We Have This Hope

We Have This Hope

1Cor 15:17-19 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (v.18) Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. (v.19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

What if Christ did not rise from the dead? Paul discussed this at length in I Corinthians 15. It is one of the most persuasive arguments you will find on why we believe in the resurrection (apart from the eye witness accounts). But look at the tragedy of the opposing view. If Christ was never resurrected it would be senseless for us to express any faith in him at all. Would we have faith in a dead man? Would we have faith in one whose body could be sealed in a tomb and never see the light of day again? If that were all we had then our sins could never have been forgiven and we would still be judged and found wanting, we would still face a godless eternity. We would find that our lives here would be miserable having given up all the pleasures of sin just to follow the teachings of a man who thought himself to be God. We would be miserable here and lost in eternity as well. How very sad.

BUT!!!!! But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept (I Cor. 15:20). He is risen, and he is only the first. Now, if we could only have eyes to see, we would see the skies filled with the spirits of those justified by the blood of Christ rising into the heavens at the very moment that their bodies are laid down with their final breath being drawn. We would see an unspeakable joy radiate from every face of those who were born again. We would see heaven open and receive them. And the glory of God would not be too much for them to bear. Because in the resurrection of Christ is God's acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. Look at what Paul writes, Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (v.2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” PEACE WITH GOD. We are no longer his enemy, we are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). All that Jesus is heir to is already ours. This is our hope. Our promise, not yet tangible or in our physical possession. But it is our current possession waiting only for us to take possession as an heir does his father’s estate. All of the glories of heaven, everything God has given to Jesus he has also given to us. All of the saved, all who have been truly born again can, “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

WE HAVE THIS HOPE.