Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. —1 Peter 1:3

What does Peter mean when he calls our hope in Christ a “living hope”?

Jesus’ coming back to life physically gives us hope that is alive and helps us now and in the future. In fact, the Bible teaches us that in Christ we have a “living” hope (1 Peter 1:3), a “better” hope (Hebrews 7:19), and a “secure” hope (Hebrews 6:19). Indeed, this living hope is such that we must be prepared to defend and explain this hope when we are challenged by a hopeless world (1 Peter 3:15). British theologian and writer C.S. Lewis defined hope this way:

Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that continually looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.

Yet, we live in a society that has essentially given in to despair or hopelessness. And that leads to a lot of suffering and angst. Many people wonder, “What is the point of life?” But the Resurrection provides us with hope. Resurrection hope is what sustains us in suffering. According to Jesus, it gives us purpose. This means your whole life can be poured out in a God-serving way as you serve those around you. That’s what the Resurrection does for us. We are and continue to become the people who bring hope. Hope is only found in Christ, usually through a Christian used by God’s Spirit to share the Word of God.

This first line of evidence from Paul helps us understand why we can have hope in the face of suffering:

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. —Romans 8:18

Hope in God, as much as faith, is the hallmark of our new life in Christ, “Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:21). As we trust in God, we must wrap ourselves in the truth that our hope stands: Jesus Christ shattered the gates of death for us and now reins as our living Lord. He is alive. As followers of Jesus, we are “in Christ.” In other words, our living hope is based on the unchangeable fact of Jesus’ bodily Resurrection from the dead. Because the end of His suffering was hope, the end of our suffering will also be hope. And this is not hope in hope; this is hope in a person, Jesus Christ, because He walked out of the grave alive!

How does the Resurrection give you hope in challenging circumstances?

What would you do differently if you knew that you would live forever? What risks would you take? Are you a believer who brings hope to those around you? If so, how?

How does Resurrection hope help you reconsider your suffering?

Hope calls us to action because hope endures. This hope will carry us through our most challenging moments. Our hope in Christ never disappoints. End today with this reminder.

This hope will not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. —Romans 5:5