The Doctrine Of Hope

Romans 8:24-25

24. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

There is another work the Father accomplished before the generations of the earth began.

Acts 17:24-27

24. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25. Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26. And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27. That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

This scripture is very important for our understanding of eternity. God has appointed times, and the times of these events were appointed before the world was manifested. He set the boundaries of the nations and man’s habitation. But there is something else here that we cannot overlook. God also determined before the world that men should seek him. He wanted them to feel after him. This is the connotation of “groping in the darkness.” He wants them to seek after him and to find him. But he declares that he is not far from them. This, my friends, is the good pleasure of his own will. This is by his determination, but let us remember this was instituted before the world began.

Let us learn from the wisdom and prophetic writings of Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 3:16-18

16. And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

17. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Solomon refers to this world as “under the sun.” He declares it to be a place of righteousness, iniquity and judgment. The earth would be a place for men to have an opportunity to choose righteousness or evil. It is here on this earth that men would either feel after their creator, or disregard him completely. Solomon saw that iniquity (satan) was in this world that God created for his man. Satan is the father of all that is wicked and a lie. Mankind would be exposed to this creature:

18. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

This prophet is looking at the world before men possessed it. He thought that God might just manifest man. He is seeing all of this before man was ever manifested on the earth. The world would be the place where man would

truly see himself in his lowest spiritual estate.

Ecclesiastes 3:10

I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

Here the word Solomon uses as “exercised”, is the Hebrew word for humbled, or to humble self, to afflict self, to weaken. Keep in mind this travail is due to man’s choice to follow after satan.

Ecclesiastes 3:19

19. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

The world is vain. All that is in it, is lusts and the pride of life. The earth is off course. It is not a place of righteousness. It is sinful and dark. But God knew this would be the case. Therefore, his workmanship before time included

an awareness of a better place.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

As we learned in a previous teaching, the word world, used here is “the before-time” and the “ancient time,” “eternity”, or “time out of mind.” God has set the ancient world, eternity, or the before-time, in the hearts of men. Thus we see the function of the conscience; it is that part of the soul that has been made aware of eternity. It is the knower. Because of man’s exposure to the lie, it is the seat of judgment as well.

Yet again, God is prudent in all his works. Truly as Solomon has said, all the world is vanity. But when the Lord placed man in this world, he knew the travail that would befall his creation.

Romans 8:18-21

18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

God has not only placed eternity in the hearts of men, but he has also subjected them to hope. The sons of men were put in subjection or under obedience to hope. Such hope is a great expectation or faith. Somehow we knew there was something better than this world had to offer. This is true

whether one is poor or rich. There is a void in man that can only be filled by the presence of God.

Yes, God placed us in this world, where we would suffer the anguish of being morally depraved:

Romans 8:22-23

22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Solomon saw the travail of the sons of men before they were manifested. But Isaiah saw that it would only be for a season:

Isaiah 57:15-18

15. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him:

I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

18. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his Mourners.

This is the hope to which God subjected us. If we obey the hope, by living our lives under subjection of the great expectation of the promises God has made, we will spend eternity with him. We want to be delivered out of this world

and out of these bodies. And we have a promise from the Father that he will heal us, and comfort us, and deliver all who weep and mourn.

Romans 8:24-27

24. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Our hope is for the things that God has promised. Eternal life, a new body and the new world to come, are the substance of our hope. The Spirit of God has confirmed that these things are waiting for those who obey their calling and make their election sure.

26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit confirms that we are the children of God and are seated in that high and lofty place with him. But why did we have to go this route? Why subject us to the consequences of Adam’s sin? There are many scriptures broadcasting the fact that God wanted a people of his own kind. He dwelled

in the universe as the only one of his kind. But God wanted more than just a people to call his own, he wanted to dwell among them. For that he needed a body. But one might say why Adam? Why make a man that was lower than the angels? Well the answer is simple.

The angels are created beings. They were created to serve and obey God. We never read where they loved him. God is love and he wanted to be loved. But even as virtue is not virtue until tested, neither is love. Therefore, it was necessary to place these souls in a body that could be tried in afflictions and

temptations. Even Jesus had a soul that was fitted for testing. He was birthed into the world as a soul that had been joined to the Father by the overshadowing of Mary. Being in these earthen vessels allows us to be afflicted by the consequences of sin, until the times of refreshing came.

Luke 7:47

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

For the sake of love, God placed us in a world that he knew would eventually go off course. He knew man would sink to an all-time low in character. But the fact that God placed the ancient world, eternity, in man’s heart, time and chance would give him an opportunity to either feel after God or prefer darkness. Man would discover the true meaning of evil and the darkness of this world. This is the good pleasure of God’s own will.

There was something regarding God and his high and lofty place in our hearts. There was a world there that we couldn’t see clearly. We could only see glimpses of it in our imaginations. Abraham saw it too.

Hebrews 11:9-10

9. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

In his writings to the Romans, Paul reveals the plan of redemption as it was fashioned in eternity.

Romans 10:6-8

6. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

7. Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)

8. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Now this is the sum of it all. The righteousness that is of hope, which is the substance of our faith, knows that God has placed eternity in the heart of every soul he created. The truth that is committed to those who carry the gospel speaks to the heart of the sons of men. It articulates and makes the

kingdom of God, eternity, visible to those who hear. It is a word that speaks of and to the faith or hope that is in the heart. Thus, the word of faith bears witness with our spirit that hope is not vain; and that it has the power to save us.

Titus 1:1-3

1. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

2. In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

3. But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

Our hope for salvation is based upon the promise that God made before the world began. For he spoke in eternity past:

1 John 5:11

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

This promise is manifested by the preaching of the gospel.

Romans 10:9-10

9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

If a man can believe on the hope that is in his heart for a kingdom that is filled with righteousness, peace and joy; then he can be saved. The law of Hope will have its perfect work. Our obedience to the hope we were subjected to, gave us the unction to feel after God. So we groped around in the darkness until we found him. This was the will of the Lord. We who found him, prefer him and have a great expectation for the redemption of our bodies. We wait on those things we have not yet seen come to pass. But the hope in us is sure

and confident. It is the anchor for our soul.