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Sermon #87 — Romans Series

Title:                           “Saved in Hope”

Text:                            Romans 8:24-25

Date:                          Sunday Morning — May 8, 2016

Subject:                     The Believer’s Hope

Reading:       Lamentations 3:1-32

Introduction:

Turn with me to Romans 8. Our text will be verses 24 and 25 — Romans 8:24-25. In this portion of Romans 8 the Apostle Paul is describing the hope of resurrection in which we live.

Preterist Heresy

Many deny the resurrection altogether. Others (Preterists) deny the resurrection, asserting that the resurrection is past. Both, by their assertions, God the Holy Ghost tells us, are heretical and deny the gospel of Christ.

In 1^st Corinthians 15 the Apostle Paul dogmatically asserts that those who deny that there is to be a resurrection, by their denial, deny the gospel in its entirety.

(1 Corinthians 15:12-19) “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? ⁽¹³⁾ But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: ⁽¹⁴⁾ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. ⁽¹⁵⁾ Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. ⁽¹⁶⁾ For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: ⁽¹⁷⁾ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. ⁽¹⁹⁾ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Others, men who would not imagine saying that Christ is still in the tomb, assert that the resurrection is past, that all prophecy had its fulfilment in the destruction of Jerusalem by the judgment of God upon the Jewish nation in 70 AD. In 2^nd Timothy 2 the Word of God asserts just as emphatically that those who tell us “that the resurrection is past” are just as heretical as those who deny the resurrection altogether. They err from the truth and overthrow the faith of all who follow them.

(2 Timothy 2:15-19) “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ⁽¹⁶⁾ But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. ⁽¹⁷⁾ And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; ⁽¹⁸⁾ Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

To deny the resurrection is to rob God’s people of the very hope of the gospel, the hope of resurrection glory and eternal life in and with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed Hope

Realizing the seriousness of this matter, and cherishing the hope of everlasting glory, let’s read what the Spirit of God tells us by the inspired Apostle in Romans 8. We will begin reading at verse 16 — Romans 8:16.

(Romans 8:16-25) “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ⁽¹⁷⁾ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. ⁽¹⁸⁾ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ⁽¹⁹⁾ For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. ⁽²⁰⁾ For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, ⁽²¹⁾ Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ⁽²²⁾ For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. ⁽²³⁾ And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. ⁽²⁴⁾ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ⁽²⁵⁾ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

My text is verses 24-25.

(Romans 8:24-25) “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ⁽²⁵⁾ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

The words “we are saved by hope” would be better translated “we are saved in hope,” or “we have been saved in hope,” or “we are being saved in hope.” Paul has been talking to us about the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the redemption of our bodies, the making of all things new in the new creation. This is Paul’s message in our text — “We are being saved in hope of the resurrection.”

The title of my message is “Saved in Hope.”

(Titus 2:11-14) “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ⁽¹²⁾ Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; ⁽¹³⁾ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; ⁽¹⁴⁾ Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

(Romans 8:24-25) “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ⁽²⁵⁾ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

Saved in Hope

We are not saved by hope. We are saved by grace. We are saved by blood. We are saved by Christ. We are saved by God given faith in Christ. But we are not saved by hope. “We are saved in hope.” — “We are saved in hope.” — This is a subject of deepest importance. If I live in hope of the resurrection, I must be certain that my hope is a “good hope,” a “lively hope,” and a “hope that maketh not ashamed.”

Hope is the desire and expectation of good that is not yet seen or experienced. No passion is more natural than hope and none more needful. Life without hope is a pitiful thing to behold. Where there is no hope there is no joy. Every burden is an unbearable agony, if there is no hope. But hope inspires joy and lessons the burdens of life. If a man’s circumstances in this world are not good, he has hope that they will improve; and that hope helps him to bear his present troubles.

However, the hope I am talking about is not a natural passion. The hope of the believer is the hope of faith in Christ. It is the gift of God’s grace. It is the “expectation of all necessary good both in time and eternity, founded on the promises, relations, and perfections of God and on the offices, righteousness, and intercession of Christ. It is a compound of desire, expectation, patience, and joy.” (Charles Buck).

Somewhere between proud presumption and dread despair is the believer’s hope. Somewhere between fleshly familiarity with God and a slavish fear of God is the believer’s hope. Somewhere between modern decisionism and morbid fatalism is the believer’s hope. In the Word of God we are hedged in on both sides. On the one side stands all the promises of God to keep us from despair. On the other side stands his stern warnings to keep us from presumption. Right in the middle is what the Bible calls “hope.”

We all hope to escape the wrath of God. We hope to die in peace. We hope to enter into heaven when we die. We hope to be forgiven of all sin, accepted with God, and at last attain eternal happiness in heaven. Is that not right? If you have such hope, let me ask you a question. — What is your hope? What is the basis of your hope? When all else is gone, what is your hope?

Proposition: We need to examine our hope. —– We must not shy away from an honest, searching examination concerning the condition of our souls. If my hope is good examination will do it no harm, but only strengthen it. If my hope is false, I want to know it, so that I may seek a better hope.

Divisions:

1.    There is a hope that is no hope.

2.    There is a hope the Bible calls “a good hope.”

3.    What is the Believer’s Hope?

No Hope

1^st — There is a hope that is no hope. The Scriptures speak of the hope of the hypocrite. A hypocrite is a person who pretends to be what he knows, deep down in his soul, he is not. He professes what he does not possess. He has a name and a claim but no more. He has no real, spiritual life. Yet, he masquerades as a child of God and deceives himself with a hope that is no hope (Job 27:8; Matthew 7:21-23).

(Job 27:8) “For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?”

(Matthew 7:21-23) “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ⁽²²⁾ Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? ⁽²³⁾ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

The hope of the hypocrite is a hope that is built upon…

·      A righteousness he knows he does not have.

·      A profession he knows is without foundation.

·      An experience he knows was nothing but excitement and emotion.

·      A religion he knows is altogether void of life.

Some of you here, I fear, I have just described. You have been in church so long that you would be embarrassed for anyone to know what you know, that you are a mere hypocrite. Yet, you hold on to your profession.

·      You know nothing of prayer.

·      You have no spiritual thoughts, much less appetite.

·      There is no struggle, or conflict in your soul.

Yet, you hold on to the hope that all is well, when nothing is well. Unless God awakens you, you will go to hell with your refuge of lies (Isaiah 28:14-20).

(Isaiah 28:14-20) “Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. ⁽¹⁵⁾ Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: ⁽¹⁶⁾ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. ⁽¹⁷⁾ Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. ⁽¹⁸⁾ And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. ⁽¹⁹⁾ From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. ⁽²⁰⁾ For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.”

Good Hope

2^nd — There is a hope the Bible calls “a good hope” (2 Thessalonians 2:16).

(2 Thessalonians 2:13-17) “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: ⁽¹⁴⁾ Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁽¹⁵⁾ Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, ⁽¹⁷⁾ Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.”

This hope of grace is called “a good hope” to distinguish it from the hope of the hypocrite. It is “a good hope” because it is a hope that comes from and centers in our good God (Lamentations 3:21-26).

(Lamentations 3:21-26) “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. ⁽²²⁾ It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. ⁽²³⁾ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. ⁽²⁴⁾ The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. ⁽²⁵⁾ The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. ⁽²⁶⁾ It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”

It is a lively hope (1 Peter 1:3). This “good hope” of grace is the fruit of spiritual life and produces a life of grace and faith to the glory of God.

(1 Peter 1:3) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Our hope, this hope in which we are saved, is a hope that gives God’s saints confidence and courage before God as we make our pilgrimage through this world of sorrow and woe.

·      It supports us in the troubles of life (1 Thessalonians 5:8).

(1 Thessalonians 5:8 “Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.”

·      It is this blessed hope that sustains us and gives us expectation in the hour of death (Proverbs 14:32).

(Proverbs 14:32) “The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.”

Our hope in Christ is a joyful hope (Romans 5:2).

(Romans 5:2) “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Living as we do in hope we have joy, anticipating complete deliverance from all evil by the grace of God.

·      From the Influence of Evil around Us!

·      From the Consequences of Evil Done by Us!

·      From the Being of Evil in Us!

This blessed hope is a purifying hope (1 John 3:1-3).

(1 John 3:1-3) “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. ⁽²⁾ 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 like him; for we shall see him as he is. ⁽³⁾ And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

God the Holy Ghost purifies our hearts by faith in Christ (Acts 15:9). Sprinkling his blood upon us by his Spirit, he who offered himself without spot to God purges our consciences from dead works and makes us pure. Being now the children of God, having faith and hope in the justifying righteousness of Christ, John Gill rightly asserted that God’s people “may, and should consider themselves pure and righteous, and free from sin, as Christ is; being clothed upon with his robe of righteousness, in which they stand without fault before the throne, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.”

And every heaven born soul seeks to be conformed to Christ in all things, following his example (John 13:15; Ephesians 4:17-24; Philippians 3:10).

(John 13:15) “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

(Ephesians 4:17-24) “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, ⁽¹⁸⁾ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: ⁽¹⁹⁾ Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. ⁽²⁰⁾ But ye have not so learned Christ; ⁽²¹⁾ If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: ⁽²²⁾ That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; ⁽²³⁾ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; ⁽²⁴⁾ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

(Ephesians 5:1-2) ^“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ⁽²⁾ And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

(Philippians 3:10) “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

And this blessed, good hope of grace in Christ, the hope set before us in the gospel is a sure hope (Hebrews 6:19).

(Hebrews 6:19) “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.”

The hope of the hypocrite will disappoint him in the end; but the good hope of grace will never disappoint the believer. It is built upon a sure foundation and cannot fall (Matthew 7:24-27).

(Matthew 7:24-27) “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ⁽²⁵⁾ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ⁽²⁶⁾ And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ⁽²⁷⁾ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

The Hope

“We are saved in hope.” — And the hope in which we are saved is “a good hope,” “a good hope through grace.” But exactly what is that hope?

3^rd — What is the believer’s hope? As it is set before us in the Word of God the believer’s hope is ten-fold. I want you to look with me into the Word of God and see what God himself tells us about our hope.

1.    This good hope in which we are saved is called “the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers” (Acts 26:6). The hope in which we are saved and in which we stand is the hope of God’s promise made unto our fathers, upon which all his saints through the ages have lived.

·      It is the same hope of the same promise God gave to Adam and Eve as he drove them from the Garden (Genesis 3:15).

·      The Promise Made to Abraham (Genesis 22: — “God will provide himself A Lamb!”)

·      The Promise Made to Moses — (A Prophet)

·      The Promise Made to David — (A King)

·      The Promise Made to Isaiah — (A Substitute — A Priest)

2.    The good in which we are saved is “the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:23).

·      The Hope of Blood Atonement

·      The Hope of Perfect Righteousness

·      The Hope of Perfect, Complete Salvation by Grace

·      The Hope of Life by Believing

3.    It is “the hope of his calling” (Ephesians 1:18).

·      There is a general call.

·      There is an effectual call. — This effectual call is “his calling.” It sets before the sinner a door of hope and brings him through the door into the hope of everlasting life.

4.    The hope of which Paul speaks in Romans 8:24 and 25 is “the hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians. 5:8). — What a blessed hope the hope of salvation is to one who knows his need of salvation!

5.    This hope, this good, sure hope of salvation is “the hope of righteousness” (Galatians 5:5).

·      We are saved in hope by the merit of Christ’s imputed righteousness.

·      We are saved in hope because of Christ’s imparted righteousness.

·      We are saved in hope of the reward of Christ’s perfect righteousness.

6.     Our hope is “Christ in you, the hope of Glory” (Colossians 1:27).

If Christ is in me, I have the hope of glory, I am saved in hope, I have “a good hope through grace.” But if Christ is not in me, whatever my hope is, it is a false hope (Galatians 2:20).

(Galatians 2:20) “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

7.    Ours is “the hope (of the) resurrection of the dead” (Acts 23:6). We are saved in hope of the resurrection. That is doctrine in Romans 8:24-25.

(Romans 8:24-25) “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ⁽²⁵⁾ But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

We will die, if you want to call the believer’s passing out of this world “death;” but we will rise again (Job 19:25-27).

(Job 19:25-27) “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: ⁽²⁶⁾ And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: ⁽²⁷⁾ Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”

8.    This hope of the resurrection, the hope in which we are saved is “the hope of eternal life” (Titus 1:2). —— Eternal life! Eternal life! Imagine that! — Eternal life! — What a prospect! What a hope for sinful men and women!

·       Eternal life (Spirit, Soul, and Body) is what God promised in the covenant.

·       Eternal life (Spirit, Soul, and Body) is what Christ purchased on the cross.

·       Eternal life (Spirit, Soul, and Body) is what God gives to all who believe.

9.    Our hope, the hope in which we are saved is “the hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2).

·       The basis of our hope is the glory of God revealed in the gospel.

·       The gladness of our hope is the glory of God accomplished in all things.

·       The end of our hope is the glory of God seen and enjoyed forever in heaven — The glory of God displayed in our salvation (Ephesians 2:7; Revelation 19:1-6).

Illustration: My letter to ____ _____ “Do not dread death, my young brother. You are going home soon to see the glory of God in Christ perfectly!

10. “We are saved in hope,” “the blessed hope” of Christ’s coming (Titus 2:13).

(Titus 2:11-14) “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ⁽¹²⁾ Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; ⁽¹³⁾ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; ⁽¹⁴⁾ Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

(2 Corinthians 5:1-11) “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ⁽²⁾ For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: ⁽³⁾ If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. ⁽⁴⁾ For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. ⁽⁵⁾ Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. ⁽⁶⁾ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ⁽⁷⁾ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) ⁽⁸⁾ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. ⁽⁹⁾ Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. ⁽¹⁰⁾ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. ⁽¹¹⁾ Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”

(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ⁽¹⁴⁾ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ⁽¹⁵⁾ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ⁽¹⁶⁾ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ⁽¹⁷⁾ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

Application

·      What is your hope?

·      Would you have a good hope? — Cast yourself into the arms of Christ, and go hope “saved in hope!”

Amen.

Don Fortner

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