Does Our Faith Match Our Hope?

As a Christian, what do you hope for?
An interesting aspect of an answer to this question came to me recently when thinking about the definition of faith from the Book of Hebrews.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
[Hebrews 11 : 1  NIV]

Are all the things you have faith in, what you believe, are also what you are hoping for?
Let's see.
Do you believe (have faith) that Jesus died on the cross for your sins? Then this Hebrews verse assures us that this is what you are hoping for.

Do you believe that Jesus is to return to planet earth to take you to be with him forever? Then this is what you are hoping for.

Do you believe that all unbelievers will be endlessly tormented in a place called "hell" after Jesus rewards you? Then this is what you are hoping for.

Many Christians I know do believe in this horrid doctrine of "eternal punishment" but most of them have never expressed a hope in it, especially if some of their close family are unbelievers.

I avoided this conflict between belief and hope by abandoning "the horrid doctrine" that I was taught in my early church days and began to study the Bible for myself and see God's true heart and character and His plan to reconcile all of His creation.

Here are a few verses from the New Testament which contradict "the horrid doctrine".

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
[John 3 : 17  NIV]
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
[Jesus speaking, John 12 : 32  NIV]
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
[1 John 2 : 2  NIV]
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them...
[2 Corinthians 5 : 18 - 19  NIV]

I therefore believe that God will reconcile all creation to Himself and this is what I am hoping for. I have this "assurance about what we do not see".

Does our faith match our hope?
Let's believe only those doctrines we can genuinely hope for.

Blessings, Barry