Love is the ultimate gift we can have as Christians. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 shows us why love is greater. It’s patient, kind, humble, and selfless. He wraps up this section by saying, “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Why is love the greatest?

The Importance of Faith. Paul tells us that now “abide these three.” He uses the Greek word meno (“to continue to exist, remain, last, persist, continue to live).” We are commanded to remain in and live in faith. What does this mean? It means our lives must be transformed by our faith. It must be a LIVING faith. Not a one time faith, but a continual faith and trust in God. And this applies to all three attributes. Continue to live in faith, hope and love. We have to ask, “What does it look like when a Christian lives in faith?” To understand this we need to recognize that faith is “state of believing on the basis of the reliability of the one trusted, trust, confidence.” Faith is the Christian fully trusting in God because we believe in His promises.

People have ruined the meaning of faith. They will say that Christians have a “blind faith,” one that is almost illogical and irrational. As Christians we aren’t commanded to have a blind faith, but a faith based off of the evidence that we can see. There is evidence of an almighty creator, evidence that is seen in His infallible word, evidence that can be seen in His marvelous creation, and evidence that is based in logic by just taking a moment to look at the many different ways that God has revealed Himself to us. Paul tells us to live in faith, a faith that is backed by confidence.

The Need For Hope. The Christian walk is based on the hope of heaven. Biblical Hope is a confident expectation of the future we have as Christians. There’s a great need for Hope. Many in the world feel hopeless, especially when they see the news and look at what is going on around them. It can be easy to feel hopeless at times. To feel overwhelmed by the sin that surrounds us. It’s natural to feel this because we live in a fallen world where people do whatever they want with no regard for others. Paul remind us that we have hope, and even more than that, he tell us to remain in this hope and let it be an encouragement in times of need.

If we ever feel helpless, think of what we have to hope in as people that God has Called: The hope of a reunion with fellow Christians that have gone on, the hope of an eternity spent with the Father, the hope of a time where God will wipe away the tears of his children, and the hope of a time where we will never have to experience heartbreak and say those painful goodbyes. Each one of us will experience death, but it is not the end because we have hope.

The Greatness Of Love. Love is greater than faith and hope. Why? Why is love the greatest? What happens to our faith? It becomes sight. The One we have had faith in will be with us in person. The future we have hoped for all our lives will become a reality. But love, love will continue on for an eternity.

As Christians we will be separated from those who are filled with hate and be in a place filled with love. Our faith and hope will end, but love will never cease. Think about a place filled with pure love. Surrounded by likeminded people that have this sacrificial love, and living forever with the Author and perfecter of true love.

Why is love the greatest? Because it lasts.