For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.
Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
[ 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 New King James Version ]
|
| Times word used |
Faith |
Believe |
Hope |
Love
|
| in Old Testament |
2 |
30 |
69 |
131 |
| in New Testament |
245 |
148 |
61 |
180 |
Faith
I equate having faith with believing.
In the Old Testament, which contains 593,493 words according to trivia-library.com, there are 232 mentions of faith, hope, love.
In the New Testament, the word count is 181,253, or thirty percent [ 30 % ] as many words as the OT.
Yet faith and believe in the NT are used 393 times versus 32 times in the OT. This indicates how important faith is to your
continued existence ... your immortality.
History, Biblical and general, indicates that believing is the immovable barrier for most human beings. From one extreme of
gullibility ... those who are ready to believe anything, to the other extreme of total skepticism, humans have problems with
belief. What you and I must do is discern what is TRUE and believe that. The only way to find out what is true is to ask the
One who actually knows. In order to ask Him, you must gain access to His knowledge. The only way to accomplish that is
to go through His Son who is ready to receive you as soon as you receive Him, which I presume you have done else you
would not be reading this message.
I will say again: faith is a gift from God. He gives it to all who ask Him. Your faith will grow only
if you nourish it through personal interaction with God. In other words, talking to and listening to Him. Faith is not unlike
a spiritual muscle. Without exercise it will atrophy.
Many believers become what is called a "back slider". After accepting Christ and professing faith in Him publicly, they
fail to pursue the abundant spiritual life offered to them. Their faith becomes weak. The enemy plants seeds of doubt.
I will not claim to know the status of these people. I believe that once your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life it
remains forever UNLESS you declare that you no longer believe and reject the counsel of the
Holy Spirit. Saved is saved. Nothing can separate you from the love of God nor deprive you of your eternal life except
YOU. God will love you still but will not admit you to life eternal with Him. Take heed to exercise your faith, to
strengthen it .
In 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 your faith is of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire
may be proved genuine and 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.
[ 1 Peter 1:6-8 New International Version ]
|
Hope
Hope in the Scriptural sense is not like the wishful thinking of hope in the secular sense. 'Boy, I hope I win the lottery'.
'I hope I get a raise'. 'I hope Santa brings me a new bicycle'.
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
[ Romans 8:24-25 New International Version ]
|
Paul's letter to the Romans expresses clearly what hope means; it is anticipation without doubt. It is expectation of
fulfillment. It is the belief that what is desired and has been promised will come to pass.
Love
"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?"
[ Matthew 5:46 New International Version ]
|
Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
[ Matthew 22:37 New International Version ]
|
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
[ John 13:34-35 New International Version ]
|
"If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our home with him."
[ John 14:23 New International Version ]
|
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love."
[ John 15:9 New International Version ]
|
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
[ John 15:13 New International Version ]
|
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
[ 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 New International Version ]
|
Who could add to these explanations of what love is and how to love ?
I can't.
|
|
