0716. The Hope in the Spirit

The Hope in the Spirit

"For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith" (Gal_5:5).

The Holy Spirit is the active agency of God in the preparation of many things which await us beyond this age. Hope is the word that expresses our anticipation. It is true that "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him, but God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit." Some of the precious things which await us we will mention:

1. There is the hope of righteousness through faith. There is a time coming when God will complete the work which He has begun in us. We have already the imputed righteousness of Christ, that is, we stand justified before God. Our sins are all upon Christ, and His righteousness is upon us. All of us however, recognize that we need a righteousness imparted as well as the righteousness imputed. We want to assure our heart that every semblance of sin, yea more, that every possibility of sinning will be forever beyond us when we see His face. This is the "hope of righteousness" which we have through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit has undertaken a work for us which He will surely perform. He is now transforming us into the image of Christ from glory unto glory. See 2Co_3:18. He has given us the assurance that our earthly body shall be redeemed from its bondage of corruption. Unto this glorious consummation we are sealed by the Holy Ghost.

2. We are waiting for a future freedom from satan. Satan is to be chained for a thousand years. In the Spirit we are anticipating the glorious second coming of Christ, when this release shall be assured. Another blessed hope that lies before, is our reign with Christ.

"I am watching quietly every day;

Whene’er the sun shines brightly,

I rise and say

It might be the shining of His face;

And I look across the sea,

To His high place,

For I know He’s coming soon to summon me.

And when the shadow falls athwart

The window of the room,

Where I am working my appointed task,

I lift my head, and–

Look away and ask,

If He has come."

3. The eternal glory of the ages yet to come will reveal the exceeding riches of the grace of God,–for this we wait in hope. The Word of God tells little of these ages that lie beyond the thousand years, but we know that as the ages unroll, new riches of His grace will be our lot.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR