Our Blessed Hope

Grace, Peace, and the Bride of Christ

His Love Story

Before the first star ignited, before time began its march, God planned a love story. Not born from loneliness or need, but overflowing from the perfect love already existing within the Trinity—the Father chose to create a Bride for His Son.

This is our story. This is the blessed hope.

What You Hold in Your Hands

This study explores the most liberating truth in all of Scripture: salvation is entirely God's work, received through simple faith, as secure as God Himself, and culminating in perfect union with Christ at the Harpazo—when the Bridegroom comes for His Bride.

You'll discover:

Grace as a Person, not just a concept—Jesus Himself is the Tree of Life restored, offering eternal life freely to all who simply receive Him.

Peace that flows from Grace—beginning with reconciliation, growing through sanctification, and perfecting in glorification when we receive imperishable bodies and are forever with the Lord.

The Blessed Hope clearly defined—not a vague optimism, but the concrete promise of Christ's return in glory to take His people home.

Your absolute security in Christ—grounded in dozens of Scripture passages showing that nothing—not tribulation, angels, powers, height, depth, nor anything in all creation—can separate you from His love.

The Bride prepared for the Bridegroom—understanding the beauty of God's eternal purpose: that just as it was "not good for man to be alone," the Last Adam receives His Bride, purchased by His blood, sealed by His Spirit, kept by His power.

What Jesus is doing right now—interceding for you, preparing your dwelling place, sustaining all creation, and waiting with eager anticipation for the Father's appointed moment to come for you.

Who This Is For

If you've ever struggled with:

Uncertainty about your salvation
Fear that you're not "good enough" for God
Confusion about what Christ's return means
Weariness in trying to earn God's favor
Questions about eternal security

This study offers biblical answers grounded in the character of God and the finished work of Christ.

The Heart of the Message

You are the thief on the cross—bringing nothing, receiving everything. You must become as a little child—pure receptivity without merit. Jesus does 100% of the saving work. Your part is simply to receive by faith what He freely offers. And even that faith is His gift.

The Grace that appeared at Christ's first coming now teaches us to live godly lives as we wait for the Blessed Hope—His glorious return. Between these two appearings, we stand in grace, we grow in peace, and we are being transformed into His image by the Spirit.

The wedding is certain. The Bride is being prepared. The Bridegroom is coming soon.

How to Read This Study

This is not a casual devotional but a comprehensive scriptural exploration. Each section builds upon the last, weaving together Old and New

Testament passages to reveal the unified story of redemption. Read slowly. Look up the verses. Let Scripture speak for itself.
You'll find:

Clear exposition of key passages (Titus 2, Romans 5, 1 Thessalonians 4)

Typological connections (Adam and the Last Adam, the Tree of Life)

Systematic development of themes (Grace, Peace, the Harpazo, the Bride)

Dozens of cross-references showing Scripture's internal harmony

An Invitation

Come thirsty. Come empty-handed. Come as you are.

The Tree of Life stands before you. The water of life flows freely. The Bridegroom calls. The Spirit says "Come." The invitation is extended to all who will simply receive.

This is the blessed hope—not that we make ourselves worthy, but that Christ has done everything necessary, and He's coming back to take us home.

The grace that appeared brings salvation. The peace it establishes will be perfected. The hope set before us is absolutely certain.
Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus.

Romans 8:38-39 "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

A Comprehensive Scriptural Study

Titus 2 Grace and the Blessed Hope

The Context and Teaching (Titus 2:1-10)

Paul instructs Titus to teach sound doctrine to various groups in the church older men, older women, young women, young men, and slaves. Each group receives specific behavioral instructions.

The Grace (Titus 2:11-14)

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11)

The Grace that “appeared” is Jesus Christ Himself His incarnation and redemptive work. This connects to:

John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory… full of grace and truth”

John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”

This Grace is instructive (Titus 2:12) it teaches us to:

Renounce ungodliness

Live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age

What Paul is Waiting For (Titus 2:13)

“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

Paul speaks of waiting for a future “appearing” (Greek: epiphaneia) distinct from the first appearing mentioned in verse 11.

The Blessed Hope

The “blessed hope” is explicitly identified as “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” His Second Coming.

This connects throughout Scripture:

Acts 1:11 “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 The Lord Himself will descend from heaven

Revelation 1:7 “Behold, he is coming with the clouds”

Matthew 24:30 “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”

The phrase “our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Granville Sharp’s rule in Greek) affirms Christ’s deity while pointing to His return in glory.

The Purpose (Titus 2:14)

Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Echoes:

Exodus 19:5 Israel as God’s “treasured possession”

1 Peter 2:9 “a people for his own possession”

Ephesians 5:25-27 Christ sanctifying and cleansing the church

Summary

Paul is teaching that the Grace = Christ’s first appearing in incarnation, which brings salvation and teaches godly living. Believers now live “in this present age” between two appearings, waiting for the Blessed Hope = Christ’s glorious Second Coming, when He will return for His redeemed people.

Grace and Peace A Scriptural Exploration

The Pairing of Grace and Peace

Nearly every Pauline epistle opens with: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”

Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 1:3

Peter uses the same formula: 2 Peter 1:2 “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”

The order is always Grace, then Peace never reversed. This suggests a theological sequence.

Does Grace Result in Peace?

Yes, Scripture teaches that Peace flows from Grace:

Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand”

The sequence: Grace (justification) → Peace with God

Ephesians 2:14-17 “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility… that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”

Christ’s gracious work creates peace both vertical (with God) and horizontal (between Jew and Gentile).

The Nature of Biblical Peace (Shalom/Eirene)

Peace is not merely absence of conflict but wholeness, completeness, restoration the Hebrew shalom concept.

Current Reality Peace with God

Romans 5:1 We have peace with God (present possession through justification)

Philippians 4:7 “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts”

Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”

Future Consummation Complete Peace

But there’s an already/not yet tension. We have peace with God now, but not yet the fullness of peace in:

Our bodies (still subject to decay, Romans 8:23)

Creation (still groaning, Romans 8:22)

Our experience (still warfare with flesh, Galatians 5:17)

Peace and the Harpazo

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (The Harpazo) “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of God’s trumpet. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up harpazo] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

The result: “always be with the Lord” perfect, unbroken communion.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet… the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality… then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”

At the harpazo:

Incorruptible bodies received
Death defeated completely
No more separation from Christ

Romans 8:18-23 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us… the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption… we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

The groaning ends at the harpazo full adoption, full redemption.

Peace as Eschatological Fulfillment

Isaiah 9:6-7  “For to us a child is born… and his name shall be called… Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end”

This peace is inaugurated at Christ’s first coming but consummated at His return.

Revelation 21:3-4 “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

This is ultimate Peace complete shalom.

The Bride and the Bridegroom

Ephesians 5:25-27 “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her… so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”

The marriage supper ultimate union and peace.

Genesis 2:18 “It is not good that the man should be alone”

From the beginning, God designed us for communion. The harpazo/marriage brings:

No more separation from Christ
Perfect union Bride with Bridegroom
Complete fulfillment of “no man should be alone”

The Theological Synthesis

Grace (God’s unmerited favor in Christ) brings:

Present Peace Justification, reconciliation with God (Romans 5:1)

Progressive Peace Sanctification, peace of God guarding hearts (Philippians 4:7)

Perfected Peace Glorification at the harpazo when:

Bodies are glorified (1 Corinthians 15:52-54)

We’re forever with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

The Bride is united with Christ (Revelation 19:7)

Death and separation end (1 Corinthians 15:54)

All promises are fulfilled (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Peace, in its ultimate sense, IS the harpazo and all it brings the complete restoration, the perfect union, the end of all enmity, corruption, and separation.

2 Peter 3:13-14 “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”

We wait for the fulfillment to be “at peace” completely when Christ returns.

Peace is both the present reality of our standing in Grace AND the future consummation of all God’s promises in the harpazo when we receive our glorified bodies and are forever united with Christ, our Bridegroom.

Grace as the Tree of Life

Jesus as the Tree of Life

Genesis 2:9 “And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

Genesis 3:22-24 After the fall: “Then the LORD God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever’… he drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Access to the Tree of Life was cut off by sin.

Revelation 2:7 “To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”

Revelation 22:1-2 “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

The Tree of Life is restored in the new creation access is regained through Christ.

Jesus IS the Tree of Life

John 6:35, 48, 51 “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst… I am the bread of life… I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”

John 7:37-38 “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

John 15:1, 4-5 “I am the true vine… Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches.”

Jesus presents Himself using the same imagery eating, drinking, abiding in Him for life.

Grace, Spirit, and Truth The Divine Supply

John 1:14, 17 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

John 4:14 “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

Grace = Jesus Himself, mediated by the Spirit, revealed in Truth (Scripture)

Grace is not merely a concept but the Person of Christ and His life-giving presence.

Transformation into His Image

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

The mechanism: Beholding His glory → Transformation by the Spirit → Into His image

Romans 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son”

Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body”

The process:

Now: Progressive transformation (2 Corinthians 3:18)

At the Harpazo: Complete transformation (1 John 3:2 “when he appears we shall be like him”)

Peace Established in All Creation

Colossians 1:19-20 “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Ephesians 1:9-10 “Making known to us the mystery of his will… as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Isaiah 11:6-9 “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb… They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

Christ’s gracious work establishes cosmic peace, fully realized in the new creation.

The Thief on the Cross Pure Grace

Luke 23:39-43 “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him… But the other rebuked him… And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”

The thief had:

No time for works
No water baptism
No religious pedigree
Only faith in Jesus

He received immediate salvation “today you will be with me in paradise.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

We are ALL the thief saved by grace alone through faith alone.

Becoming Like a Little Child

Matthew 18:3-4 “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Mark 10:15 “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

A child:

Receives (doesn’t earn)
Trusts completely (simple faith)
Depends entirely on the parent
Has no merit to bring

This is pure receptivity which is faith.

Jesus’ Part vs. Our Part The Biblical Division

JESUS’ PART (100% of the Work):

1. Provides Complete Salvation

Ephesians 2:8 “the gift of God”

Romans 5:6, 8 “while we were still weak… while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

Titus 3:5 “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy”

2. Accomplishes Transformation

Philippians 1:6 “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion”

Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure”

Hebrews 12:2 “Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith”

3. Secures Us Until Glory

Jude 24 “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless”

1 Peter 1:5 “who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed”

John 10:28-29 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand”

OUR PART (0% Merit, 100% Receptivity):

1. Receive by Faith

John 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”

Romans 4:5 “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness”

Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”

2. Abide/Remain Connected

John 15:4-5 “Abide in me, and I in you… apart from me you can do nothing”

Colossians 2:6 “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him”

But even faith itself is enabled by grace:

Ephesians 2:8 “this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God”

Philippians 1:29 “it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him”

Acts 18:27 “he greatly helped those who through grace had believed”

The Beautiful Synthesis

Romans 5:17 “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

Notice: “receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

His righteousness (not ours) becomes ours by faith.

Romans 3:21-22 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law… the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”

The Complete Picture

The understanding is scripturally precise:

Grace = The Tree of Life = Jesus Himself (the source of eternal life)

Eating/Drinking = Faith (receiving/abiding in Christ)

John 6:35 “whoever comes to me… believes in me”

The verbs “eat,” “drink,” “come,” “believe” are synonymous in John’s Gospel

The Fruit/Water = Spirit and Truth transforming us into His image

2 Corinthians 3:18 transformation by beholding

Galatians 5:22-23 “the fruit of the Spirit”

The Process Establishes Peace

Personally: Peace with God (Romans 5:1)

Progressively: Peace of God (Philippians 4:7)

Cosmically: Peace in all creation (Colossians 1:20)

We are the thief bringing nothing, receiving everything
We must become as children pure receptivity without merit

Jesus’ part: Everything provision, transformation, preservation

Our part: Receiving by faith which itself is His gift

The mechanism:
Grace (Jesus) supplies
Faith receives
Spirit transforms
Peace is established
Glory is revealed at the Harpazo

Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”

Everything is from Him, by Him, through Him, and to Him. We receive His finished work by faith, and even that faith is His gift. All glory belongs to Jesus alone.

Grace IS the Person of Christ, the Tree of Life restored, and we access Him through simple childlike faith receiving His righteousness as a gift, being transformed by His Spirit, awaiting the consummation of perfect peace at the Harpazo.

Is It Good for Jesus to Be Alone?

“It Is Not Good That Man Should Be Alone”

Genesis 2:18 “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’”

Genesis 2:21-24 “So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh’… Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Key observations:

Adam did not ask for Eve
God initiated the bride’s creation

Adam was asleep during her formation (he did nothing)

God brought her to Adam

The result: one flesh union

Jesus, the Last Adam

1 Corinthians 15:45, 47 “Thus it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit… The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.”

If Jesus is the Last Adam, does the pattern repeat?

Jesus Will Receive a Bride Clear Biblical Teaching

Ephesians 5:25-32 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish… This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”

Paul explicitly says the marriage pattern points to Christ and the Church.

Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’”

The marriage is future “has come” (not yet occurred when John wrote).

Revelation 21:2, 9 “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband… ‘Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.’”

The Church is the Bride.

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