Sure Hope

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. (Hebrews 11:1–2, NIV1984).

My Musings – The English translation does not quite capture the essence of this verse, since the two words do not covey the same degree of assurance.

Sure – A confident certainty characterized by a lack of wavering or hesitation that something is true.

Hope – To look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence that something is true.

But what we hope for is a “future fulfillment” of an existing promise. Faith creates in us “certainty” or confidence that it will happen just as promised. So much so that it is viewed as a “present reality,” as if it had already happened. In other words, the hope of the believer is a sure thing.

All of chapter 11 of Hebrews is a testimony of “the ancients [who] were commended for” such a faith. “A great cloud of witnesses.” Why did they have so great a faith? It was the object of their faith. “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.” (Deuteronomy 7:8–9, NIV 1984). His trustworthiness is what makes our hope sure. More than “beyond a reasonable doubt” based on the testimony of these witnesses. For it is His trustworthiness that makes our hope sure.

My Advice – Do we have such faith? We do if we have accepted the “covenant of love” secured by Christ’s death on the cross. If so, “since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1–3, NIV 1984).