Commentary on "Hope"

MARTIN CAREY

 

Day 3: Monday, April 13, 2009

Today’s lesson divides the Christian hope into two aspects, what is offered by God in the future, and the benefits of salvation now. The future aspects include the resurrection, the New Earth, and eternity with God. The present benefits of salvation include knowing we have a meaningful life with a possible eternal future, and having a relationship with Christ.

Author Jon Paulien is quoted saying that although the word “life” in the gospels is primarily about eternal life, “life” in the book of John refers especially to “the present reality of what Jesus does for those who believe in Him…” Two examples are cited of how Christians have hope right now—the abundant life Jesus promises in John 10:10, along with having “passed from death to life” in John 5:24. Believers can appropriate Jesus’ life into their lives by keeping a relationship with him, and living “life at its best.”

 

Problems

The separation made here between life with Christ now and eternal life in the future is artificial. Since we have been brought near through the blood of Christ, and have passed from death to life, we have eternal life now. The present benefits of salvation are only available to the believer because he presently possesses eternal life. If we do not have the son, we do not have life.

The lesson asks us to consider the radical change that happens when we hear Jesus’ word and believe in him (Jn. 5:24). The question assumes that “passed from death to life” means a here and now change within the believer. However, when we read the whole text, the believer also “has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” Eternal life and the judgment refer to our ultimate status before God.

When Jesus offers life, he does not offer something partial, temporary or provisional. He said,

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” Jn. 6:35.

Those satisfactions are permanent. What did Jesus mean by abundant life in Jn. 10:10? Look at verse 9:

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” Jn. 10:9.

The abundant life is nothing less than being saved, and that is eternal. That is what makes it abundant. We belong to him now and forever. So to have life in Christ is to possess salvation, right now.

He is not waiting to see if you will become good enough to call you his own.

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me…” Jn. 10:14.

Jesus says,

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” Jn. 10:28.

When you believe and are born again, you receive the whole benefit package.

 

Summary

1. Though most of our inheritance is unseen, we possess it fully, by faith.
2. As we saw from Hebrews 6, anything less than full assurance in our salvation is to become “sluggish.”
3. These simple, pure statements of our Lord dispel a lot of nuanced arguments that try to rob us of the exultant, exuberant, boastful joy he commands us to have. We have his word on it.

 

 

Copyright 2008 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised April 14, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

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