LESSON 3: FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE, PART III

Ready

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Set

Our faith defines us. It’s who we are as Christians. Our hope sustains us, even in the toughest of times, for we know who God is and where we’re going. And our love motivates us. It puts faith and hope into action as we seek to love as God loves us—genuinely, unconditionally, equally, inclusively, perfectly, compassionately.

This is why, as Paul is about to discuss faith, hope, and love, he says, “I will show you a still more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31). The Message translation says, “But now I want to lay out a far better way for you.” The way of faith, hope, and love is a still more excellent way, a far better way. But still more excellent or far better than what?

More excellent and far better than doing things without regard to unconditional love—legalistically doing for the sake of doing. Paul has just finished discussing the spiritual gifts we receive from God as a result of faith in Christ. We receive spiritual gifts, and we’re supposed to use them.

But we’re supposed to use them out of love for others. Christianity, then, is not a religion in the sense of legalistically following rules to attempt reaching or pleasing God. It is instead a relationship with Christ—who came to us—leading to a whole new way of life: the way of love. It is love for Christ leading to loving others, just as Christ loved us (a love so strong he was willing to die for it).

Faith, hope, and love abide. Abide means lasting, eternal, not going away. Think about that for a moment. Almost everything we can see does not abide. It’s temporary and going away; it does not go with us after we die. But faith, hope, and love abide. If you’re looking for things to invest in that last, eternally, these three do: Faith defining us. Hope sustaining us. Love motivating us.

Paul ends 1 Corinthians 13:13 with “but the greatest is love.” Why is love the greatest?

For starters, it’s in the two greatest commandments Jesus gave: love God and love others (Matthew 22:34–40). Also, love is faith and hope in action. It should motivate us in everything we do. It includes everyone. It excludes no one. It overcomes evil, like racism.

For the Christian, faith in Christ defines us, hope sustains us, and love motivates us. They complement each other perfectly and are inseparable.

Go

1. Read John 3:16. How should God’s love for all of humanity affect how we love others?
2. List some things that matter in life. Don’t rate them; just list some things that matter. Do any of them last eternally? Knowing that faith, hope, and love abide (last eternally), how can you better invest in these three?
3. In something as competitive as sports, how can we love our teammates better? Now think about loving beyond the team—loving classmates who may not fit in, loving opponents who may not exhibit grace and class. How do we love some of these better, as well?