The Pastor's Corner

February 2026

Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Corinthians 12:31 - 13:13)

“And now faith, hope, and love remain, these three and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written for a community that was competing for notoriety and importance. In chapter 12 Paul speaks about spiritual gifts and the unity of the church. In chapter 13, he is trying to make the point that without God, without God’s love, these gifts are not fruitful.

The final verse of chapter 12 serves as a preface to chapter 13.

“But you should be eager for the greater gifts. And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison.” (1Corinthians 12:31)

Paul then goes on to give examples and descriptions of this “way that is beyond comparison.”

Love is a word that we overuse. We say we love this or that. What Paul is describing is not some flippant idea of love. God is love. What Paul says about love is a description – not a definition.  Paul’s description of love is a description of God; this is what God is like.

The Greek word Paul uses is agape. It is translated as “love” or “charity.” Paul is not talking about a human quality of benevolence, which is usually what is meant by the term “charity.” Paul is talking about the divine graciousness revealed in Christ. In the original Greek, Paul makes agape, or love, the subject of several verbs. To be true to the original text, it would be more accurate to translate it this way: Love shows patience, love acts with kindness. He’s telling us not what love IS, but what love DOES. Paul is describing what God is like. If we replace the word love with God, we can better see this.

GOD shows patience, GOD acts with kindness. GOD does not envy, GOD does not brag, GOD is not puffed up. GOD is not rude, GOD is not self-serving, GOD is not easily angered or resentful. GOD is not glad about injustice but rejoices in the truth. GOD bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things GOD never ends… And now faith, hope, and GOD remain, these three and the greatest of these is GOD.

Faith is a gift of God.

Jesus asked Peter: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ; the son of the living God.” Jesus told Peter that it was God who revealed this to him. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, God impressed upon Peter – and likewise, impresses upon us – the existence of the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); the desire to know God; and the realization that we are God’s children. In other words, through the work of the Holy Spirit, God gives us the gift of faith.

 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17)

"now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

"for we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Faith is not merely the reception of the Gospel, but trust in God. Because we trust God, we have hope that God’s promises will be fulfilled.

Hope comes from faith.

Faith and hope differ in that hope is focused more on the future. Faith is directed toward God’s authority because it focuses on God’s Word, God’s promises. Hope focuses on God’s control, God’s sovereignty. Hope is the expression of faith.

Jesus said if we have faith as small as a mustard seed it is enough. Therefore, if we have only a glimmer of hope it is enough.

Love is the foundation of faith and hope. All our spiritual gifts and talents are cultivated by love and that love deepens the fellowship of the church. Faith will one day become sight. Hope will end in fulfillment.

Right now, we can’t see God. We can’t always understand God’s purposes. But one day soon, we won’t need faith, because we will see our God with our own eyes: 

“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:4-5) 

God is love and God loves you!

When God called Jeremiah, he said “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5).  God has loved you longer that you’ve been alive – not just your whole life, but BEFORE your life began. That’s a powerful message! Even more, there’s nothing you can do to lose God’s love.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

God is eternal, not bound by space or time. God is love and God’s love is eternal.

We can love because God has already fully known us and loved us anyway. God is working to make our lives and our communities look more and more like this busy, active, tireless love of God that Paul describes. The resurrection of Jesus signifies for all generations, not only that love is the ultimate reality, but that love is victorious over death, over all evil. So, as children of God we have faith in God’s promises and hope that God’s promises will be fulfilled.

 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when what is perfect comes, the partial will be set aside… For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now we know in part, but then we will know fully, just as we have been fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:9-10, 12-13)

Grace and peace to you all,

Pastor Teresa