Hope--#2

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

As I was thinking about hope again this week, I was reminded of an old hymn.

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' Name."

In this verse we have the whole reason for our hope. Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from the curse of sin. It was the grace of God that brought salvation through Christ. It is the grace of God that saves us, not our own righteous works. God's grace teaches us to live righteously as a result of what God does in our hearts through salvation. Salvation is by grace and good works are the outward fruit of what God has already done in us.

God helps us along on this road to righteous living. The verses above says that Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity. However, we often overlook the part that says, "...and purify unto himself a peculiar people...". The Bible speaks of the purifying of silver and gold:

Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Did you see the part where God says He will bring them through the fire? Purification is a painful process. It can take place when we go through trials of various kinds. Just like the impurities of the silver and gold that come to the surface and can then be removed when the metal is heated by the fire, so God takes us through the fire of trials so that the impurities of our lives can come to the surface and be dealt with.

As we go through this purification process we need to remember that we have a blessed hope to look forward to in the future... the glorious return of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ!

Dear Father, These are wonderful truths to meditate on. Give us grace as we are purified here on earth and patience as we wait for Your blessed return. Amen.