What is “the blessed hope”?
Have you ever heard anyone say those words, blessed hope? Perhaps it was something like this, “this is our blessed hope.” Are you a new Christian on your new journey in your new life and just don’t know what that means? Perhaps you heard a pastor, mentor, or other person claim one thing as the blessed hope but someone else claim something different.
A little background as to why I am posting this is that a Pastor I know (and it’s not my intent to call anyone out) claims one thing about his “blessed hope” that is just not what the Bible says, so it got me thinking, maybe I should set it straight in case anyone out there has ever been told something wrong. But this isn’t my words, I am going to show you with scripture.
What scripture says
Titus 2:11-14 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.”
Colossians 1:24-29 says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church. I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.”
In 1 Timothy 1:1-2 Paul says, “Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope: To Timothy, my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What does it mean?
To some this could mean an event yet to come. I’ve heard it referenced as our blessed hope is the “pre-tribulation rapture of the church”. Meaning, that our hope is when we are “rescued” or removed from this painful life on this decaying world to never again suffer persecution or pain. This assumes one believes in a thing called the “pre-tribulation rapture”. I suppose in this view those who don’t believe in that, who scripturally oppose it, would have no hope. I would assume the Titus verse is used to support this idea, but what of the other 2 verses?
So, to some others the blessed hope is the second coming of Christ. Now, this is different than the “pre-tribulation rapture”. It’s not my intention today to explain or share anything around those views on what scripture actually says, maybe one day, but, those who don’t view the Bible to refer to 2 different events would be looking for one return of Christ. The returning of Christ not only will be a promise fulfilled but it is the completion of God’s redemptive plan, the over-arching theme of the Bible. In his redemptive plan the fullness of salvation will be realized. We would be conformed into the likeness of Christ. There will be no more pain, no more death and a new heaven and new earth.
Finally, the blessed hope is Christ himself. This is the opinion I hold. Yes, we do look forward to and await his return and the completion of our sanctification and fullness of salvation. I contend the blessed hope, Yeshua (Jesus), is our hope presently. You don’t need to wait for hope. You can have hope right now. When you already have faith in Christ and you believe in the promise of eternal life, you’re not hoping it will come, you know and you look forward to the day. Hope in this way means having joy and confident expectation of the promise from God. We have blessed assurance that our eternity is certain. You don’t need to wait for that, you can have that right now. Jesus already came and paid the price for sin on the cross in his blood. He promised to return and so he will.
Therefore, the blessed hope, Christ, is linked to the second coming but Christ is the blessed hope. That is my opinion on what scripture says. We have a present hope and a future hope, or maybe we should say assurance. The cross is the basis for reconciliation (to the Father), and the second coming is the culmination of it. If you have placed your trust in Christ than you have the assurance of the promise of eternal life with Christ. Therefore it is my opinion you should not be putting your hope in something called “the rapture”. If you already believe in Christ, (who is God) you already have assurance of your eternity.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. — Romans 5:1-5 (CSB)
“The meaning of the “blessed hope” is the joyful, steadfast expectation of Jesus Christ’s triumphant return. It is “blessed” because it embodies the fulfillment of salvation’s promises-resurrection, eternal life, and the restoration of all creation under the reign of our Savior.” — Bible Hub
All scripture used is from the Christian Standard Bible https://read.csbible.com/