The Bible calls us to rejoice in hope. It says we should rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2).
When we rejoice in hope, our joy is in the promise of God. Like Christ, it is a joy that enables us to overcome the world. We become like Christ who: “For the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2).
“For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” (Romans 8:24-25).
Carnal Hope
If our hope is in this life, we cannot be true believers. To prosper, we would have to live the unrighteous and cut-throat way the people in the world live because it is the ungodly who prosper in the world. (Psalm 73:12). Believers only prosper in Christ.
If our hope is in carnal things, we would soon run out of time. But if your hope is in God, just wait. God is never late, and He promises:
“For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory.” (Isaiah 62:1-2).
Those who hope to spend eternity in heaven must be determined to learn the ways of God. John says: “Everyone who has this hope in (Jesus) purifies himself, just as (Jesus) is pure.” (1 John 3:3).
Since we expect to sit at the Lord’s right hand in heaven, we cannot afford to remain mired in the works and lusts of the flesh. A man who truly has the hope of righteousness does not continue to live in sin.
Jesus is looking for a church without a spot or wrinkle. His disciples are not those who hunger and thirst for the things in the world. Neither are they even those who hunger and thirst for heaven. They are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. They are those who are determined to be completely sinless. They are those whose hope is the hope of righteousness.
Righteousness is the preeminent glory of God. Everything about God is in Him. Nothing about God can be abstracted from Him. God cannot be rich because he has riches. He himself must be the riches. That is why He makes us partakers of Christ, that we also might be the riches in glory of God.
When Moses asked to see God’s glory, he did not see God’s possessions. He did not see money, lands, houses, or properties. He saw God’s character. He saw the righteousness of God because the glory of God is His righteousness. (Exodus 34:6-7).
God’s Decree
God says: “Rain down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together. I, the LORD, have created it.” (Isaiah 45:8).
When a man has the hope to be rich, it makes him greedy and selfish. When he hopes to be promoted, it makes him mean-spirited. But when he has hope in Christ, it brings forth godliness. Paul says: “The only hope that bears fruit is the hope that is in Christ, and the fruit it bears is the fruit of righteousness. (Colossians 1:3-6).
When a man has the hope of righteousness, he has peace, and he has joy. He does not need to be impatient. He can afford to be long-suffering, confident that whatever happens everything is going to work together for his good. (Romans 8:28).
He is inclined to show love for all the saints. Since we are to live together forever in heaven, there is no point in quarreling here on earth. After all, we are to be partakers of the same joy, the same love, and the same glory.
Spiritual Heaven
The heaven of the believer in Christ is not fleshly. It is not physical heaven. God is Spirit and not flesh and blood. Therefore, the heaven that we are going to is spiritual heaven. It is the heaven of being like Christ. It is not the heaven of a place; it is the heaven of a being.
We are called into fellowship with God. Therefore, heaven is not so much a place as wherever God is. Heaven is all about God and not about things. While it involves, sharing in the Lord’s power, joy, and honour; it lies in our being spiritually and morally like him.
John writes: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (John 3:1-2).
Hope of Glory
Paul says: “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27).
The present and indwelling Christ is our hope of glory. This glory will not be revealed to us. The glory will be revealed in us. This coming glory makes every difficulty of the present bearable because “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18).
The glory that is in Christ is the same glory that will be in us. Paul says: “According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:20).
How delightful it would be to have no propensity to sin whatsoever. We shall have no temptation to sin. There will be no erring judgment, no straying passion, no rebellious lust. There will be nothing that can defile, or weaken, or distract. We shall be perfect; one hundred percent perfect.
We shall be secure from every danger. There will be no evil in us and none around us. No bereavement, no sorrow, no labour, and no reproach. No doubts, no difficulties, no anxieties, and no fears. No sickness, no accidents, and no pain. Just the righteousness of God. Hallelujah!
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” (Isaiah 61:10-11).
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