1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
There are three gifts of the Holy Spirit give to all believers that “abide.” Paul is not clear about what the word “abide” means. Many people interpret this to mean that these three qualities are eternal. Will we need faith and hope in eternity? Love is eternal since it is God’s character. Our faith and hope are fulfilled in eternity.
These are universal and results of seeking our identity in Jesus Christ. When we put Jesus first in our lives and replace our love for self with our love for him and others, our outlook on life will change. The other spiritual gifts serve a temporary purpose in this lifetime, and this is to help the church grow and fulfill its mission of reaching the lost world. These other gifts are not needed in eternity and are only reflections of the greater gifts listed in this verse.
Faith is the trust we have in God’s promises. Faith is the bedrock of our worship and acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty. Faith is our response of not trying to do things on our own but looking to God for our sustenance and purpose. We begin to live out our faith in this lifetime, which is the testing ground of our faith as we learn what it means to worship and trust.
Hope in the Bible has a target: God. God is the author and source of our hope (Romans 15:13). Jesus is our hope (1 Timothy 1:1). He provides our hope through his death and resurrection and also is the object of our hope as we seek to be in his presence (Philippians 1:21). Hope is one of the greatest needs people have today. Hope is what drives us into the future and leads to new discoveries, inventions, and overall betterment of life. If we put our hope in the wrong thing or wrong person, we will be disappointed. There is only one sure person for our hope. Our hope in Christ cannot be taken away.
Love is the greatest of these because it is who God is and what God has given to use through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Love brings all the other gifts together and is the foundation and source for all these gifts. Love for God helps our faith grow. Love provides a reason for hope. If we seek love first, then all the other virtues Paul lists in his letters will come along.
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