THE GOSPEL HOPE

But we now come to the direct question, What is the gospel hope? Paul says, “There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” Many are the hopes cherished by different classes, yet there is but one true hope given to cheer God’s people. But it may be inquired, If there is but one hope, why are there so many things spoken of in the word of God as the hope? We reply, There may be several events to be accomplished in order to the realization of the hope, and each of these may be spoken of as the hope, but only in the sense that the accomplishment of these events is embodied in the ushering in of the one gospel hope. And so these several events may be necessary to be accomplished, in order that we may receive that for which we are hoping. These objects, or events, are so intimately connected with the hope, as to be called the hope; because if these are not fulfilled, the hope would fail of its accomplishment.HPGO 8.1

We look upon the different events embodied in the ushering in of the hope as we would look upon several steps to be taken to gain an eminence; each is taken to gain the eminence, but no one of the steps alone will bring us to the object desired. Although each is taken to gain the point, still it is not gained unless all the steps are taken. So with the different steps that, in their order, as fulfilled, usher in the realization of our hope; all must be fulfilled or our hope is never realized. But we will pass to notice, in their order, the events that are called the hope.HPGO 9.1