The Hope of the Righteous.
By Epsilon
THE hope of the righteous is always associated with that faith that shows and proves itself by works, and that charity, or love, that comes only by the Holy Spirit; for "God is love." In Ps. 78 : 7, we read of Israel, "That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments." Ps. 146 : 5. "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God." In Prov. 14 : 32, "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death." Jer. 17:7. "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is." In Jer. 31:17, we have a passage that refers plainly to the resurrection: "And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own borders." In Joel 3: 16, we have a scripture that refers to the closing scenes of the present earth: "The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." In Acts 23: 6, Paul claims to be a Pharisee, and said: "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question." In Acts 24: 15, we have another plain testimony: "And have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Also Acts 26: 6, Paul again says: "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" A prophecy of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, on which the living again of all men depends, is quoted in Acts 2: 26, 27. In Rom. 8 : 24, we read, "For we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope." This chapter, Rom. 8, plainly teaches that "the manifestation of the sons of God" will be the resurrection of the righteous. In 1 Cor. 15: 19, we read "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." By reading from this verse to the end of the chapter, we learn in plainest terms that a future, or second life depends upon a resurrection from death. In Eph. 4: 4, we learn that there is but one hope. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling." In 1 Thess. 4: 13–18, we have an important scripture; because it teaches that unless we have a hope in a glorious resurrection, we are as others who have no hope. "But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring [from the dead] with him." At the end of this chapter, we are told to comfort one another with these words. These words of comfort like those our Saviour gave at the grave of Lazarus, are very different from the comfort we often hear from the popular pulpits. In Titus 2: 13, we read, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." In Titus 3: 7, we read, "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." In John 6th chapter, and many other places, we are taught that eternal life will be given to the righteous at their resurrection. But the wicked who sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. Gal. 6: 8. In 1 Pet. 1: 3, we have, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively [living] hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 John 3: 2, 3, reads, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." John 14: 3, reads, "And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." This passage, like many others, plainly tells us when our hope shall end in fruition or reality. Matt. 16: 27 shows us that when Christ Jesus shall come with all his angels, "Then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matt. 25: 34 shows us that the invitation, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," will be given when Christ shall come in his glory. In Luke 14: 14, we have a pointed text: "For thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Can language be plainer? In 2 Thess. 1: 7, we learn that God will recompense "rest with us [the apostles] when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels," &c. In 1 Cor. 1: 7, we learn that the righteous are "waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ;" not waiting for our immortal souls to be released from these bodies of clay. In 1 Pet. 5: 4, we read, "And when the chief Shepherd [Christ] shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." Why should we expect a crown as soon as we die, and sooner than the Lord's second advent? In Col. 3: 4, we read that "When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." We have given, as it were, a shower of plain texts on this subject, and have omitted many other plain texts. Proof on proof will not convince those who do not want the truth; but for the sake of the honest we should give proof on proof. Brethren, I fear there is a coldness on many of you. It is no time to be idle. We can all do something. Awake, awake! for the coming of the Lord Jesus is upon us. Surely we are in the beginning of a terrible storm. Let us be up and doing. EPSILON.