When all else has passed away, faith, hope, and love will remain (1 Corinthians 13:13). Faith, hope, and love are the essence of our belief in God. They are the underpinnings of all Christianity is meant to be. On a personal level, they are the glue holding our lives together. Take any one of the three out of the equation, and things begin to unravel. Together, they are the anchor of our soul.
Without faith, hope, and love it would be impossible to please God or serve others. Without faith, hope, and love we could never know or understand God. While the apostle Paul singles out love as being the most important of the three, I submit without faith and hope, you could never have love in the first place.
Faith is essential in our relationship to God. Without it, we cannot believe in the One we cannot see. It takes faith to believe in a Creator God Who loves His creation with an unconditional and unsurpassable love. Faith is foundational to having a relationship with Jesus. It is also necessary to live a powerful life for Christ. Without faith, our prayers will be weak and ineffective; with it, they will be unstoppable (Matthew 21:21-22). The author of Hebrews tells us bluntly without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). If we don’t have faith God will do all He said He would, we have no basis for hope.
Hope is a natural result of faith. When we believe God’s Word, and have faith in His character, it inspires hope for our future. Without hope, it becomes difficult to get out of bed in the morning. What is the point? If we have no hope things will get better, why would we even try? Hope gives us a reason to press on, to persevere in times of trial. Jesus promised He would return for those faithful to Him. He will rescue us from this evil and rotting world. With such hope, how could we help but love Him?
Love is the thread running through both faith and hope. You can believe in God without loving Him, but you cannot live for Him unless you first love Him. Until you grasp everything Christ has done on your behalf, you won’t understand love. But when you come to grips with how much your Creator loves you, you will not be able to do anything but love Him back. When this happens, you won’t be able to contain the love inside you. You will be compelled to share His love with all those around you. Indeed, Paul tells us we can live incredible and generous lives, but if we don’t have love, it’s all meaningless (I Corinthians 13:1-3).
Faith, hope, and love are the keys to a life well lived. They are the keys to a life devoted to God. Without a healthy dose of each, you will not experience the life God created you to live. With which one of these do you most struggle? Is your faith strong, solid, and unshakeable? Is your hope in Jesus Christ and Him alone? Do you love unconditionally, just as Jesus loves you? Faith, hope, and love make all the difference. How can you demonstrate these in your life today?