A Hopeless World?

 

A hopeless world? 

We seem to think that. More Americans are falling into negativity continually, and they have been doing so for a long time. Stress is now part of the American tradition. Politics, religion, and even entertainment have all become hot and divisive topics. 

One aspect that some (especially on the right) have gotten wrong about hopelessness (as I have) is the belief that America is the world's hope. While I believe that America has done much good throughout history, the only lasting hope of mankind comes from Christianity, not necessarily from a country. It's easy to be sucked into the thought that America or the Republican Party will save America from its ugliness. We, as conservatives, expect (in some ways) too much of political candidates in that we expect them to be a savior. While they may help protect the unborn, defend marriage, and secure our borders, not even the best of men can save other men's souls. Salvation from sin is something that God does for us; the Father has begotten the Son, Jesus took the penalty that we deserve, and the Holy Spirit renews us to be like Christ. Faith in any political institution or country is going to be disappointing if that faith expects it to do what only God can.  

True hope comes from Christianity. Everything else is not guaranteed to last. Many of the Romans did not expect their empire to fall but it did. The same was true for the British. The same will be true someday for America. True liberty is not found with the stars and stripes but in submission to Jesus Christ. We often think freedom is doing what we want, but freedom is actually choosing what is best for us (the will of God). 

Our world is hopeless if our faith is in something else more than Christ. Not even a great king nor a brilliant artist can turn around the hearts of men. Regeneration is only achieved by the power of God.

How do we find hope? We find it in Christ. Indeed, we find it specifically in the Resurrection of Christ. Just as he defeated death, so we also do in Him. 1 Peter 1:3 says, ''Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (NIV)...''

Interestingly, Hebrews 1:11 informs us that we do not always see what God is doing in our lives or that of others: ''Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (RSV).''