TOPIC:‌"The Glorious Hope of the Believer"

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌I John 3:1-3

 

‌‌"And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure"

‌‌(I John 3:3, NKJV).

 

‌We live in a day of great despair. Many people have a feeling of hopelessness. They feel despondent, desperate and depressed. The reason for such despair may originate because of failing health, or a faltering marriage, or an overwhelming defeat, or some devastating sorrow in their lives. Whatever the reason, they feel hopeless. This feeling of hopelessness has spread throughout the world. That is why I want to speak today on a subject that is described in the Bible as the most hopeful event in the life of the believer. It is that prophetic event mentioned in the Word of God as the second coming of Jesus Christ.‌

 

‌Now we need to keep it clear in our thinking that the Second Coming of Christ is not the hope of the world. It is the hope of the Christian. The hope of the world was in the first coming of Christ, when He was put to death on a cruel cross and raised from the dead by the mighty power of the infinite God for man's forgiveness and justification. So here in this verse the word "hope" is the great word for the Church which is made up of those genuine believers who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul calls it the "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13), while the Apostle Peter describes it as a "living hope" (I Peter 1:3).

 

‌Now there are three things I want us to think about regarding the glorious hope of the believer in Christ.

 

I.

 

‌Consider, to begin with, the SOLID GROUND upon which this hope is ESTABLISHED. At this point I want to call to your attention two statements by the Apostle John in verses 1 and 2: "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God...Beloved, now are we the children of God." Here John with deep emotion marvels at the wonder of God's redemptive activity. He encourages us to stop and contemplate the astonishing greatness of the divine love that redeemed us. John says, when you think of what you are, and then think of who God the Father is, and then think of what this God has done for you. You will be eternally in debt to this great God. Listen to these words of David: "He brought me up out of the horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock. And established my steps. He has put a new song in my heart" (Psalms 40:2, 3).

 

‌Since we are called "the children of God" having been born into . . .