Be prepared to give an
answer for the hope that is within you with gentleness and reverence” (1
Peter 3:15)
If someone asked you to tell them about hope what would you say?
Hope is a forward looking word. It anticipates something beyond this
world. But what? Paul talks about people who have hope and
those who don’t (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Jesus is described as the “hope
of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
Ask most any Christian about hope and why they have it and
they will quickly respond; “Jesus
died for the sins of all mankind (Romans 5:6-11)! He has set us free through his death in our
stead. He saved us!" Of
course, there are scores of texts that make that point. But, what does being saved mean?
But, let’s fast forward this conversation past the part
about Jesus' death as atonement for our sin to something else…something that has
often been missed in our discussions about hope. Jesus’ death is a critical piece of the
gospel story, but so is the resurrection.
In fact without the resurrection everything else falls flat.
Hope is not about going to heaven. It is about living for the resurrection.
Sound crazy? Odd? Heretical?
Truth is, we have more Plato in us than we would like to
admit. Ask most Christians and they will say something like, “We die, our
body decays, our soul goes to heaven and, after the judgment (whatever that is
and however it happens) we are with God in a blissful “spiritual” existence
forever. Most often the conversation about the afterlife is about “going”
to heaven and staying there.
Yet, isn’t it interesting that when the apostle Paul speaks
about the next life for the believer he speaks of heaven as a “weigh station”
of sorts. It’s a place we go for “a while” until our final destination
occurs.
The final destination for Paul is the resurrection and a new creation (Romans 8:19-24).
1 Corinthians chapter fifteen is a riveting and thorough
discussion about the resurrection. Paul lays out an exciting vision of
the life that is to come. Adam’s sin in the garden brought
death…literally…into our lives. Scripture emphasizes the fact that we are
mortal beings – not immortal. Only God possesses immortality (1 Timothy
6:16; Romans 8:9-11). Jesus brought life and immortality to light through
the gospel (2 Timothy 1:9-10).
Believers in the city of Corinth were confused on this point.
They leaned more toward Plato and the concept of the soul (disembodied spirit)
than what Paul had taught them in the gospel, namely, the resurrection of the
body. In 1 Corinthians 15:35-57 Paul explains this in detail. Our
future as believers is the resurrection of the body although it will be
magnificently different in ways that Paul cannot describe. “We are
waiting to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven” (2 Corinthians 5:1-4).
Death is beaten on the very turf where it beat us…our
bodies.
Jesus’ resurrection was more than a show of divine
power. It serves as a precursor to what
is coming. Jesus is the first born from
among the dead ones (Ephesians 1:20-21; Colossians 1:16-18; 1 Corinthians
15:20-23). The angels said after his ascension that he would come in
“like manner as you beheld him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Paul says
the “dead in Christ will rise first” and then believers who are alive at
his coming will rise with them to meet him in the air (to welcome him!) when he
comes with his mighty angels (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians
1:7-10).
The Jews in Jesus day, for the most part, held the belief of
the resurrection (John 11:20-25). Jesus said that a day would come when
all who are in the tombs will hear his voice. Some would come forth to a
resurrection of life (1 Cor. 15) and others would be raised to be judged and
destroyed (John 5:25-29).
When Jesus spoke about eternal life he did so with
resurrection in mind.
When someone asks us about our hope, we should tell them
what Jesus accomplished for us in his death for our sins. BUT, we should
also emphasize what he accomplished in his resurrection. He is the only
one who was raised from the dead and, as they say, “stayed up.” He has
the power to give us life…literally…in a new body…forever. His invitation
to join him in his kingdom now and forever is the most fascinating and exciting
experience we can participate in. Paul says that the sufferings of this
world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us
(Romans 8:18).
Scripture doesn't spell out the particulars of what all “glory” means. Then again, we are given some small portholes in scripture that give us glimpses of what the resurrection world will be like. Scripture says, “Things which eye has not
seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man,
all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
How we envision
what Jesus, Paul and others said about resurrection matters. And, it should be a major piece in our conversation
with people about what “hope” means.
Choosing to be a Christian involves more than pleasing God
and proving our obedience to His will.
As much as these things matter – and they do! – there is more.
God is inviting us to be a part of something. That's the part that is undeveloped in our thinking
and sharing of the gospel. We are living, serving, suffering, and teaching the
gospel to ourselves and others toward
something. God will welcome us into a new creation. His kingdom will be full of surprises,
magnificence and adventure.
Assembling with other Christians, standing up under
pressure, standing our ground in the presence of evil and embracing the reign
of God now should be empowered by this great vision of what God
will do one day through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-11) at the resurrection.
Paul said, “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold new
things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Resurrection. New
things. I can only imagine. How bout you?
Randy Daugherty
StephenvilleTexas
,
Stephenville
,
