Our Hope

God's Word. We want you to have a good hope, and we know that a good
hope must be drawn from the Scriptures. Without reading or hearing
you must live and die in ignorance. Hence we cry, "Search the
Scriptures." "Hear, and your soul shall live." (John 5:39. Isa. 55:3.)
I warn everyone to beware of a hope not drawn from Scripture. It is a
false hope, and many will find out this to their cost. That glorious and
perfect book, the Bible, however people despise it, is the only fountain
out of which man's soul can derive peace. Many sneer at the old book
while living, who find their need of it when dying. The Queen in her
palace and the pauper in the workhouse, the philosopher in his study
and the child in the cottage—each and all must be content to seek living
water from the Bible, if they are to have any hope at all. Honor your
Bible—read your Bible—stick to your Bible. There is not on earth a
scrap of solid hope for the other side of the grave which is not drawn
out of the Word.
III. In the third place, a good hope is a hope that rests entirely on
Jesus Christ. What says Paul to Timothy? He says that Jesus Christ "is
our hope." What says he to the Colossians? He speaks of "Christ in you
the hope of glory." (1 Tim. 1:1; Coloss. 1:27.)
The person who has a good hope founds all his expectations of pardon
and salvation on the mediation and redeeming work of Jesus, the Son
of God. He knows his own sinfulness; he feels that he is guilty, wicked,
and lost by nature—but he sees forgiveness and peace with God offered
freely to him through faith in Christ. He accepts the offer—he casts
himself with all his sins on Jesus, and rests on Him. Jesus and His
atonement on the cross—Jesus and His righteousness—Jesus and His
finished work—Jesus and His all-prevailing intercession—Jesus, and
Jesus only, is the foundation of the confidence of his soul.
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