Are you a person who is filled with hope, or are you one who is more negative, feeling that things are more likely to go wrong? Watching the evening news or scanning the headlines from various internet news sites can be rather discouraging, and can certainly lead one to believe that this world today is rather hopeless. The Apostle Paul also lived in a very hostile and dangerous time. His life’s work, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, was not one that was welcomed in too many places, and his life was threatened on numerous occasions. However, Paul was a man who was filled with hope, as many of his epistles record. In our Scripture for today, he speaks of believers having hope. Let’s look into this passage from the Book of Romans.
As Paul begins in our verses today, he reminds the believers in Rome that God’s Word, the Bible, was written for our learning (vs. 4). Here he would have been referring to the Old Testament, as most of the New Testament was currently being written at the time, and certainly not compiled together as a whole yet. But they did have the Old Testament, and Paul said that the historical accounts, the words of the prophets, the psalms were all written for us to learn about God. Some people say that Christians don’t need to bother with anything in the Old Testament any more, but that is not true. Though we are no longer under the Old Covenant, God’s moral law has not changed, and all Scripture is of spiritual benefit.
As Paul wrote in another letter to his fellow missionary Timothy, he reminded Timothy that all of the Bible is inspired by God, and is to be used for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction (II Timothy 3:16-17). As we read the accounts of God’s people in the Old Testament, we can see and learn from their lives, and have hope. The more we know about what God has done in year’s past, the greater the confidence we have about what He will do in the days ahead. As we read through the Bible and study God’s Word, we can increase our trust that His will is best for us, and we can have hope for our days ahead.
Everything we need to know in regards to salvation, living a godly life, and maintaining our faith in the midst of trials can be found in God’s Word. All of the accounts in the Old Testament were documented for our encouragement and for our instruction. The Bible is an immovable anchor in times of the storms we face in our lives. Through His Word, God can give us the strength and hope to endure.
Paul continued in our Scripture passage to urge his fellow believers to strive for unity, and to be like-minded towards one another (vs. 5-6). This does not mean in any way to compromise on essential truths and doctrines, as throughout the Bible we are told to be steadfast and immovable in the truth. However, on non-essential issues we should show love to others. If the perfect, sinless Son of God was willing to bring sinners into God’s family, how much more should forgiven believers be willing to warmly embrace and accept each other in spite of their disagreements over minor issues (vs. 7).
Continuing to read in our Scripture, Paul teaches further on a subject that has been one of several themes in the Book of Romans, and that is of God bringing salvation to the Gentiles. God revealed His truth first to the Jewish people, and to show that He is true to His promises, Jesus proclaimed the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies (vs. 8). Then through God’s love and mercy, the Gentiles, all people of all nations who receive Jesus as Savior, are grafted in (vs. 9-12).
As we wrap up our Scripture, Paul proclaims that God is a God of hope, and that we can be filled with both hope, peace and joy through the Holy Spirit (vs. 13). Christian hope is not a vague wish, such as what we might wish or hope for Christmas, or a birthday wish as we blow out the candles. Christian hope is a sure confidence that we will receive what God has promised us. Because God keeps His promises, we can live with joyful hope. God always remains faithful to His Word!
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