All of us, whether Christians or non-Christians, need hope in life. Without hope, our lives will be aimless. However, hope that comes from the world is temporary. Only hope in God can transcend this physical life. God did not simply give Christians eternal life without a hope. He tells us about our future.

1. Object of hope – Christ (1 Pet 1:20)

Mammon must not be the object or essence of our hope. Jesus Christ, the Lamb without blemish and without spot, is the believer’s object of hope. He must be our personal hope. Jesus had already been foreordained before the foundation of the world to die on the cross, but its manifestation and clear revelation was only “inthese last times” (1 Pet 1:20). These “last times” began at the birth of Christ. With His first coming, there will be a second coming. All that God had prophesied regarding the future (that the Old Testament saints could only have a glimpse of) are now plainly revealed to us in written Scripture. Our hope must be anchored accurately in the Christ of the Holy Scriptures.

2. Beginning of hope – Faith (1 Pet 1:21a)

Through Christ, we believe in God. Faith pertains to the past and the future, while hope only pertains to the future. But in order to have hope, we must begin in faith. The essence of hope is the person and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ according to Scriptures. This is a historical fact. However, we must turn this historical fact into a theological, personal and heartfelt experience by faith. 

3. Foundation of hope – God (1 Pet 1:21b)

The foundation of hope is in God, and not our feelings. Hope is anchored in God’s character which, in turn, is anchored in God’s Word. This is because the God whom we need to anchor our hope in is revealed in Holy Scriptures. The God we hope in must not be a god of our own making. Our knowledge of our God must be rooted in biblical knowledge. The more we study God’s Word, the more we will know who God is. Then, our hope in God will be deeper and stronger. Studying the testimonies of God’s servants and applying the principles into our faith and life would cause our faith and hope to be secure.

May we anchor our hope in the Christ of the Bible by faith, and keep growing in our knowledge of God through His Word.