’s adversities, God’s servants continue in their journey, not losing their hope. Giving up hope will not get them to the promised land – enduring until the end will. Amid great troubles and sufferings, their faith and hope in God are much greater. The words of the Psalmist inspire them:

“Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God.” (Ps. 42:11, TEV)