5/5/25 – “The Hope Laid Up For You In Heaven”

 

Colossians 1 is full of good teaching and godly things to contemplate. One of these is stated in Colossians 1:5 when Paul talks to the Colossians about “the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.” To break this section down and consider the lessons he is teaching would take much time and “ink” to truly unfold. However, I want us to focus on two obvious things in the text.

 

First, this hope is not a distant possibility, but a certainty, “laid up” in Heaven. This imagery of something better and greater “laid up,” “stored up,” or “treasured up” is seen in several places in the Bible. Let us consider two examples. First, Jesus spoke of this in His sermon in Matthew 6:19-21 when He said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Second, Paul wrote, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (II Tim. 4:6-8). Thus, in Colossians, we see again their “hope” is “laid up” in Heaven.

 

Hope is not a wish or some type of pipe dream. The hope that the apostle speaks of here is really earnest expectation. The hope from God is called such because it has not been realized yet. At the same time, it is not something out of reach, but a definite promise we have due to being a Christian. Paul would later speak of this hope as being connected to Christ and the gospel in Colossians 1:23 and 27. Peter would talk about the living hope and how this hope “is in you” in I Peter 1:3 and 3:15. Paul wrote to Titus about the hope of eternal life and connected it with the return of Jesus in Titus 1:2 and 2:13. The Holy Spirit spoke of hope as being “better” and “an anchor of the soul” in Hebrews 6:19 and 7:19. Notice that in all of these cases, hope is connected with deity as well as humanity. This is not something that is a mere “wish” or “dream,” but something real, “laid up” for the faithful Christians like the Colossians, and individuals like Titus, and you and me!

 

Second, notice in Colossians 1:5 that our hope is intimately connected with “the word of the truth of the gospel.” In other words, this is where they heard about it! The word “gospel” is defined as “good news.” The reason it is good news is because of what it reveals about our salvation (Mk. 16:16). At the same time, it is good news because it shows what we have to look forward to as a result of living for the Lord! This is not man’s idea or some myth passed down through the ages. We have this hope because “the word of the truth of the gospel” reveals it! This objective and unshakable truth (Jn. 17:17) revealed to us through the Holy Spirit (II Pet. 1:20-21), and then written by men who risked their lives to make sure the truth was taught and preached, has revealed this hope to us! Does this truth not excite you? Does this truth not humble you? Does this truth not motivate you to follow the Lord’s will and live for him now that we might see Heaven one day?

 

The Colossians were motivated to endure the temptations of Satan and the trials of men because of the enduring hope they had learned about through the preaching of God’s word (Col. 1:5). Do you believe in this hope also? What have you endured as a Christian (Acts 2:38, 11:26; I Pet. 4:16)? What are you willing to endure? Remember, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (II Cor. 4:17)! Truly, “...the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18)! Become a Christian and cling tightly to this enduring hope and look forward to something greater than anything man could imagine on earth.

 

– Jarrod M. Jacobs