OUR HOPE IN CHRIST

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 3, 1904

OUR HOPE IN CHRIST.

In the time of Abraham men had relapsed again into idolatry till the worship of the true God was well-nigh obliterated. Abraham had not departed from the Lord, and, in order to save him, and make of him a missionary of the truth, God called him out from his idolatrous surroundings. In connection with this call, the Lord made him great and precious promises. These promises were made to Abraham because the Lord knew that he had an obedient heart, and would also teach his children to be loyal. It required great faith, in the midst of such surroundings, to step out on these promises, and go to a land of which he knew nothing whatever.

But "he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." This promise was made to Abraham in an unconditional form, because the Lord knew that he had faith to fulfil the necessary conditions. The promises included the heirship of the world (Rom. 4:13), but not the world in its present condition. That portion which his natural seed occupied was but a type of the eventual, greater possession. It was in this typical land that he sojourned as in a strange country (Heb. 11:8-10), "for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God." That city is the New Jerusalem, which is described in Revelation 21 as coming down out of heaven on the new earth.

But the point of interest to us is that this promise is not to Abraham alone, but to his seed, also. Not to his natural seed, but to his spiritual seed. Primarily, Christ is the Seed contemplated in the promise (Gal. 3:16). "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Verse 29. Because Abraham believed this promise, and demonstrated his faith by his works, "it was imputed to him for righteousness." And the apostle leaves us this assurance: "Now it was not written for his sake alone [it was not necessary to write it for him], that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead."

So our hope in Christ, through the promise to Abraham, consists in a home in the everlasting kingdom of Christ, on the new earth. This will come to us through a resurrection of the dead. 1 Cor. 15:13-18.