An Incredible Hope

"just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call." (Eph. 4:4b)

New Testament hope is not like a worldly hope which is little more than wishful thinking. NT hope is based on the promises of God and it is absolutely assured. It is hope because it is not yet fulfilled, not because there is any possibility that it will not occur. The "hope" that we have is described in all of chapters 1 to 3 as Paul lays out before us what God has done for us through Jesus Christ and what He is going to continue to do.

If you really want to make this hope come alive, take these first three chapters and place your name in the place of the "you" and "us" pronouns. If you are a Christian all of these statements are true of your life. For example, beginning in 1:3, 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed Brad in Christ before the foundation of the world, that Brad should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined Brad for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, etc.'

Go through and put your name in these verses and then pray these verses back to God. The more we cooperate with God's Spirit, the more quickly we are transformed into Christ-likeness by the renewal of our minds through the Holy Spirit's regenerating and transforming work.