The Hope of the Believer

“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places…” Ephesians 1:18-20

“The hope to which he has called you…” Who doesn’t long for hope in our rapidly changing, rapidly degrading society—some glimmer of promise that things can be better, that God is still in control, that we, as believers, can do more than just survive?

Very few things are certain in this world. But Paul’s words in Ephesians, chapter one paint a picture of hope that says we can truly be transformed into the image of Christ, and much of it happens here on earth.

Hope for Enlightened Hearts

“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” Genesis 6:5

Daily, we see Genesis 6:5 repeated before our eyes. News reports of the evils taking place in our own cities and towns overwhelm us. Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:18 offers insight into the hope of the believer. He writes: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…”

What is this hope? It’s not some pie-in-the-sky thing that never comes true. God clearly spells out in scripture what his plans are for those who truly love him, who choose to seek him and obey him with their whole hearts. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” God wants us to be like him, right here and right now. The process of sanctification in the life of the believer is a process of becoming a living reflection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hope in the Power of Christ’s Resurrection

The power of the resurrection is that God opens our eyes to see him work in this fallen world, among lost people who don’t recognize their deep need of him. It’s the confidence of knowing that Jesus is enough, even when we feel powerless and hopeless. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” Our God is sufficient for our every need, for helping us become his hands and feet in a hurting world. That gives us hope.

The world shuns Jesus, telling us we need more money, bigger houses, faster cars, the best schools for our kids. However, the Bible we need enlightened hearts. We need to understand “the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints…”

Certain Hope

Paul wants to make sure that believers understand this hope is a certain thing. Back tracking to Ephesians 1:17, he says, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Then in verse 18 he says, “in order that you may know …”

This is knowledge is fact. Paul lists three things believers can know for certain:

• the hope to which he has called you
• the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people
• his incomparably great power for us who believe

The hope of our calling is our salvation, the fact that the believer is a saved child of God, a co-heir with Jesus Christ. This means becoming more and more like Jesus as we learn and grow in our faith. We begin to understand more of God, and allow him to transform us into his likeness. Romans 12:1-2 tells us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The Hope of Our Glorious Inheritance

The “riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” means that we, as believers, are Christ’s inheritance. That’s a “Wow!” statement, if there ever was one. Jesus is our inheritance, but we are also his inheritance. 1 Peter 2:9 tells us, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” God sees us as valuable and special.

Power for Successful Living

Last, God wants believers to understand the power available for us, an “incomparably great power.” He exerts this power on behalf of believers living in a hostile, fallen world. This power strengthens us in trials, helps us when tempted, and empowers us to testify to truth. It is part of our experience as a child of God. Paul says, in Ephesians 3:7, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.” It is the power to live the Christian life in ways we could never accomplish in our own strength.

God will help us live successful Christian lives. We rely on his strength and wisdom to transform our minds and make us in his image. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Philippians 2:13 reminds us: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

The Hope of Christ’s Resurrection

The power of Christ’s resurrection is something believers can experience in their lives on a daily basis. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit begins to dwell within us. We are no longer subject to eternal death. Christ’s resurrection power works in us when he accomplishes through us that we could never do on our own. This happens when we live in obedience to him. It is possible to experience the power of Christ when we choose to submit our will to his.

We trust God to do through us what we have no power to accomplish. Romans 6:4 says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” At the moment of salvation, we are changed into something entirely new and different from what we were before. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Help for Believers to Live Victorious in Christ

Our victory comes as we live in increasing obedience. We trust God to accomplish the work he has called us to. Paul tells us not to lose heart. 2 Corinthians 4:1 encourages us, “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.”

Paul reminds us that we are weak, but that we don’t have to rely on our own power. He continues in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Believers live victorious in a hostile world because of Jesus. He promised in John 16:33, “‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’”

Don’t Lose Heart

We will have trouble. Life is often hard. But we have the power of God living within us. Paul knew this well. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Don’t lose heart. Life in this world is temporary. The renewing of our strength, God’s power to accomplish his will, and our hope of eternity are sure. Keep your eyes fixed on the unseen, eternal God. He is our hope.