Hope is different from belief. I can believe something to be true about God and yet hope something else is true. This is not contradictory.

Here’s an example: I believe that the actions taken in life will determine a person’s eternal state (Hebrews 9:27). Most people will reject Jesus, and as a result they will experience a final separation from God. This is what I find in the Bible.

But I hope I’m wrong. The doctrine of universal reconciliation says that all people will eventually reconcile with God, whether it is in this life or the next. A rejection of Jesus in this life is not the end, because God’s grace extends through eternity. I want this to be true, and yet I don’t find anything in the Bible that clearly teaches this, so I can’t believe it.

Many people have developed their theology from their hopes. This results in a theological system that sounds good, that is very appealing to people who are turned off by traditional Christian beliefs, and which usually attracts many followers. But because it is not based on the truth of the Bible, it is misleading and harmful.

In the end, when he makes all things new, Jesus may take a trip to gather up all of the prodigals who refused to come home while they were alive. He might still rescue those lost sheep who wouldn’t follow him back to the herd. But this is not how he has chosen to reveal himself to us, and it’s not how he wanted us to understand him. I have to trust that he knows better than I do.