The Christian and His Hope

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 5
Christianity is not the accomplishment of promise. The Jews were the center of the earthly part. But God meanwhile has "blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:33Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3)); and then, till Christ comes again, He is sitting on the throne of the Father, and has sent the Holy Ghost down.
The Christian is one in whom the Holy Ghost dwells, between the accomplishment of redemption by Christ and His coming again. The thought and purpose of God about us is that we should "be conformed to the image of His Son." The Holy Ghost is given to dwell in us meanwhile, to dwell in us individually and collectively too. That is what the Christian is: Christ is his life, his righteousness; it is a ministration of righteousness and of the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:8, 98How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. (2 Corinthians 3:8‑9)). "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Rom. 8:99But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9)); it does not say, "if he is not converted," though that would be true, of course. You see many saints everywhere who are not settled in their relationship with God; the present power for this is the Holy Ghost come down.
The coming of the Lord Jesus is not simply a little of our knowledge which we may add to the rest, but it is the hope of the Christian. If we die, we go to Him; but what is held out to us is that the Christian is waiting for Christ. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9:2828So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28). If we die, we go up to Him, and blessed truth it is too; but that Christ shall come is the hope of the Christian -the only full hope. "To depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better," is true but this is not the purpose of God for us; the purpose of God is that we shall be like Christ (Rom. 8:29, 3029For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:29‑30)). I would not be like Christ with my body in the grave and my spirit in paradise; the expectation of the Lord's coming makes the Person of Christ to he much before the soul. I am going to see Him and to be like Him. Scripture does not talk of going to heaven; "absent from the body,... present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:88We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)). "To depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)); always, the thought is going to Christ. What we all want personally is, that Christ should have a larger place in our hearts: "Rooted and built up in Him"; "To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." "Christ is all," and "in all" as the power of life; having become our life
He is before our souls to fill them.
Christ is the motive for the Christian for whatever he does, whether he eats or drinks; and his desires are never satisfied, and never can be till he is with and like Christ. Therefore, he is always waiting for Him. The Thessalonians were converted "to wait for His Son from heaven" (1 Thess. 1:1010And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10)). The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, instead of being a little prophetic knowledge, is interwoven with all the thoughts and condition of the Christian.