All Series > Virtue of Hope > Part 5
Moral Life and Hope
Teaching of Virtue
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Moral Life & Hope
Just as natural hope moves one to pursue a worldly goal, though the path is difficult, supernatural hope moves one to pursue a spiritual goal, though the path is difficult—principally, the Way of Christ.
While faith enlightens one’s intellect to perceive the Truth, hope emboldens one’s will to pursue the Truth. Without hope, then, it is possible to know the Way but do little to nothing to go the Way; means consisting not in a haphazard life of vice, but in the habitual practice of virtue.
The faithful, although imperfect and prone to stumbling, are always picked back up by the helping hand of hope, each time arising with a renewed resolve in their walk with Christ.
The Christian soul, like a diamond, is not fractured but formed through the pressures of life.
As such, “The one who has hope lives differently” (Pope Benedict XVI); for their hope is not anchored in the finite and the fading, but in the infinite and everlasting—which cuts through the fog of the world directly to the character of Christ, to whom they draw near with each sanctifying step—equipping them to bring peace, love, and encouragement to heavy-hearted circumstances where such acts seem utterly impossible.
Yet, Christian hope is not some kind of flimsy optimism. It is concrete trust in God—to habitually choose hope and moral fortitude despite having absolutely no certainty things will get better in this life, but having absolute certainty things will be better in the next.
Scroll down for the related scriptures, quotes, and lesson plan associated with this teaching.
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Related Scripture
“And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” — 1 John 3:3 (NRSVCE)
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.” — Titus 2:11-14 (NRSVCE)
“So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.” — Galatians 6:9-10 (NRSVCE)
“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” — Romans 5:1-5 (NRSVCE)
“I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I fulfill your commandments. My soul keeps your decrees; I love them exceedingly. I keep your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.” — Psalms 119:166-168 (NRSVCE)
“Lord, let me know my end, and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight. Surely everyone stands as a mere breath. Surely everyone goes about like a shadow. Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; they heap up, and do not know who will gather. And now, O Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.” — Psalm 39:4-7 (NRSVCE)
“May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.” — Psalm 25:21 (NRSVCE)
“Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God.” — 1 Peter 3:13-18 (NRSVCE)
“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” — Hebrews 10:23 (NRSVCE)
Related Quotes
“The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life.” — Pope Benedict XVI
“Remembering and keeping one’s focus on God’s unchangeable character and His eternal faithfulness becomes one of our greatest resources for courage and the faithfulness we need to go on even when things seem their blackest.” — J. Hampton Keathley
“The Scripture promises rewards for our service as a motivation for faithful ministry. And for the Christian, at least, this promise is true and guaranteed regardless of the apparent success or rewards received here in time. Sometimes it appears that doing what is right goes without obvious blessing or reward. Faithful service may not lead to recognition, a promotion, or the raise one counted on – maybe not even a thank you. And often, faithfulness, especially when it is to Christ and biblical principles, can lead to persecution. But as Christians we must never allow the absence of immediate reward or blessing to deter us from steadfast faithfulness…The promise of Scripture is that if we continue to be faithful to the Lord, we will eventually receive rewards for our efforts. If not in this life, definitely in the life to come (1 Cor. 15:58).” — J. Hampton Keathley
“I acknowledge it often seems more difficult to trust God than to obey Him. The moral will of God given to us in the Bible is rational and reasonable. The circumstances in which we must trust God often appear irrational and inexplicable….Obeying God is worked out within well-defined boundaries of God’s revealed will. Trusting God is worked out in an arena that has no boundaries. We do not know the extent, the duration, or the frequency of the painful, adverse circumstances in which we must frequently trust God. We are always coping with the unknown.” — Jerry Bridges
“There is unwavering peace today when an uncertain tomorrow is trusted in an unchanging God.” — Ann Voskamp
Lesson Plan
For your family, small group, or personal reflection.
STEP 1: Introduction
Example: "I'm going to play a short video on the topic of moral life and hope. After the video, I have some questions to gather your thoughts and get the discussion started. We’ll then wrap up with a closing prayer."
STEP 2: Watch Video (or listen)
Watch (or listen to) the video of the teaching (cast to your TV via YouTube). If time allows, also read the teaching, related Scriptures, and related quotes.
STEP 3: Discussion / Reflection
- Can you recall a time when hope helped you to persevere through a difficult spiritual challenge? How did it change your perspective and actions?
- How has the virtue of hope influenced your pursuit of spiritual goals? Do you find your hope increases as your pursuit of virtue increases?
- Reflect on a time when you stumbled in your faith journey. How did hope (or fear of losing hope) help you to get back on track?
- In what ways does one who has hope “live differently” and how can you embody those principles in your interactions with others and in your daily choices?
- How do you build and maintain a concrete trust in God, especially during uncertain times? What steps can you take to keep your focus on the eternal perspective amidst the distractions and challenges of everyday life?
- Did any of the related Scriptures or quotes stand out to you (please elaborate)?
- Any other thoughts you’d like to share?
STEP 4: Wrap Up & Closing Prayer
Summarize and wrap up the discussion. Then, conclude with a sincere and humble prayer from the heart.
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