True Hope
In contrast to the counterfeit hopes described in these two articles,
Lane and Tripp introduced to us genuine hope based on Colossians chapter 2 verses 9 to 15. According to them, the passage talks about the new identity, the new record, and the new power that every Christian possesses even right now.
New Identity
This new identity is about finding our fullness in Jesus. Based on this perspective, we don't need anything to complete us; we are already complete in Christ if we are indeed members of the family of God.
Searching for someone or something to complete us will always end up in frustration for people change and circumstances in life are unpredictable.
New Record
Because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross of Calvary, our new record tells us that our sins: past, present, and future have been forgiven and therefore we can now walk in the newness of life. Jesus' payment for our sins means that our life is now bound to him; his life is ours. In theological studies, they call this a "mystical union".
New Power
I prefer to describe this new power as the resurrection power. This power gives Christians the ability to walk in victory. Our new record tells us that we have been set free from the condemning power of sin. The resurrection power on the other hand will give us the ability and strength to liberate ourselves from the indwelling presence of sin. It is true that in this part of life, we cannot and will never annihilate sin; living a perfect life is not achievable on this side of eternity. There will always be a constant battle against sin as long as we are alive.
Change is Possible
Because of this new hope, true change is possible. Christians no longer need to be defined by his pain, misery, depression, and even a struggling marriage. Yes, as long as we are living in the real world, we will still be affected by depression and marital struggles, but they don't define who we are.
The world offers even the children of God with many views of change that take Christ and the gospel for granted. For a time, they seem to help. However, if Christians are aiming for long-term change, we don't need to follow the crowd embracing counterfeit hopes for Jesus, His person and works have already provided us the genuine hope that we have been searching for so long.