False Hope

Behold, the hope of a man is false; he is laid low even at the sight of him. No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me?
Job 41:9–10
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False Hope
The world is full of people who promise miracles. It might be a miracle diet or a miracle cure for some ailment, but no matter what it is you can have it (for a price of course). And unfortunately, many churches try and sell salvation. Either by donating to the “ministry” or more common by having you place your hope in something else. Most often they direct you inward to yourself for hope. You only need to make a decision for Jesus or accept Him into your heart or pray a simple prayer and then you will be saved. And so your salvation becomes in some way dependent upon what you do. Your decision or choice is what saved you. But this is simply false hope. We are dead in our trespasses (Ephesians 2:1) and are unable to do anything to save ourselves. No more than a dead person can choose to be alive and get out of their coffin, can an unbeliever choose to be alive in Christ. And when we think we are capable we are standing before the leviathan with false hope. The beast of sin, death, and the devil will consume us without effort. But true hope lies not in our actions and decisions but in God’s. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). These Words from God show us where our hope lies. In Christ Jesus’ death and resurrection, our faith and hope rest secure. And so now we can stand before God on our judgment day because He choose us to be with Him and the blood of His Son covers us as we are robed in His righteousness.