Hope has a surprising effect on the human spirit. It energizes one’s heart and mind and permits us to continue the battle even in difficult times. The athlete who has hope will make a maximum effort right until the last second. The soldier who has hope will face danger and even fear. If these lose hope, however, they will be ready to abandon all.

This same principal applies to Christianity. We are encouraged by the inspired writers to recognize the hope we have in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter tells us how Jesus, “...has caused us to be born again to a living hope.” (I Pet. 1:3) He tells us how Jesus’ death bring us life.

The Apostle Paul in writing to the Thessalonians concerning the saved who had died writes, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren,... that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.” (I Thess. 4:13) He wanted these Christians to see the difference between themselves and non-believers who have no hope. In writing to the Ephesian church Paul speaks of this distinction when he says, “...remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12)

These and other passages aim to build hope in Christians; they help us to see that the grace of God through Christ gives us a hope that can neither be shaken or taken away. We need to continually encourage each other with this hope because it can inspire us to do great things in the name of Jesus.