The hope of his calling includes ruling and serving with Christ in the kingdom.

When the Corinthian church was arguing and suing one another, Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 6:1-4:

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How many more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church!

In essence, Paul is saying, “Why are you hiring the world to judge your disputes? Don’t you know that one day you will judge angels? So, how much more should you judge the temporary things of this life? If you really have this hope, it should change how you interact with one another. After all, one day you will rule and judge with Christ!” Romans 8:17 says we are “co-heirs” with Christ. Whatever belongs to Christ is also ours.

If we really have this hope, we will stop being so consumed with the temporary kingdom of this world. Why live for what’s temporary when the eternal is surpassingly better? Why live to rule on this earth, when we are called to rule in the new heaven and the new earth? Christ says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

What is your hope? Is your hope earthly or heavenly? In the same way, people with an earthly hope are motivated and driven by it, the hope of our calling in Christ should motivate us. Let us pray for the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened and understand the hope of our calling in Christ. Let us pray to be driven by eternal hope.