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All of us living in this world, whether rich or poor… young or old will face life with the certainty of death. Whether we like it or not, all will face death either voluntary or unexpected… now or later. This is an unpleasant fact of life, a reality of life… physical life, that is. Truly, we do not know what will happen in the future.
With this fear of death, which is certain, many will attempt to “make certain… the uncertain”. Men and science will try to elucidate what will happen in the future. Now science even attempts to prolong life beyond the extreme restrictions of humanity and morality. Most men will try to offer a better explanation of what will happen outside the boundaries of death and sell them to believers convincing them of its viewpoint or giving rise to a new religion or faith. These are dangerous times to believe these men having no proof, no evidence, no testimonies, no verifications, no attestations, no corroborations or no justifications, all trying to answer the QUESTIONS OF LIFE AND DEATH AND WHAT LIES AHEAD. Mysteries where no man can explain.
A blind hope for the future for those who uses their minds and not their heart and soul. For our mere human mind cannot comprehend the answers to these questions, but will continuously lead us to more subsequent questions.
Also, a confusing hope for the future for those who uses their minds and heart only without the soul. All physical feelings, lacking spiritual truth. Letting their feelings overwhelm the truthfulness of the biblical knowledge of God and His desires of worship and ways of life. Playing with their human senses, feeble minded about the truth in the Gospel. Easy prey for hungry wolves who uses this bait to lure men to their trap. Dangerous zeal shown by MERE HEARTS.
However, there is a true hope… our Christian Hope. An assurance spoken by God’s Word. Only in the Bible can we find this hope. All written in a collection of 66 Books, though written by men but we will find a unity of thought that indicates that one Mind inspired the writing and compilation. The Bible bears the mark of its Author… God. Here all the proofs, evidences, testimonies, verifications, attestations, corroborations or justifications to humanities quest for hope. For here is not an account of human efforts to find God, but rather an account of God’s love to reveal Himself to humanity. Here is God’s own record of His dealings with humanity in His unfolding revelation of Himself to us that we may have hope for our future. This is the grace He has been offering man since time begun.
For it is written: “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
Truly reading and understanding the Bible gives us confidence and trust in the only knowledge of the truthfulness of God and in the hope He reveals to us. As it is written: “… the faith and love that spring from the hope, that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the Word of Truth, the Gospel that has come to you.” (Colossians 1:5-6). This hope is a heavenly treasure made known to us through the Bible. As the apostle John inspires us saying “every one who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure” (1John 3:3).
What then is this HOPE? This Christian Hope, which answers the mysteries of life and death, and what will become of us when we die. The Blessed Hope we christians have been anticipating ever since we followed the Biblical pattern of salvation and accepted Him through baptism, being born again into His likeness.
Thus, for it is written: “…we wait for the BLESSED HOPE--- the GLORIOUS APPEARING of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own” (Titus 2:13-14).
This is the grace of God that brings salvation and has appeared to all men, teaching us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. (Titus 2:11-12).
The first appearance of Christ gave us HOPE that we can live a stronger , secured and guided life through all this sufferings, trials, pain, despair, heartsick, sadness, loneliness, wickedness or worldly life… imperfections of humanity. He showed us the true way towards the kingdom. He made sure that we would believe and follow Him, through His Word, as it is written: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). “…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
He truly was our HOPE in this present age. A “Present Hope” for a “Glorious Hope in the future”. WHY? Because the Bible speaks of a SECOND APPEARANCE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to judge all the living and the dead and gather His elect to bring to His Father according to the promise of everlasting life… the True HOPE found only in the Bible. The Bible was written that people might believe, understand, know, love, obey and follow Jesus personally. The whole Bible is built around this beautiful story of Jesus and around His promise of eternal life to those who accepts Him according to the Biblical Pattern revealed.
This is the Christian Hope that we disciples of Christ enjoy. A glorious hope that must be conveyed and shown to all men.
GLORY TO GOD.
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