Faith's Power: Hope's Vision Realized

Faith and hope are two of the three greatest gifts, with the third being love. They are distinct yet related, and many people of faith have hope, and vice versa. Faith is a complete trust or confidence in something, and biblical hope is built on faith. It is the earnest anticipation that comes with believing something good, and a peaceful assurance that something that hasn't happened yet will indeed happen. Hope is an expectation with certainty that God will do what he has said. Faith, on the other hand, is a bigger concept that includes hope but is more. It is a trusting relationship with a person, Christ. It is a receiving, treasuring trust.

Hope and faith are distinct yet related

Hope is a peaceful assurance that something good will happen in the future, even if it is unseen. It is an expectation with certainty that God will do what he has promised. Hope without faith is not possible, but faith without hope is. This is because faith is an expression of a current state of affairs, while hope is directed towards the future. Faith is a belief that exists in the present moment, and hope is the anticipated fulfillment of that belief.

The Bible illustrates the relationship between faith and hope: "Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is the bigger concept, as it includes everything that can be said about hope, but it is more. It involves trust in a person, which can be both future-oriented and backward-looking.

Hope and faith are complementary. Faith is grounded in the reality of the past, while hope looks to the reality of the future. They are both essential for salvation. We are saved by grace through faith, but also through hope.

In summary, hope and faith are distinct but interconnected. Hope is future-oriented, while faith can be both future-oriented and present-oriented. Faith is trust and confidence, while hope is the anticipation and expectation that stem from this faith.

Hope is a confident expectation

Biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future. It is not a mere desire for something good to happen. It is a confident expectation that it will happen. There is a moral certainty that the good we expect and desire will be done. Biblical hope has moral certainty in it. When the Bible says, "Hope in God!", it means to expect great things from God.

Biblical hope is not the same as ordinary hope. In ordinary usage, when we express hope, we are expressing uncertainty rather than certainty. For example, "I hope daddy gets home early" means that I don't know if he will get home on time, but I desire that he does. Biblical hope, on the other hand, expects and desires something good in the future with confidence. It is a strong confidence that is not just wishful thinking.

Hope is an essential part of faith. Take away hope, and the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 ("Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see") is destroyed. We are saved by grace through hope.

Hope is a gift from God. It is what his promises are designed to do – inspire hope. It gives us the ability to look at any situation and know that, regardless of how it may appear, God is going to come through. Hope is an anchor for the soul, keeping us steady so that we will not be moved.

Faith is a complete trust

Faith is the bigger concept when compared to hope. Faith includes everything that can be said about hope biblically, but it is more. Faith is a necessary condition for hope. One can have faith without hope, but one cannot have hope without faith. Faith is the result of current belief systems as shaped by experience, whereas hope is the product of desiring a future state of affairs.

Biblical faith is a confident expectation and desire for good things in the future. It is a strong confidence, and doubt is its enemy. Biblical faith is a strong confidence in the reliability of God's word. It is a firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It is our handle on what we can't see.

Biblical faith is also the "conviction of things not seen," and some of these are not in the future. Faith can look back to the past as well as forward. Faith can focus on the past, present, and future, so faith is the larger term.

Faith is a necessary part of salvation. We are saved by grace through faith, and through hope.

Hope is future-oriented

Biblical hope is always future-oriented and consists of a firm confidence in what is hoped for. It is not just a wish but a confident expectation of a desired outcome. This is in contrast to ordinary hope, which often expresses uncertainty rather than certainty. Biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good, with moral certainty that it will come to pass.

Hope is an essential part of faith. Faith is the bigger concept that includes everything that can be said about hope, but it is more than that. Faith involves trust in a person, which may be future-oriented but can also be focused on the past or present. Hope, on the other hand, is always directed towards the future. It deals with future states of affairs and is the anticipated fulfilment of intentions.

Hope is what motivates believers. It is the expectation with certainty that God will do what he has said. It is the belief that God will come through and fulfil his promises. This hope is based on the character of God, who is faithful and true, and therefore, believers can have confidence in his promises.

Hope is like an emotional reservoir of strength that enables people to absorb wrongs, keep going in the face of setbacks, and resist temptations. It is a powerful force that can carry people through rough times and even see them through to the end of their lives.

Faith is person-oriented

Faith and hope are distinct yet related concepts. Faith is a complete trust or confidence in something or someone, often without empirical justification or logical proof. Hope, on the other hand, is typically oriented towards the future, representing a confident expectation or desire for a desired state of affairs. While faith is person-oriented, it is also forward-looking, as it involves trusting in the promises of another person.

In the context of Christianity, faith and hope are intimately connected. Biblical hope is built on faith, and it is argued that one cannot have hope without faith. This is because Christian hope involves having faith in the promises of God and Jesus Christ. For example, Christians may have faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and hope for eternal life as a result.

Biblical faith, therefore, includes everything that can be said about hope, but it is more. Faith is a trusting relationship with a person, specifically Christ. It involves trusting in Christ's reliability and trustworthiness, both in the past and in the future. This trust in a person is a significant aspect of faith and sets it apart from hope.

While hope deals with future states of affairs, faith is rooted in the present moment and is a result of current belief systems and experiences. Faith is expressed as a fact about the present, such as "I trust you, Christ." This faith, or trust, in Christ may then lead to hope for the future, such as "I hope to be with Christ forever." Thus, faith is person-oriented as it involves a personal relationship of trust with Christ.

In summary, while hope deals with future expectations and desires, faith is person-oriented as it involves a trusting relationship with Christ, both in the past and in the future. This trust forms the foundation for Christian hope, and the two concepts are closely intertwined.

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