Spiritual Triplets – I Corinthians 13:13
“Spiritual Triplets!!!”
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the
greatest of these is charity. ” I Corinthians 13:13
Have you ever asked why Paul says charity is the greatest
of the three? I have. The main reason he says it is that the Holy
Spirit inspired him to. There are a few other considerations
designed specifically for us to pursue, searching for hid
treasure, as it were!
First, this word charity is love in action. It is not stagnant.
It is the same love in John 3:16. All of the descriptive nouns
show movement to supply an existing need.
Second, it follows that this love is directed, focused on
specifics that relate to spiritual development in our lives. In
John 3:16, the focus is on providing everlasting life to
believers. It is directed toward supplying for a deficiency in I
Corinthians 13.
Third, it is all-encompassing relative to our supply. Paul,
led of the Holy Spirit, links this love to every area of human
life: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual (with
spiritual being the hub from which the other three extend).
How do faith and hope fit with charity? On the one hand, we
access what God offers us in Christ only by faith (not works).
Our faith is directed toward John 3:16. On the other hand, in
this decaying world system, this is our only hope.
Faith, hope, charity … THE GREATEST IS CHARITY!
– G.G.
Prepared by Roger Fulk, from the “Baptist Bread”, OCTOBER 22, 2024, by author Dr. Guy Goodell, (Deceased), Pastor, Bible Baptist Church, Hudson Falls, NY. With permission from Tim Green, editor of Baptist Bread.
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