This week I was struck by Romans 8:24 – “For we are saved by hope ...”

Ponder that a minute.

It has even more impact when we read it in context with verse 18: “For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory about to be revealed in us;”   Romans 8:18 (YLT)

This chapter talks about how we are being liberated by the power of God from the chains of satan – displayed by our reactions, thought processes, and attitudes when we’re in difficult circumstances – and the little bit of the fruit of the Spirit that is evident in us now increases our hope for the full deal as we continue to become visibly children of God!

How we need that hope, ourselves.  How each person in our lives needs that hope.

“Blessed is the soul who can say, “I am guilty before God: but Jesus is my Advocate.”  SD 120.1

Blessed are the guilty?  But … we don’t want to be guilty.  We do anything to avoid appearing guilty. Why?

From an early age we are treated as our deeds deserve.  We do wrong so we’re punished.  As adults, if we speed we get a ticket.  If we ignore our children they act up.  We are used to punishment following misbehavior, so we expect it and will do anything to avoid it:  blame others, lie, accuse, criticize, deny responsibility in some way … whatever it might be – anything so we don’t have to take the punishment. The root of our avoidance maneuvers is dishonesty.

Dishonesty is practiced all through our ranks, and this is the cause of lukewarmness on the part of many who profess to believe the truth. 4T 310

This idea of punishment for misbehavior bleeds over into our spiritual lives and we expect that God is the same way.  We understand that He is not swayed by our good works, yet, somehow, we absolutely believe that our wrong deeds sway Him.  Our desire to avoid punishment keeps us from admitting our guilt.  But, is God really that inconsistent?  Do bad works sway Him when good ones don’t?  Bad works didn’t sway Jesus. Even on the cross He prayed, “Father, forgive them – they don’t know what they’re doing!”

Remember grace?  There is none if we are not guilty, and:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Eph 2:8-9 (KJV)

The reason grace is not about works is that if we do things right we don’t need it!  Plus, it is only as we are willing to be guilty that we will ever take hold of the grace provided and not continue to react, deny responsibility, accuse, criticize, or blame others, but will own our 5% and let those transformations be done in our hearts and souls that prepare us for life with the angels in heaven.  Then we can minister in the right Spirit to others:

…With a sense of our own infirmities, we shall have compassion for the infirmities of others.

“Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? “One is your Master; … and all ye are brethren.” “Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?” “Let us not therefore judge one another: … but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” 1 Corinthians 4:7; Matthew 23:8; Romans 14:10, 13.

It is always humiliating to have one’s errors pointed out. None should make the experience more bitter by needless censure; but many have thus been repelled and have been led to steel their hearts against conviction. A tender spirit, a gentle, winning deportment, may save the erring and hide a multitude of sins. { MH 166}

How important to treat others as Jesus does, in holding out hope.  “You may have fallen, in this, but God knows exactly how to take us from where we are now, to where He wants us to be!  He’s doing it for me, too!”

Making it easy for others to choose the right path; always encouraging in righteousness; lifting people up who are going through rough times … all these are opportunities we can easily miss.  When we do, being quick to say, “I am guilty before God, but Jesus is my Advocate!” is accessing  grace for what’s been said or done.  Then asking God to change us and keep us from doing it again, and in the moment of temptation choosing God’s “way of escape” over our own inclination is accessing God’s grace for the character transformation we all need.  We are saved by hope!

I’m praying for you!

By Erna McCann

Erna McCann
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