Our hope of forgiveness, acceptance, and purpose
May 18, 2008 (Sunday)
There is a very special phrase in 1 Timothy 1:1 – “Christ Jesus our hope.”
Christ Jesus is our Hope.
Christ Jesus is our hope of forgiveness. We were without hope and without God (Eph 2:12). We were without strength to live for God, but Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). We were without strength to resist Satan’s temptations, as our experience shows (1 Tim 1:13). Our situation appeared hopeless, because we were without strength to save ourselves, but Christ’s death in our behalf provides salvation by grace (Romans 8:8-9).
Christ Jesus is our hope of acceptance. In spite of Paul’s sin of opposing Christ and His followers, Paul found a place in the Lord’s heart (1 Tim 1:12). Immediately after his conversion, he was rejected by all people, but accepted by the Lord, because the Lord loves sinners (Luke 19:10). He makes us righteous by faith (Phil 3:9).
Christ Jesus is our hope of knowing our purpose in life. He gives us a reason to live (1 Tim 1:12, Paul appointed to service). Our motto is “I can do all things through Christ” (Phil 4:13). Our method of finding meaning in life is to keep our eyes on Jesus and the rewards that await us (Phil 3:13-14). Our motive is the love of Christ for us all and our love for Him (Phil 3:8).
Our mission in this world is to live our life as God planned. Our examples are all those who have run the race before us (2 Tim 4:7).
Christ Jesus is our hope of forgiveness, acceptance and purpose in life. He offers all these to everyone. They can all be yours today through faith in Him.
_______________________________________________________________________
(Scripture references from New International Version)
1 Timothy 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope
Ephesians 2:12 – remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Romans 5:6 – You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
1 Timothy 1:13 – Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and
Romans 8:8-9 – Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Luke 19:10 – For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Philippians 4:13 – I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 3:13-14 – Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:8 – What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.