The word "hope" means different things to different people. Can it be defined as wishful optimism? Or trust and reliance? Or assurance of a future reality? Or confident expectation? All of these are recognized meanings of "hope", yet some come from a secular worldview and others come from a Biblical worldview.

As we continue in our study of the Doctrine of Hope, we learn that hope is the Christian's calling. We learn that we are to be "reconciled to God" and live in a way that is set apart and distinct from the world around us.

Romans 5 is a transition from the foundation of justification to the working out of our salvation which Paul is using more in terms of spiritual growth. The barriers between God and man are legal (a penalty required), spiritual death as the consequence of that legal condemnation and man’s works of unrighteousness. How has this legal problem been solved? Is personal sin an issue in our salvation? What is the issue in our salvation? How did sin and death spread to the entire world? What is personal sin? If it doesn’t figure into salvation, how is it dealt with it in our lifetime? If we mistreat someone, why is confession directed to our legal authority and not all about that person we mistreated?

"All we're saying is give peace a chance." Sound familiar? Listen to this lesson to learn the many meanings of peace. See how the peace Jesus was referring to in the Sermon on the Mount was peace between God and man. Learn that we cannot have this peace with God by our own efforts but only when we trust Christ's payment for our sins on the cross. Discover three important questions that must be answered to gain peace and that peace at any price is not what is meant. Note that our mission now as believers is to tell others how to have peace with God so we will be peacemakers and called the sons of God.