Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church · Sermon study sheet
Our Hope
Dr. John Wiers · October 23, 2021
1 John 2:28; Romans 8:18-25
sharonrpc.org/sermons/our-hope
Summary
- Christian hope rests on Christ's appearing and the promised redemption of believers' bodies, not escape from embodied life.
- Creation and Christians groan under corruption while waiting patiently for the glory God has promised.
- When Christ appears, believers will see him, be like him, and be completely free from sin.
- Glorification completes salvation: Christ's people will enjoy God, pure relationships, and the renewed creation forever.
- This hope belongs to those in Christ and should shape present endurance, holiness, and worship.
Reflection and discussion
- Is my hope focused on Christ's appearing and bodily resurrection or on vague escape?
- How can future glory sustain patience in present suffering?
- What would freedom from every sin and fractured relationship mean?
- Does this hope move me toward holiness and enjoyment of God now?
Key terms
- Glorification
- God's final transformation of believers into sinless holiness and resurrected bodily glory.
- Hope
- Confident expectation of God's promised future in Christ, including bodily redemption.
- Firstfruits of the Spirit
- The Spirit's present work as a foretaste and guarantee of complete redemption.