When Billy Graham passed away on Feb. 21, 2018, the world lost an influential spiritual leader, but Heaven gained a faithful saint. Today, we look back on Billy Graham’s legacy of faith and the reason for his hope.

The Hope of Eternal Life

Billy Graham’s hope of eternity with Christ is evident in his passionate preaching and writings. In his popular My Answer newspaper column, he said in his final response, “By the time you read this, I will be in Heaven, and as I write this I’m looking forward with great anticipation to the day when I will be in God’s presence forever.”

His hope, anchored in Christ alone, stemmed from his long-held commitment to studying and trusting in the promises found in the Bible. Billy Graham often quoted John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (NKJV). This is the simple Gospel of Christ—the Gospel that Billy Graham preached for decades and the Gospel that propelled his hope into action.

Sharing the Hope of Christ

Billy Graham’s life was so strongly impacted by the hope that he found in the Gospel, that he endeavored to preach the truth of the Bible in every opportunity he had so that as many as possible would come to salvation in Jesus Christ.

Throughout his life, evidence of Billy Graham’s hope in Christ was abundant. He preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ, sharing about the hope that he had found, to some 215 million people who attended one of his more than 400 Crusades, simulcasts and evangelistic rallies in more than 185 countries and territories. He reached millions more through TV, video, film, the internet and 34 books.

This desire to share the hope of the Gospel with everyone we can is still the driving force behind the work of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association today.

The Hope of the Gospel

The Bible tells us that through Jesus, we can have hope in this life, but also hope in death. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 says, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.”

Billy Graham’s hope in Christ means that he is now in the presence of the Lord, and we can have hope that we will experience this too, if we trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Let this passage of Scripture encourage you to have hope in Christ through life and death:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” —1 Peter 1:3-9

Visit the Billy Graham Library to learn more about Billy Graham’s life and legacy. Make your reservation today.