The Greatest of All

In his first letter to the believers in the Greek city of Corinth, the Apostle Paul said this:

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This well-known verse is the conclusion of what’s often referred to as the “love chapter” of the Bible. In it, Paul explained that spiritual gifts (like prophecy or knowledge) are helpful to the Church but simultaneously meaningless without an undercurrent of love.

Faith and hope are at the top of the list, but love is the greatest.

Think about it…

Faith is crucial to Christianity. In fact, “Without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:16). “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). But one day, faith will give way to sight and what was once foggy will suddenly become clear.

Hope is also essential to those who follow Jesus Christ. And we certainly have a great hope—based on facts, evidence, and witnesses—in the God who created us, gave His life for us, and will return for us once and for all. But one day, the future we hope for will become reality.

And so, Paul says, love is the greatest. Earlier in the chapter (1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭8‬), Paul defines love in action.

Faith and hope are important, but love is the greatest of them all. (YouVersion)