Hope of Salvation vs. Certainty of Salvation

[RedFan]

I should start this post by disclosing my view that "Once Saved Always Saved" is either trivially true or demonstrably false, depending on when one views "saved" as actually kicking in (is it at the moment of coming to faith, or is it at the end of a life lived in accordance with that faith?). I am of the latter view. And here is my question to the OSAS crowd who take the first or "early" view of when they are saved:

Paul wrote to the Church at Thessalonika about putting on the "hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8) as a helmet. Now, why would Paul use that phrase? After all, one doesn't "hope" for what one already has (Romans 8:24).

 

[mailmandan]

There are 3 tenses to salvation:

1. We have been saved from the PENALTY of sin (justification)
2. We are being saved from the POWER of sin (ongoing sanctification)
3. We will be saved from the PRESENCE of sin (glorification) Hence, the hope of salvation.

In regards to the word "hope" this is not some cross your fingers kind of hope. Unlike the english word "hope," the N.T. word contains no uncertainty; it speaks of something that is certain. - Strong's #1680 elpís (from elpō, "to anticipate, welcome") – properly, expectation of what is sure (certain); hope. If we have saving faith in Christ then we have this hope. Faith is the substance of things hoped for.. (Hebrews 11:1). So that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

 

[RedFan]

Thanks for this. I interpret the word as more of an anticipation or expectation of some beneficial future event, but not of a future event certain to occur. Otherwise "hope" would be equal to "faith," and conflate the distinction between the two in Hebrews 11:1. (Or in 1 Corinthians 13:13, for that matter.)

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Thanks for this. I interpret the word as more of an anticipation or expectation of some beneficial future event, but not of a future event certain to occur. Otherwise "hope" would be equal to "faith," and conflate the distinction between the two in Hebrews 11:1. (Or in 1 Corinthians 13:13, for that matter.)

the problem with this, is the question is that hope really hope at all

Biblical hope is what our faith is based on. If we have no assurance. We have no hope. With no hope. We truly have no real faith.

A problem with many christians is they lack any real hope.

Jesus said he came to give us rest. We can not rest if we are uncertain. We can not rest with no hope (or the hope your describing) we can not rest with no faith.

 

[mailmandan]

Thanks for this. I interpret the word as more of an anticipation or expectation of some beneficial future event, but not of a future event certain to occur. Otherwise "hope" would be equal to "faith," and conflate the distinction between the two in Hebrews 11:1. (Or in 1 Corinthians 13:13, for that matter.)

Yet faith is the substance/assurance of things hoped for.. (Hebrews 11:1) What kind of assurance would we have if we saw this future event as uncertain? If we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation, then why would we be uncertain about our future salvation in the 3rd tense? (glorification)

Romans 8:30 - Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. All of them. Notice how Paul uses the past tense for a future event to stress it's certainty.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

I should start this post by disclosing my view that "Once Saved Always Saved" is either trivially true or demonstrably false, depending on when one views "saved" as actually kicking in (is it at the moment of coming to faith, or is it at the end of a life lived in accordance with that faith?). I am of the latter view. And here is my question to the OSAS crowd who take the first or "early" view of when they are saved:

Paul wrote to the Church at Thessalonika about putting on the "hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8) as a helmet. Now, why would Paul use that phrase? After all, one doesn't "hope" for what one already has (Romans 8:24).

You are correct in your accessment. No need to hope for what one already possesses. Christians do not possess eternal life in this present earthly existence. Therefore hope is important for it allows the Christian to see beyond this mere mortal, corruptible existence looking to the next world to come, Rom 8:18.
In luke 18:30 we are told eternal life is in the 'world to come', so the Christian has hope looking for that world to come. In a related verse, 1 John 2:25, we are told eternal life is a promise. A promise is something not yet fulfilled for a promised fulfilled is reality. Therefore the Christian has hope in God's promise of eternal life...."In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" (Tts 1:2). Since God cannot lie, then the Christian's hope can be based on the certainty of God's promises.