In Corinthians 13, Paul teaches us to abide in faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love. Faith, hope, and love, are all essential pieces of a Christian’s life. Faith being the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1-2). Through God’s great mercy, he causes us to be born again to a living hope, through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ from to an inheritance that is imperishishable, undies, and unfading, kept in heaven for us, who by God’s power are being guarding through faith for a salvation that will be revealed (1Peter 1:3-5). God showed us what love is by giving his only son to die on the cross to save the world, so that who ever believes will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16-17). Hope, faith, and love all work together for us to be reconciled with God and recieve his gift of salvation, so why does Paul say that love is the greatest of the three?
Paul tells us in Romans 8:24-25 that our hope is in salvation and we hope for what we have not seen. Once we see what we have been hoping for, it is no longer hope. Therefore, once our hope in eternal life with Christ is realized, hope will end. The same is true with faith. Once we see heaven, faith for salvation will end. Love, however, is different. Love is eternal, it is what brings Jesus and God the Father together as one and love brings all those who follow Jesus together as one in Him (John 17:21-26). Jesus showed the greatest act of love by sacrificing his life on the cross for us, while we were all sinners, to reconcile us with God and save us with his life (Romans 5:7-11).
Another reason love is so great is that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:38-39). God’s love is everlasting (Psalms 103:17-18). One day faith and hope will cease, but love will remain. Jesus says if we love him, we will keep his commandments (John 14:15). We can show our love for Jesus each day by following his two greatest commandments: love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:29-31). When we love God, ourselves, and each other the way Christ intented, our love will endure forever.