THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOPE AND BELIEVING
Have you ever thought about the difference between hope and believing? God has and He used them in very specific ways in the Bible.
Hope is the anticipation or expectation of receiving something In the future. The reason that it would be something in the future is because it is not available now. If you say “ I hope that I can get a better job or I hope that I can get a different car you would be wrong in you choice of words because hope is something that is out of your hands. It is out of your control. If you hope for something then you have to wait for it. John hopes that Kenny brings dinner with him. However, if John were hungry and instead of waiting for Kenny, John cooks dinner then it would be John’s believing that got him dinner. Do you see the difference? Hope and believing work like this throughout the whole Bible.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOPE AND BELIEVING
Have you ever thought about the difference between hope and believing? God has and He used them in very specific ways in the Bible.
Hope is the anticipation or expectation of receiving something In the future. The reason that it would be something in the future is because it is not available now. If you say “ I hope that I can get a better job or I hope that I can get a different car you would be wrong in you choice of words because hope is something that is out of your hands. It is out of your control. If you hope for something then you have to wait for it. John hopes that Kenny brings dinner with him. However, if John were hungry and instead of waiting for Kenny, John cooks dinner then it would be John’s believing that got him dinner. Do you see the difference? Hope and believing work like this throughout the whole Bible.
Believing is, as I have mentioned in many article in the past, the title deed of things prayed for, the evidence that they are yours before you receive them.
In the Bible The Hope, our hope, is the hope of Christ’s return for His Church. That is when, as one body, we the born again believers, will meet Christ Jesus in the air and go with Him to heaven.
Romans 8: 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.
Romans 15: 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Ephesians 1: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 2: 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Colossians1: 3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Colossians 1: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
I Thessalonians 4: 13 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.
I Thessalonians 5: 8 But 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.
Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Titus 2: 11 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;
Titus 3: 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Hebrews 3: 6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Hebrews 6: 11 And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Hebrews 6: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
I 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,
I John 3: 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
I don’t see anywhere in the New Testament that we are to hope for anything except the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Why is this the only thing that we are to hope for? It is simple; god has given us everything else. If we don’t have what we need it is because of our believing
Philippians 4: 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Romans 8: 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
III John 2 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
God has given us all things that we need for our trip through life. If you don’t have what you need then don’t blame God. It is you who needs to appropriate what god has promised by believing. There is a wonderful record in Hebrews about the men and women who refused to accept defeat, who refused to I can’t, who refused to say God can’t and who refused to limint God in their lives.
To understand this record you must understand that the transation of the word “faith” is wrong. The word should have been the word believing. Faith was not avaibable until the day of Pentecost.
Galatians 3: 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Since, faith came on the day of Pentecost what was available before that time? The only thing was believing. The word faith is only used two time in the Old Testament and if you look you will see the words should be believing because it is something that the person can do for themselves. Therefore, reading through Hebrews chapter eleven you will need to replace the word “faith “ with the word “believing” to get the full impact.
Hebrews 4: 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Hebrews 10: 38 Now the just shall live by faith (believing): but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
11:1 Now faith (believing) is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith believing) we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith (believing) Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith (believing) Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith (believing) it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith (believing) Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith (believing) Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith (believing) he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith (believing) also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith (believing), not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith (believing) Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
20 By faith (believing Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith (believing) Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22 By faith (believing) Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith (believing) Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
24 By faith (believing) Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
27 By faith (believing) he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith (believing) they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30 By faith (believing) the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith (believing) the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith (believing) subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith (believing) , received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hope for the soon return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ BUT appropriate those things that you need in life by BELIEVING. Believing is an action word. To believe you have to act! Act on what? Act on the promises of God written to you.
