Is There Hope?
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.” Psalm 62:5
Where is our Christian hope? Our hope is in God.
The Christian faith is realistic about human life. It understands that life is fragile; it also has limits. For that reason, the scriptures discourage us from putting our hope in wealth, houses, princes, armies, or armaments. It is better to trust in the living God than any of these things.
Modern secular culture can be very optimistic at times. We believe that our wisdom and technological advances will provide a solution to our human problems. If we can make the needed advances in transportation, medicines, computer technology, political programs, and human comforts, life will reach its potential. Thus far, however, no advances in these areas have allowed us to solve the problems of human mortality or human sinfulness. As a complication, every technological advance can be used for evil as well as good.
Secular culture can also be pessimistic about the world. It finds great crises in the problems of global warming, overpopulation, the use of natural resources, and various social issues. It also naively assumes it is able to solve these problems given enough power, resources, and control. Yet often the “solutions” of a secular culture make things worse rather than better.
The Bible offers a different hope. Not only is creation, especially the creation of human beings, a good gift from God, but God also promises a “new heaven and a new earth” in which righteousness and justice will reign. In the classic book The City of God, the fifth-century theologian Augustine reminded his readers that no earthly city is eternal. Our real and true hope is in God.
What is possible in history? Will civilization advance or will it retreat? The answer is uncertain, but one thing can be said. The future will, most likely, be like the past. In the past, there have been times of great progress in civilization. There has even been relative justice in societies. Healthy, free, and prosperous civilizations have existed and flourished. On the other hand, there have also been wars and dictatorships. People have oppressed others, and times of chaos have existed. These too are a possibility in the future; if the past is any indication, they are a probability.
It is good to work for the good of society. Jeremiah encouraged the exiles in Babylonia to work for the good of that nation while they were in exile there. It is incumbent on us to work for the health and success of our nation and world. Evil is real, and we are called to work against its dominance. Our faith reminds us, however, that we have a greater hope. God is our great reward, and our life is not determined by the success of our society. God’s kingdom will prevail, and all those who have this hope will share in its glory. This is a hope that will not disappoint.