The Glorious Hope

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Romans 5:5

And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.

Consider —

I. THE CONFIDENCE OR OUR HOPE. We are not ashamed —

1. Of our hope. Some persons have no hope, or only one of which they might justly be ashamed. "I shall die like a dog," says one. "When I am dead there's an end of me." The agnostic knows nothing, and therefore I suppose he hopes nothing. The Romanist's best hope is that he may undergo the purging fires of purgatory. There is no great excellence in these hopes. But we are not ashamed of our hope who believe that those who are absent from the body are present with the Lord.

2. Of the object of our hope. We do not hope for gross carnal delights as making up our heaven, or we might very well be ashamed of it. Whatever imagery we may use, we intend thereby pure, holy, spiritual, and refined happiness. Our hope is that we shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of the Father; that we shall be like our perfect Lord, and where He is that we may behold His glory.

3. Of the ground of our hope. The solemn promises of God confirmed in the person and work of Christ. Inasmuch as Jesus died and rose, we that are one with Him are sure that we shall rise and live with Him.

4. Of our personal appropriation of this hope. Our expectation is not based upon any proud claim of personal deservings, but upon the promise of a faithful God. He hath said, "He that believeth in Him hath everlasting life." We do believe in Him, and therefore we know that we have eternal life. Our hope is not based on mere feeling, but on the fact that God hath promised everlasting life to them that believe in His Son Jesus.

5. As to the absolute certainty that our hope will be realised. We do not expect to be deserted, for "He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." "Who shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord?"

II. THE REASON OF THIS CONFIDENCE.

1. Our hope has for one of its main supports the love of God. I trust not to my love of God, but to God's love for me. We are sure that He will fulfil our hope because He is too loving to fail us. If it were not for the Father's love, there would have been no covenant of grace, no atoning sacrifice, no Holy Spirit to renew us, and all that is good in us would soon pass away.

2. This love has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost — like a rain cloud, black with exceeding blessing, which pours forth a shower of silver drops innumerable, fertilising every place whereon it falls, making the drooping herbs to lift up their heads and rejoice in the heaven-sent revival. After a while, from that spot where fell the rain, there rises a gentle steam, which ascends to heaven and forms fresh clouds. Thus is the love of God poured upon our heart, and shed abroad in our nature till our spirit drinks it in, and its new life is made to put forth its flowers of joy and fruits of holiness, and by and by grateful praise ascends like the incense which in the temple smoked upon Jehovah's altar. Love is shed abroad in us, and it works upon our heart to love in return.

(1) The Holy Ghost imparts an intense appreciation and sense of that love. We have heard of it, believed in it, and meditated upon it, and at last we are overpowered by its greatness I(2) Then there comes an appropriation of it. We cry, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me."(3) Then follows, as a matter of course, that return of love which the human heart must feel — we love Him because He first loved us.

3. But notice the special sweetness which struck our apostle as being so amazingly noteworthy.

(1) That God should give His Son for the ungodly. He loved us when we hated Him. Marvellous fact!

(2) That Christ died for us. That Christ should love us in heaven was a great thing; that He should then come down to earth was a greater; but that He should die, this is the climax of love's sacrifice, the summit of the Alp of love.

(3) That the Lord must ever us now that we are reconciled.

(4) That "we have now received the atonement." The hope of glory burns in the golden lamp of a heart reconciled to God by Jesus Christ. Grace is glory in the bud. Agreement with God is the seed corn of perfect holiness and perfect happiness.

4. Note the Divine Person by whom this has been done. Only by the Holy Ghost could this have been done. We can shed that love abroad by preaching, but we cannot shed it abroad in the heart. If the Holy Ghost dwells in you, He is the guarantee of everlasting joy. Where grace is given by His Divine indwelling, glory must follow it.

III. THE RESULT OF THIS CONFIDENT HOPE.

1. Inward joy.

2. Holy boldness in the avowal of our hope.

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