Two Hopes?
by Heath Rogers

Recently, myself and a few members of the congregation here had the opportunity to sit down and study with three Jehovah's Witnesses. During our discussion, one of them made a repeated reference to the "two hopes" he said were offered to mankind for eternity. He was using this phrase to reference their false doctrine that eternity in Heaven was available to a limited number of people - 144,000. For the rest of the saved, eternity will be spent on a renewed earth.

Towards the end of the study, I told him, "I have heard you reference 'two hopes' a number of times. I can read of 'one hope' in the New Testament, but I have never read the Bible speak of two hopes." The only answer we got to this, or any other pressing question in the study, was to be directed to their official website.

The Bible teaches there is only one hope that is to unify believers (Eph. 4:4). This hope is not for a left-over paradise on a renewed earth, but for an eternity spent in Heaven.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:3-4, emphasis mine - HR).

"Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit" (Colossians 1:5-6, emphasis mine - HR).

The Christian's one hope is not in a renewed earth. This physical creation will cease to exist when Jesus returns (2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:11). Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matthew 24:35, emphasis mine - HR).