What is Biblical Hope?

And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

1 John 3:3 ESV

What is biblical hope?

It’s more than optimism, which is defined as “hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.”

Christians are more than glass-half-full people. Biblical hope means seeing more than silver linings, it means seeing a person: Jesus.

While there are multiple ways the Bible uses hope, in our passage today, it means to “hold on” to something that’s a sure thing.

What’s so special about this?

As a mentor once told me, “Whoever has your hope, has your heart.” What he meant is that we will pursue whatever brings us hope — and that shapes our lives.

We decide based on what (or whom) we hope in.

In today’s verse, the Apostle John teaches us that placing our ultimate hope in Jesus will lead to moral purity.

We follow God’s path rather than the world’s because we fully believe his plans lead to ultimate satisfaction, delight, and fulfillment.

Beyond moral righteousness, there is another way we can consider purity.

Picture a glass of clear water with no adulterants or debris. This is having “pure” focus on Jesus. And hope in him as our ultimate Savior produces that.

When we place ultimate hope in anyone or anything other than Jesus, we will end up hurt, disappointed, and unfulfilled in this life — and especially — the one to come.

This means:

• Our own works…
• Our political party…
• Our wealth…
• Our health…
• Our government…
• Our friends…
• Our family…
• [fill in the blank]…

Place your ultimate hope for salvation, fulfillment, and delight in Jesus today. As we do, we become like him in moral excellence and character.