Think of this: This “living hope” cannot be taken from us any more than Jesus could die again. He has risen, is alive forever, and so is our hope!
I don’t know about you, but one of the reasons I did porn and sexual impurity is because I felt thoroughly hopeless. I was so discouraged about my life, my past, my wrong choices, etc. that I was just swallowed up in darkness. Have you ever been there?
Well, friend, no believer should ever be hopeless now, Jesus is risen and can never die again, and neither can our hope. We have “living hope” now, founded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
God gives us, by His great mercy and grace “new birth into a living hope.” He does this “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Jesus was lying in a dark tomb, dead and buried for three days and three nights. The disciples of Jesus were all overwhelmingly discouraged (Luke 24:17) as it seemed their hope had died with Jesus. The temptation to return to their old lives was strong (John 21:3)!
But then Jesus’ dark tomb is filled with light, the dead body of Jesus is filled with life, He is raised from the dead, He exits that dark tomb, He is filled with light and life! Then Jesus ascended to His Father in victory!
But what does Jesus’ resurrection do for believers today?
Jesus’ resurrection fills all believers with a living hope. We have confidence that with Jesus living inside of us, we, too, will conquer sin and death, and will live forever with Jesus. This hope is an elevating hope:
This hope lifts us up above the pull of sin as we see Jesus emerge from the grave victorious over Satan.
This hope removes the fear of the grave as we see Jesus standing on top of it in victory.
This hope draws us up toward heaven, counteracting and overcoming sin’s downward pull.
And so our hope, like Jesus Himself, is living! It can never die. In reality, this living hope overcomes our discouragement, lifts us out of despair, sets our hearts and dreams on being with Jesus forever.
We can practically see it now: we are living in heaven with Jesus, walking with Him, worshipping Him, learning from Him. Sometimes I feel as though my feet are barely touching this earth, because of the living hope within me. Living hope is an elevating hope!
And what a powerful and purifying effect this living hope has on all who believe the message of the gospel: “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3 NIV). Do you see the value of having this living hope, which comes by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Now let me ask you another question: If you had God’s power as a shield against all the attacks of Satan in your life, do you think you could be free from all forms of sexual impurity? Read 1 Peter 1:5 before you answer.