Hebrews 11:1-6
Faith and Hope
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
The Hebrews author writes about faith and hope...Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see...And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him...
So hope is part of our faith...And faith is very much linked to hope...
John Calvin said this about hope..."If faith is a sure persuasion of the truth of God which can neither lie nor deceive us and be neither vain nor false, those who have conceived this certainty surely expect likewise that God will accomplish His promises which, according to their conviction, cannot but be true...So that, in sum, hope is nothing else than the expectation of the things that faith has believed to be truly promised by God...Thus Faith believes God to be truthful: Hope expects that He will show His veracity at the opportune time...Faith believes God to be our Father: Hope expects that He will always act as such toward us...Faith believes the eternal life to be given to us: Hope expects that it shall at some time be revealed...Faith is the foundation on which Hope rests: Hope nourishes and maintains faith...For, just as no one can expect and hope anything from God, except he who will have first believed His promises, so, on the other hand, it is necessary that our feeble faith (lest it grow weary and fail) be sustained and kept by patient hope and expectation."
Calvin added this about hope: "We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown."...
So let us seek God in both faith and in hope...