16 Feb Resources | Hope is a Glorious Grace

Hope is a glorious grace to which blessed effects are ascribed in the Scriptures, and is effective in the support and consolation of believers. By it, are we purified, sanctified, saved; to sum up the whole of its excellency and efficacy, it is a principal way of the working of Christ as it inhabits us: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Where Christ evidences his presence with us, he gives us an infallible hope of glory; he gives us an assured pledge of it, and works our souls into an expectation of it.

Hope in general is but an uncertain expectation of a future good which we desire; but as it is a gospel of grace, all uncertainty is removed from it, which would hinder the advantage intended in it. It is an earnest expectation, proceeding from faith, trust, and confidence, accompanied with longing desires of enjoyment. Due to a mistake of its nature, few Christians labor after it, exercise themselves unto it, or have the benefit of it; to live by hope, they suppose, infers a state not only beneath the life of faith and all assurance in believing, but also exclusive of them. They think to hope to be saved is a condition of men who have no grounds of faith or assurance; but this is to turn a blessed fruit of the Spirit into a common affection of nature. Gospel hope is a fruit of faith, trust, and confidence; the height of the actings of all grace issues in a well-grounded hope, nor can it rise any higher (Rom. 5:2-5).

Now, the reason why men have no more use of, and no more benefit by, this excellent grace is because they do not abide in thoughts and contemplation of the things hoped for. The special object of hope is eternal glory (Rom. 5:2; Col. 1:27). The peculiar use of it is to support, comfort, and refresh the soul in all trials, under all weariness and despondencies, with a firm expectation of a speedy entrance into glory and an earnest desire after it. Unless we acquaint ourselves by continual meditation with the reality and nature of this glory, it is impossible for it to be to us the object of a vigorous, active hope, by which the Apostle says “we are saved.” Without this we can neither have evidence of eternal things, nor valuation of them, nor preparedness in our minds for them, to keep us in the exercise of gracious hope about them.

“Those who have a distinct notion and apprehension of the state of things where they are going always have a readiness with which to cheer their minds and support themselves.”

Consider various persons engaged in a voyage to a most remote country, where all of them have an apprehension that there is a place of rest and an inheritance provided for them. Under this apprehension they all put themselves upon their voyage, to possess what is prepared. How is it that some of them have only a general notion of these things? They know nothing distinctly concerning them and are so busied about other affairs that they have no leisure to inquire into these prepared inheritances; or do suppose that they cannot come to any satisfactory knowledge of them in particular, and so are content to go on with general hopes and expectations? There are others who by all possible means acquaint themselves particularly with the nature of the climate where they are going, with the excellency of the inheritance and provision that is made for them. Their voyage proves long and wearisome, their difficulties many, and their dangers great, and they have nothing to relieve and encourage themselves with but the hope and expectation of the country where they are going. Those of the first sort will be very apt to despond and faint; their general hopes will not be able to relieve them. But those who have a distinct notion and apprehension of the state of things where they are going, and of their incomparable excellency, always have a readiness with which to cheer their minds and support themselves.

In that journey or pilgrimage that we are engaged towards a heavenly country, we are sure to meet with all kinds of dangers, difficulties, and perils. It is not a general notion of blessedness that will excite and work in us a spiritual, refreshing hope. But when we think and meditate on future glory as we ought, that grace which is neglected for the most part as to its benefit, and dead as to its exercise, will of all others be most vigorous and active, putting itself forth on all occasions. This is an inestimable benefit of the duty to which pilgrims are exhorted, and in which they will find to the advantage of those who are really spiritually minded.

Adapted from “The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded” by John Owen as part of our sermon series, “A Theology of Death.” John Owen (1616-1683) was an English Nonconformist church leader and prominent Puritan theologian.