Hope For The Lost Soul

Do you believe in Hope? You’re probably wondering what on earth I’m talking about, and you might even think I’m some kind of nut. Don’t worry, I’m not a hippy leftover from the 60s and I’m not talking about the Health Opportunity for People Everywhere (Google it).

What I’m talking about is true Hope. You know, that thing that comforts you and tells you that everything bad in your life will all work out for good eventually. It’s that little ray of sunshine that always seems to peek through the clouds no matter how strong the storm.

No, I’m not talking about an emotion. I’m talking about something real. I’m talking about the Hope that can even defeat such a thing as death. “Ummm…I still don’t get it,” you’re probably saying. Well, let me ask you this question:

Would you sell one of your eyes for a million dollars? How about both for 2 million? Don’t worry; you would be given a glass eye in its place that would look exactly the same, only you wouldn’t be able to see with it. No? How about both your eyes for 20 million? No way! Only a fool would do that! Your eyes are priceless, yet they are merely the windows of your soul.

Did you know that Jesus said that your eyes are worth nothing when compared to the value of your soul? “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you, for it is better to enter Heaven without an eye than to go to Hell with both eyes” (Matthew 18:9). He asked, “What shall man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).

Now let me ask you another question. Would you consider yourself to be a good person? “Yes,” you say? Well, judge yourself by the Ten Commandments, which is the standard of God’s goodness, and see if that’s true---Have you lied (even once), stolen (value is irrelevant), committed adultery (Jesus said, “Whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart” Matthew 5:28), killed (hatred is considered murder by God--1 John 3:15), have you loved God above all else? Be honest. If you have broken even one of the things above, on Judgment Day when you stand before God, you will be found guilty. You will be sentenced to Hell.

But now you say, “No way! God is forgiving. All I have to do is say sorry and He will forgive me!” Sorry, but that isn’t how God operates. You see, God is perfect and holy. He is righteousness in the highest form; therefore, He cannot allow a single ounce of sin in His Kingdom. Cleanliness and filthiness cannot coincide together. So, where does that leave our seemingly Hopeless humanity? Well, here is an analogy:

"Pretend, for a moment, that you committed a terrible crime to which you owed a 50,000-dollar fine that you could not pay. The judge is about to sentence you to a long many years in prison when the courtroom doors burst open and a man appears. He approaches the judge and starts to write out a check for 50,000 dollars. You have never seen this man before, and shocked by his actions you ask why he is doing this. He says to you, 'Because you are my friend and I love you.'"

Now how would you feel toward this man? Grateful, right? Sure you would! Well, about 2,000 years ago, this is what God did for you by sending His own Son to die for you. See, you broke the law, and because God is a righteous judge who must punish wickedness, He sent His Son to pay the punishment for us. God loves you so much, He did this for you! Isn’t this great?

First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell. “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). “…unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters [worshipers of other gods], and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

But God loves you so much He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. “…He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us…that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11). “…without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]” (Hebrews 9:22). “…But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie. My friend, “God…now commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross. Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected.

His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Savior. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12). “For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

These verses are talking about you! God loves you dearly and He wants you all to Himself. He wants to have a relationship with you. So, please, if you wouldn’t sell one of your eyes for a million dollars, why would you risk your soul?

“What does all that have to do with Hope?” You ask? Well, didn’t you catch it? If you look at 1 Timothy 1:1 you will see that “the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope” is what I’m talking about. Don’t you see?! Without Christ, there is no hope for you because He is Hope. The opposite of hope is despair. That is all you have to look forward to if you don’t have Christ as your Hope. Despair is Hell.

I’m not saying that your life will be easier, or even pain-free with Jesus. Rather, your life will be better not because your circumstances have changed, but because you have Hope. The Hope that Heaven is in your future and that Jesus Christ is there to help you through all your trials and tribulations. Like a gentle, loving Shepherd, Hope will guide you down the Narrow Path to the pasture of Paradise.

All you have to do is accept Hope. Ask God to forgive you of your sins. Tell Him that you believe that He died for you. Tell Him that you put your trust in Him and submit your will to Him. Repent (turn away) from your sins once and for all and you will be saved. If you do that, you can rest assured that Christ will never leave you nor forsake you.