The Biblical Doctrine of Christian Hope
Hebrews 6:17-20
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (ESV)
The Main Idea:
Christian hope is the Spirit-given, unshakable confidence that God will certainly fulfil all His promises in Christ, anchoring the believer’s soul both now and forever.
Key Definition
Biblical hope is the confident, patient expectation of the future good that God has promised, grounded in His character, secured by Christ, revealed in Scripture, and produced in believers by the Holy Spirit.
Six Biblical Truths About Christian Hope:
1. Christian Hope is Rooted in God Himself (Psalm 39:7; Psalm 71:5)
2. Christian Hope is Grounded in the Word of God (Psalm 130:5; Romans 15:4)
3. Christian Hope is Centered in Christ (1 Timothy 1:1; Colossians 1:27)
4. Christian Hope is a Living Hope Through the Resurrection (1 Peter 1:3)
5. Christian Hope Sustains Believers in Suffering (Romans 5:3–5)
6. Christian Hope Looks to the Return of Christ (Titus 2:13)
Christian hope stabilises believers in life’s storms:
• Sickness
• Loss
• Temptation
• Persecution
• Death
Application
For believers:
• Fix your hope on Christ.
• Feed your hope through the Scriptures.
• Fortify yourself with hope in suffering.
For those outside of Christ:
Without Christ we are ‘without hope and without God in the world’ (Ephesians 2:12).
Come to Christ and receive a living hope.