ÒLooking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deedsÓ. (Titus 2:12Ð13)
This passage identifies the Òblessed hopeÓ as the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior.
The word blessed can mean ÒhappyÓ or ÒbeneficialÓ; our hope is ÒblessedÓ in that JesusÕ return will be an amazing, joyful experience for the believer in Christ. We will be blessed beyond measure when we see Christ. The trials of this life will be over, and we will see that Òour present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in usÓ (Romans 8:18). The word hope does not communicate uncertainty, as in ÒI hope that something might occurÓ; rather, it is the glad assurance that something will take place. Jesus is our hope, and no one can take that hope away. ÒHope does not put us to shame, because GodÕs love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to usÓ (Romans 5:5).