Our Hope is Tied-In to our eschatology....
Beware of False Prophets
Concluding Remarks
The Hope Of The Gospel Series, continued
What is happening in the Church today is that, instead of people doing serious study of God's word to come to one mind about the end times, many are content to live with division, contention, distortions, and confusion. To make matters worse, the "NEW" doctrines that have arisen add even more confusion to this and the other things of God.
This newsletter contains some lists of basic truths. I don't want you to think I included them because I believe you're ignorant of the hope we have in Christ, or so immature that you need these simple outlines. BUT in the light of the disruptions in the Church, I do find it necessary to state things in a clear, simple way for those who are seeking God for the simplicity of His word.
Jesus Christ will come again and fulfill the hope of the gospel that God has given believers: at His return, we will experience resurrection from the dead, or if alive, be changed to be like Him. Because He alone can do this, He is our hope:
1 Pet 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
I have heard discussions in which people say that the hope of Christ's second coming, and all that it includes, is not as important as the basics of the gospel described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:2-4. But Paul continues on in this same chapter to stress the importance of the resurrection as it relates to the hope of the believer. Scripture overwhelmingly calls the time of His coming and how it affects the believer "the hope of the Church." In previous parts of this series, I wrote about these things:
1. The death of Christ was necessary for there to be a resurrection.
2. The resurrection was necessary to His being able to ascend to the Father. 3. The ascension was necessary to His being glorified.
4. His being glorified was necessary to the sending of the Holy Spirit and to His returning in the power and glory of the Father.
5. The sending of the Holy Spirit was necessary to the sanctification of the believer, the proliferation of the gospel, and the maintaining of the hope of Christ's return to bring the Church into its full inheritance.
6. These events pointed ahead to the climactic event of history: the second coming of Christ and its affect on believers (resurrection/changed) and unbelievers (wrath/judgment).
1. They are saved by believing in Christ's finished work.
2. They are being saved (because they are saved) by the indwelling Holy Spirit's work in them.
3. They will be saved (because they are saved) at Christ's return when their bodies are redeemed, whether they be dead or alive.
If we read through the six points above six times, eliminating one each time and only considering the remaining five, we find it does great damage to the plan of salvation which culminates in the second coming of Christ. For instance, you can't leave out Jesus' death, or His glorification, and still have a true picture of God's simple plan of salvation.
Neither can you add another hope of a resurrection/changing of the saints before the tribulation, or say that all these six points were fulfilled in 70 AD. Doing any of these things would pervert that which God's word has said.
What is important to the Christian regarding Jesus' coming is the HOW of His coming and the TIME of His coming. If a person's belief about the "how" and "time" of Christ's return does not agree with Scripture, the following become true:
1. He is placed in danger of deadly deception, since he is already deceived about the truths (how and when) of Christ's coming
2. His proposal of unbiblical scenarios concerning the coming of Christ opens the door for confusion, division and contention
3. He may pressure those with other views to "agree to disagree" about what God has said concerning Christ and His return, therefore making the word of God ambiguous and relative
4. He has brought into the Church the false idea that the "how" and "time" of Christ's return is unimportant, or that we cannot really know what God promised the Holy Spirit would reveal to us (John 16:13-14)
Since the fulfilling of our hope is vitally connected to the coming of Christ, the above four points also apply to the person's hope being fulfilled:
1. Since he is already deceived about the "how and when" of Jesus' return, he will now be deceived about the fulfillment of his own hope for resurrection/change
2. His unbiblical scenarios concerning the coming of Christ open the door for confusion, division and contention about when our hope is fulfilled
3. He may pressure those with other views to "agree to disagree" about what God has said concerning the fulfillment of our hope, even though it's the capstone of our salvation
4. He has brought into the Church the false idea that the "how" and "time" of our resurrection/change is unimportant, or that we cannot really know what God promised the Holy Spirit would reveal to us (John 16:13-14)
In Part 2, I quoted Peter telling the Church to "hope to the end," the "end" being the "revelation of Jesus Christ":
1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you AT the REVELATION of Jesus Christ;
The word "revelation" is "used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all" (Vines). The word "revelation" describes exactly the second coming of Christ, in which He fulfills the hope of the Church and brings wrath upon all who have rejected the gospel. This revelation is described in 2 Thessalonians 1:7:
2 Th 1:
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, WHEN the Lord Jesus shall be REVEALED from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 WHEN he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
The above verses describe the revelation of Christ when He comes to raise the dead saints and change the living saints ("to be glorified in his saints"). It is a fiery, visible revelation of Him to both believers and unbelievers. Note that WHEN He is glorified in all His saints, those who have not accepted the gospel are dealt with as well.
This single, one time revelation, when the saints are glorified, is the hope of the Church. Paul describes the hope of the church again in 1 Corinthians 15, a parallel passage to Christ's fiery coming "to be glorified in his saints" in 2 Thessalonians 1:
1 Cor 15:
51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Paul began this chapter by stating "first things first" concerning the gospel:
1 Cor 15:
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
The definition for "first of all" in verse 3 (Vine's, en Protos) indicates that there are other things that could be said, but what is said first is of primary importance or foundational. What Paul describes first is the foundation of their salvation in the gospel, which they have accepted and rest in as absolutely true:
FIRST "of time or place,"
(a) as a noun, e.g., Luke_14:18; Rev_1:17; opposite to "the last," in the neuter plural, Matt_12:45; Luke_11:26; 2_Pet_2:20; in the neuter singular, opposite to "the second," Heb_10:9; in 1_Cor_15:3, en protois, lit., "in the first (things, or matters)" denotes "first of all;"
In Romans 16, Paul tells us that this same gospel establishes one in Christ and is made known to the nations of the world for the purpose of their obeying it:
Rom 16:
25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
This gospel, though, does not end with the fact that Christ is risen (1 Cor 15:4). In verse 23, Paul adds the resurrection of the believer to the resurrection of Christ. Then in verse 51, he adds the changing of the living to the time of the resurrection of the saints.
Is this part of the gospel? Is this to be added to the "first" things of the gospel Paul declared? Yes, it is part of the gospel, the very hope of its proclamation. Christ risen is foundational to the fact that believers can expect to be raised or changed at His coming. The proclamation of the "first" things of the gospel was to be made to the nations, but so was that which was contained within it: the very hope it offered:
Col 1:
5 FOR THE HOPE WHICH IS LAID UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN, WHEREOF YE HEARD BEFORE IN THE WORD OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL;
6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Col 1:
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and BE NOT MOVED AWAY FROM THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL, WHICH YE HAVE HEARD, AND WHICH WAS PREACHED TO EVERY CREATURE WHICH IS UNDER HEAVEN; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Just as we cannot compromise the "first" things of the gospel, neither can we compromise the truth of its hope. But there are at least nine end time doctrines out there which change the facts (the "how" and the "time") of the event by which Christ fulfills our hope - His return immediately after the tribulation. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul gives the order of things concerning the resurrection/changing of the saints:
1 Cor 15:
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end,
1. Christ has been raised
2. The saints will be raised or changed
3. This is immediately followed by THE END, not by seven years of tribulation. To insert seven years between verses 23 and 24, as Pretribulationists do, is a major assumption that perverts the truth of Scripture. Preterism perverts things even further by teaching that the end came in 70 AD.
It is towards this END that the Church is to persevere for it is when the hope of the gospel is fulfilled in them:
Heb 6:
11 And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto THE END:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
IMPORTANCE OF THE GOSPEL AND ITS HOPE IN ESCHATOLOGY
Some say that eschatology is not as important as the foundational gospel, but it definitely is crucial to understand at least the basics. I searched the internet to find a definition of eschatology and found that it is hard to define because of its innumerable facets. But a simple definition of eschatology would be this:
Eschatology: "The doctrine of last or final things, as death, resurrection, immortality, judgment" (Webster). A believer should study eschatology in order to understand what GOD has said about the final things. The final things have been determined by Him and and related to us in His word, and understanding them is of the same importance as understanding the finished work of Christ which established salvation and its hope.
1. Christ saved us to a hope of being totally saved: spirit, soul and body.
2. Christ saved us positionally before God; we are now being justified in His sight.
3. The Holy Spirit is "saving us" by calling us to holiness and working with us by our co-operation to walk in holiness.
4. Christ will return to redeem our bodies and thus "save" us to the full.
Our hope for the redemption of the body is a hope that completes the experience of our total salvation. This final act of redemption could not take place without the resurrection OR the second coming. Together, all of the aspects of Christ's work give us the complete picture of salvation of the total man as defined by God.
One is not more important than the other. ALL are absolutely necessary and ALL are part of the gospel, including the HOPE OF the gospel. So what must be included in a study of eschatology is the understanding of the full gospel and the full salvation it offers to man.
Crucial to this understanding is the "how" and "when" of Christ's return and the fulfillment of our hope. If we don't include these, we are open to the deceptions of the adversary.
It is inappropriate to dismiss eschatology as an unimportant part of our faith. Eschatology, which includes Jesus' second coming and the resurrection and glorification of believers, enhances the hope of the gospel because it contains the facts of the "how" and "time" of Christ's return - events which are yet to happen. The gospel covers past, present, and future events:
1. The crucifixion is over. That's part of the gospel.
2. Christ's resurrection is a past event and part of the gospel.
3. The ascension and glorification of Jesus Christ is past and part of the gospel.
4. The sending of the Holy Spirit is a past event and part of the gospel. It is the very promise of the Father, because His present indwelling of believers is our guarantee that we will receive the fullness of the gospel (its hope) when He raises us from the dead or changes us at Christ's coming.
All that Christ has done and will do must be made real in the life of the Christian in order for him to experience a full salvation.
CHRIST - died by the shedding of His blood for the cleansing of our sin and putting to death our old nature BELIEVER - must believe on the finished work of Christ as the only acceptable sacrifice for his sin
CHRIST - rose on the third day for our justification BELIEVER - must believe He is risen from the dead, which is the assurance that we have been justified by the sacrifice of Himself. Believing this gives us hope for our own resurrection into eternal life
CHRIST - as the first sinless man, the first man to enter into the very presence of God BELIEVER - assures our entrance into the very presence of God at death, and our final entrance into His presence as totally redeemed people (spirit, soul, body) at His return
CHRIST - being proved by the resurrection to be the acceptable sinless sacrifice, the Son is glorified by the Father BELIEVER - assures our future glorification in Christ when we are changed to be like Him at His return
CHRIST - sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all who believe BELIEVER - indwelt by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of sanctification, service of the gospel, and guarantor of our hope for a full inheritance, which will be initiated by our resurrection or change when Christ returns
CHRIST - he will return once after the tribulation to glorify the saints BELIEVER - the dead will be raised and those who remain will be changed to be like Him. Our redemption will be fully realized and we shall forever be with the Lord. The hope of the Christian will be fulfilled by His return.
There is no way Christians can say that eschatology is not that important. Having the facts wrong gives a person a false understanding of the one hope we have in Christ. To agree to disagree over these "eschatological facts" is to say that the word of God and its related hope are not that important.
To say that it doesn't matter what we believe because God will straighten us out when the time comes is not only ridiculous, but presumptive. Apostasies are based on attitudes such as these. WE are INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE for what we know, and what we know is to line up with what God has said, or we stand in danger of opening ourselves to deceptive doctrines.
Recently there has been some discussion on the topic of how to test whether claimed prophets are true or false. While the Holy Spirit does sometimes gives supernatural 'discernment' that something is wrong about the claims of a false prophet, this should not be used as a excuse for not using the Biblical tests of a prophet. It is rather presumptuous to think that if someone persistently refused to use these tests that they can expect to receive a divine revelation instead.
This would be rather like someone ignoring Biblical warnings about a particular sinful
activity and getting involved in it on the basis that if God really didn't want them to be doing it
then they would receive a special divine revelation or be prevented by divine intervention
(though through God's grace it does occasionally happen).
'But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say,
or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.
You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the
LORD?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true,
that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not
be afraid of him.'
It should be observed from the penalty prescribed, the seriousness with which false prophecy
was regarded (even in the context of Mosaic law). False prophecy both slanders God and can
do severe harm to people as it takes advantage of their trust in God. It should also be noted
that the finality of the penalty required a definite judgement to be made on the prophet, as to
whether or not he was a true or false prophet, it would be no good to say "well that prophecy
was false, but I'll wait and see if he gives some true prophecies in future", a false prophecy was
regarded as decisive on the matter.
The command to "Do not be afraid of him" is particularly
significant in that even after a 'prophet' is exposed as having proclaimed false prophecies,
people may shy away from denouncing him as a false prophet because of the
psychological/emotional control exerted by him, fearing that they may come under God's wrath
for 'judging the Lord's anointed' (even though they realise the prophecies are false). Not only
are false prophets to be condemned but the proclamations of true prophets are to be
acknowledged as such because they do pass judgement:
'Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold
on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil' (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22)
A 'prophecy' can come from God or it could come from either a purely human source or a
demonic source. Prophecies of human origin can be true some of the time due to 'lucky'
guessing, ambiguous wording (allowing for numerous possible interpretations), from a good (i.e.
better than the listeners) understanding of where events are heading or even from actively
causing the fulfilment of a prophecy.
'Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent
them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,
divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds."'
It should be noted that since both humans and demons have limited power, there is no
guarantee that a prophecy from these sources can be fulfilled since God could prevent its
fulfilment. That God sometimes decides to allow a prophecy from a false prophet to be fulfilled
can be seen in Deuteronomy 13:1-5:
'If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces a miraculous
sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says "Let
us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," you must not listen
to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether
you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow,
and him you must revere.
Hence while a false prophecy proves that a prophet is false, a true prophecy does not
necessarily vindicate a prophet, other doctrinal tests need to be applied lest you allow yourself
to be turned "from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow".
An obvious point to consider is what constitutes a prophecy? From Biblical examples it can be
seen that even true prophets were not perfect and showed human fallibility in various aspects
of there lives, and it would be unreasonable to expect that everything they said and did in their
private lives was correct (e.g. saying "It's probably going to rain tomorrow").
What should
distinguish a prophecy from a normal potentially fallible human utterance (even from a true
prophet) is whether a claim for divine origin or authority is made or implied in conjunction with
the prophecy. Obviously if a 'prophet' claimed to be perfect or divinely inspired in everything
they said, then everything they said can be tested as a prophecy.
Another important test for prophets that Jesus gave is what 'fruit' they produce:
'"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn
bushes or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears
bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree
that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus by their fruit you will
recognise them.
"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who
does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did
we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"' (Matthew
7:15-23)
When judging fruit the full consequences of the prophets ministry needs to be examined.
Frequently false prophets can cause a lot of excitement and gain a large following which might
be mistaken for successful evangelism, however this seldom results in mature Christians.
This is evidently not
the case and his miracles cannot be used as reason to ignore false prophecies. Jesus and other
New Testament writers also predicted in the last days false prophets would appear deceiving
people with their miracles (Matthew 24:24, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelations 13:13, 19:20).
Such a attitude is more likely to
result in delusion rather than spiritual discernment (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
One fundamental test of a prophet is whether or not prophecies of a predictive nature are in
fact fulfilled. This should be self evident considering both God's omniscience and truthfulness,
God will not give a false prophecy through ignorance or deceit. This test is explicitly stated in
Deuteronomy 18:20-22:
Prophecies of demonic origin can be true some of the time
either due to a understanding of where events are heading or due to events being on a
demonic agenda which they are actively trying to fulfil (e.g. wars and disasters). The variety of
sources for false prophecy can be seen in Jeremiah 14:14:
Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the LORD
your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has
tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge
the evil from among you.'
Superficiality, deceit, superstition occultic involvement and heresy should be regarded as 'bad
fruit' along with the moral effects of effects of the 'prophets' ministry (a obvious case being the
polygamy encouraged by Joseph Smith amongst the early Mormons). It is particularly significant
from Jesus' warning that false prophets can sometimes perform 'in Jesus' name' since some have
claimed that if a 'prophet' credits his miracles to Jesus they cant be false.
by Tim Warner
On my home page - answersinrevelation.org - I have briefly described the way Revelation repeats and recaps. It is critical that we understand the sequence of this book. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to locate the rapture. The overview I have given is the most natural interpretation possible. Each of the sequences converge at Christ's coming in glory. This view is not forced at any point, and is supported by comparing many parallel passages. It demonstrates that the wrath of God is poured out upon the followers of Antichrist in response to the persecution of the Christians, with the final consuming wrath reserved for the "Day of the Lord."
The book of Revelation has given no evidence of a pre-tribulation rapture in my opinion. Pre- tribulationists either claim that Revelation does not address the rapture at all, or else force this doctrine by spiritualizing the seven letters, John's being caught up, and the twenty-four elders. They improvise a separate group called "tribulation saints." They place the judgment of the saints in heaven without any biblical support. Instead, the judgement of the saints is found at the Kingdom of God, according to Revelation 11:15-18 and 2 Timothy 4:1,8, and Jesus said He will bring His rewards with Him when He comes, according to Rev. 22:12. They claim we will dine at the marriage supper in heaven during the tribulation. But, Isaiah shows that the supper will be in Israel, and Jesus clearly said that He will not eat or drink until the Kingdom of God comes. They say the "saints" in Revelation are not a part of the "Church," when all evidence supports the opposite view. Their doctrine forces them to disconnect the "Church" from the saints in the tribulation. But, the word "saints" is used in reference to the "bride of the Lamb" in Rev. 19:8. Christians in the tribulation have the "testimony of Jesus" [Rev. 12:17]; they overcome Satan by the "blood of the Lamb" [Rev. 12:11]; they have the "faith of Jesus" [Rev. 14:12]; they "die in the Lord" [Rev. 14:13]; they are called "my people" [Rev. 18:4]; and, they are told to watch for Jesus' coming "as a thief" [Rev, 16:15]. All of these things can be said of the Church.
The pre-trib arguments are makeshift, and a clear violation of the meaning God intended to convey with His Revelation. The book, like each of the seven letters it contains, is meant to comfort us, to correct us, to warn of what lies ahead, to prepare us to overcome, and to show us the great things God has in store for those who overcome in the final hour of temptation. Those who do not heed the warning will be like the five foolish virgins, they will have no oil in their lamps. Like the foolish man, they will build their house upon the sand. When the floods come and the winds blow their house will fall.
I know that many men and women who are mightily used by God to carry out His work are pre-trib. I certainly do not question their character or integrity. I believe they hold to that view because they believe it is biblically correct. But, just because God has used them to spread the gospel does not mean they are correct on all points. Most of the Reformers were amillennialists. They believed they were living in the tribulation and identified the Antichrist as the Pope and Babylon as the Roman Catholic Church. Yet, God used them in a mighty way. During the Reformation, and even within the last two centuries where pre-tribulationism has been so popular among Evangelicals, correct eschatology may not have been of utmost importance. However, the closer we get to the end of the age, the more crucial it becomes, because it affects how people prepare. The eschatology of the last generation of Christians will be critical.
If the pre-tribulation view proves to be wrong, what will be the legacy of this two hundred year old system? Will it have caused believers to become strong in their faith, ready to meet the onslaught of the Wicked One like the martyrs of the early Church? Or, will it have caused Christians to become complacent, spiritually flabby, and unable to endure intense persecution? Could it contribute to the "falling away" that will occur during the final hour of trial? You can rest assured, Satan will take full advantage of any lack of preparation by using the element of surprise. With the dual weapons of deception, and intense persecution, he will make havoc of an ill-prepared Church.
Because of all that Christ has done and the Holy Spirit is now doing in the believer, we stand in the reality of salvation as a free gift by faith.
Rom 5:
The word "experience" in verse 4 means "proof," as in this verse:
Phil 2:22 But ye know the proof of him (Timothy), that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.
"Experience" is the experiential evidence that one has really believed through grace. After we first believe, we believe in God's abiding presence in our lives.
2 Th 1:
Paul says, "your patience and faith . . . [are] a manifest token (G1730. endeigma, an indication [manifest token])." In other words, in the midst of trials and tribulations, their patience and faith in defense and proclamation of the gospel was "an indication" that their faith was real and that God approved of their efforts.
1 Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
The author of Hebrews mentions these same attributes of faith, patience, and hope:
Heb 6:
In Romans 12, Paul names all kinds of ways Christians should walk in God's will, and in the middle of them, he says,
Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Along with these is constant reliance on the word of God:
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Tribulation, patience, experience/proof, hope. When our faith is active towards these four things, we can be sure we are approved of God and can look forward to the hope that will be realized in us at the return of Christ. Therefore, it is written,
1 Cor 9:10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
Because the plowing and threshing are in regard to the gospel, these bring the trials and tribulations, the works God has prepared for us in advance (Ephesians 2:10). But God does not leave us alone in the trials that come our way:
2 Th 2:
It is in trials that the Christian proves himself. Along with Paul, Peter also encouraged us to not fear, but be ready to tell others the reason we have hope:
1 Pet 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Paul stated his own attitude toward serving God for the gospel's sake:
Phil 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Paul and Peter tell us more of this hope in the following verses:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
1 Pet 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Writing to the Corinthians, Paul emphasized the power of our hope, that it is a hope that points to eternity and not just to the things of this world:
1 Cor 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
He is referring here to the crucial importance of the resurrection. Paul had suffered much persecution for defending his belief in the resurrection contained within the gospel. He says that if the resurrection weren't true, then the Christian is the most pitiable of all creatures for he is still without hope, yet suffers for his stand.
Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
The writer to the Hebrews encouraged the same:
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Paul said this hope of salvation is our helmet, which protects our minds against doubts and deceptive hopes that would move us away from the one hope God has given us:
1 Th 5:
Yes, the Christian has hope for a total redemption, and it is not in doubt. It is a sure hope and will manifest when Jesus returns in the glory and power of the Father to redeem the bodies of all the saints and to pour out wrath on those who refused the hope and instead persecuted God's people.
Acts 24:
Inherent in that faith is faith's goal: the fulfillment of our God-given, Christ-centered hope. Faith is what will get us to the time when the hope is fully manifested.
Faith is what causes us to patiently endure trials and tribulations and the disciplines of God as he prepares a people in whom He can fully manifest the hope He has given them:
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly.
Then come the trials to test that faith, to show our faith in Him is real. Though the word "experience" is not used in the following verses, 2 Thessalonians 1 depicts the proving of the Christian:
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
In the next verses, he goes on to describe Christ's second coming to glorify them and all the saints who are counted worthy of the kingdom of God. In his previous letter to the Thessalonians, Paul had acknowledged that their patience under these circumstances was based on the hope of the gospel:
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
But he believed it and he stood in its hope, warning others not to be moved away from that hope:
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Therefore, let us do as Paul encouraged us to do in the Scriptures:
15 And have hope toward God, which they [the law and the prophets] themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
