1 John 3:1 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.
Introductory Thoughts
A man who loses hope loses his primary motivation for doing right and living holy. The Bible reveals what men do when they have no hope: “let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32). If there is no hope in a resurrection, man sees no reason to cease to go after his strange gods (Jeremiah 2:25) or follow “the imagination of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:12). If there is no judgment after death, or if the Lord is not soon returning, then the greatest impetus for living the Christian life is lost. Man needs a special motivation to help him to live a life of purity. He should live in purity because He loves the Lord. Yet, the answer lies in the fact that the Lord is coming soon, and man will stand before Him to give an account, and all those who have this particular hope will purify themselves, “even as he [Jesus] is pure.” Hope makes all the difference!
Devotional Thoughts
- (For children): Paul told Titus to teach the people to live right because the Lord is coming back (Titus 2:11-15). Peter warned of the same thing (2 Peter 3:3-4, 9-11, 14). We would not want to be ashamed when He comes (1 John 2:28).
- (For everyone): Have you given up on the Lord’s return? Are you expecting Him to return today? How has your hope, or lack of hope, changed how you live your life on a daily basis?
- What happened in Acts 27:20 when the people on the ship lost hope that their lives would be spared? How could this be applied spiritually to your own life?
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask God to allow hope to purify your heart.
- Ask the Lord to strengthen your hope in His return.
SONG: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
Quotes from the next volume
(VOLUME 1, WEEK 17)
Subject: Faith
Faith is the very thing that carries a man to heaven for eternity and determines the outcome of the rewards received at the judgment.
Every man must decide whether or not to take God at His word or continue in unbelief and faithlessness.
Faith in God’s word and God’s plan is a primary means of assuring one’s spiritual success.