# “Hope” by John Calvin

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2012/04/28/hope-by-john-calvin/
- Published: 2012-04-28T15:00:52-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“If faith is a sure persuasion of the truth of God which can neither lie nor deceive
us and be neither vain nor false, those who have conceived this certainty surely
expect likewise that God will accomplish His promises which, according to their 
conviction, cannot but be true.

So that, in sum, hope is nothing else than the expectation of the things that faith
has believed to be truly promised by God. Thus Faith believes God to be truthful:
Hope expects that He will show His veracity at the opportune time.

Faith believes God to be our Father: Hope expects that He will always act as such
toward us. Faith believes the eternal life to be given to us: Hope expects that 
it shall at some time be revealed. Faith is the foundation on which Hope rests: 
Hope nourishes and maintains faith.

For, just as no one can expect and hope anything from God, except he who will have
first believed His promises, so, on the other hand, it is necessary that our feeble
faith (lest it grow weary and fail) be sustained and kept by patient hope and expectation.”

–John Calvin, [_Instruction in Faith (1537)_](http://www.amazon.com/Instruction-Faith-John-Calvin/dp/0664253148/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335637600&sr=8-1&tag=toletaupanre-20)(
Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1977), 55.

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