Understanding the specific details found in God’s Word about the hope of Christ’s return is vital in a believer’s walk. This understanding gives us comfort, endurance, and motivation. God’s Word tells us that part of our Hope is an inheritance, and it also tells us what to do as we await his return and the receiving of that inheritance in full.
We have a truly magnificent inheritance that we will realize in full at the return of Christ.
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.
I Peter 1:4:
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.
The gift of holy spirit given to every born-again believer is amazing. Much of our spiritual inheritance can be enjoyed today by our believing, such as grace, peace, all spiritual blessings, forgiveness of sins, wholeness (physically, mentally, and spiritually), and more.
However, the word “hope” specifically refers to the expectation of something future. And the gift of holy spirit is a token, or down payment, of what we will be receiving when Christ comes back.
Ephesians 1:14:
Which [the holy spirit of promise] is the earnest [token] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Our future inheritance includes eternal life, rewards for service, and a body like unto Christ’s glorious resurrected body.
Titus tells us we have the hope of ETERNAL LIFE, life everlasting.
Titus 1:2:
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.
We have the comfort of knowing that once Jesus Christ returns we will ever be with him.
I Thessalonians 4:16-18:
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:
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.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
God promises that we will receive REWARDS for our faithful service in the Lord.
Colossians 3:23,24:
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
II Corinthians 5:10:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ….
The judgment seat of Christ is the bēma, the place from which rewards are given to the born-again believers for deeds done and faithfulness of our stewardship for Jesus Christ.
And we will acquire a NEW BODY, an incorruptible, perfect body, when Jesus Christ returns.
Philippians 3:21:
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
I John 3:2:
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.
God will give us a body fashioned like unto Jesus Christ’s glorious body. This also is part of our inheritance. What an awesome reality!
So what do we do now as we wait for Jesus Christ’s return? We wait for it with believing action and the love of God in manifestation. Galatians tells us quite clearly how to “wait” for the Hope.
Galatians 5:5:
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith [believing].
We know that Christ is coming back because we believe what God’s Word says about the Hope. We wait for the return of Christ by our believing. To wait does not mean to sit around and do nothing. We continue to believe and walk out on God’s Word, day after day, until the return of Christ. The Hope motivates us in our walk.
Galatians 5:6:
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith [believing] which worketh [is energized] by love.
As we believe God’s Word and walk out on it, our believing is energized by love.
I Thessalonians 3:12,13:
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
The hope of Christ’s return gives us comfort, endurance, and motivation. With believing action and the love of God, we wait in anticipation for the future return of Christ when we will receive a glorious inheritance. What a day that will be!