HOPE I. Define hope. (1) The belief that what is wanted will happen. (2) To want and expect . (3)  To trust and rely. II. Three categories of hope: 1. False hope a. Job 8:13 .  Bildad tells Job that “the hope of the hypocrite shall perish.” b. Psalms 10:6.  David talks about the wicked.  “He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved, I shall never be in adversity.” c. Proverbs 10:28. “ The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.” d. False hope today.  There are many, many people today that hope for eternal life in heaven and believe they are in a right relationship with God that they  will fulfill this hope.  However, the majority of these good people have never accepted Jesus Christ on His terms therefore, they will be lost on the day of judgement. 2.  Spiritual Hope a. Spiritual hope enabled Abraham to become the father of the faithful ( (Romans 4:18) “Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken.”  He recognized the state of Sarah and himself, yet he believed in this great hope that the promise would come about. b. Hope is the  saving element of life.  Romans 8:24 “For we were saved in This hope, but  hope that is seen is not hope.  For why does one hope for what he sees?’  We were saved when we became Christians.  We had not, of course,  received all the fruits of salvation.  But, we were enabled to hope for all, even the redemption of the body.   Hope grasped the full salvation, though not yet attained.  We don’t hope for what we see.  Another great blessing that hope brings about is, if we really hope for something, we can labor for it and wait for it with patience. c. What is the source of our hope?  Of course, it is the Holy Scriptures.  “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning that we through the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)  The scriptures will cause us to have the kind of hope  that will produce patience and comfort in whatever situation we find ourselves.  However, we must have knowledge and understanding of the scriptures, therefore diligent study of the Word is necessary. d. How long will hope last?  Hope must always exist in the church and in the heart of the individual Christian until Christ comes.  When we reach heaven, hope will have become a reality. e. Hope inspires clean living.  I John 3:3, “and every one who has this hope in him Purifies himself, just  as He is pure.”  To have a hope of being like Christ leads one to be like Christ, hence to be pure as He is pure. 2. Eternal Hope a. “The wicked is banished in his wickedness, but the righteous has a refuge in his death.” (Proverbs 14:32)  Even in the hour of death,  the Christian hope will be a great comfort to him.  What hope can one out of Christ have for eternity?  How might this affect him when calamity comes?  Careful consideration should be given to these questions. b. Hope assures immortality.  We realize we are mortal beings here on earth.  But, our hope will assure us of eventual immortality.  “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15).”  The hope of resurrection that Paul was talking about was and is the great doctrine of Christianity.  Even the Jews, except the Sadduces, believed this.  Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15:54 that the corruptible will put on incorruption and the mortal will put on immortality.” c. The Christians’s hope anticipates Christ’s coming.  Titus 2:13; “looking for the Blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. “The attitude of the Christian is that of waiting in expectation of the fulfillment of a glorious hope.  We hope that Jesus will return  as He said He would, AND we expect it. d. Hope is the soul’s sure anchor.  In the absolute certainty of God’s promise, the Christian has fled from the wrath revealed against sin to the Gospel with its promises and blessed hope.  “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast”  (Hebrews 6:19).  As an anchor holds the ship when the storms are raging, so this hope holds the soul steadfast.  This is a heavenly hope and reaches to heaven. e. This hope is grounded in the resurrection of Christ.  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"”(I Peter 1:3)  Peter is saying that there is reason for special thanksgiving to God, because out of His overflowing mercy we have been born again as His children.  As His children, we have hope of eternal life through the resurrection of Christ.  This hope is not for an eternal existence, but we became heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).  Our inheritance is incorruptible, can never decay, is sinless and eternal.  Hope to be of any value must be grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  One must  accept Jesus on His terms:  Hear (Romans 10:17); Believe (Hebrews 11:6; John 8:24); Repent (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3); Confess (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37); Be baptized for remission of sins (Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21). (All Scripture references are from the New  King James Version of the Bible) -----Baxter Deadmon