Focus: Divine Triad

Text: 1Cor.13:13

"And now abideth FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."

The author of Ecclesiastes tells us that "a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Ecl.4:12). The cords of faith, hope, and love are woven together by God into a strong and unbreakable thread of a balanced, God-centered living. These three elements belong together. One can't do without the other. Paul's description of love as the greatest implies that faith is great and hope is greater. Faith is great, hope is greater, and love is greatest. This threefold cord makes life worth living and takes us from time to eternity. It is a durable triad of divine weaving.

*Faith is for today

God designed faith for today's life. It is extremely hard living this life without faith in God. Paul says, "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)" (2Cor.5:7). Our whole life on earth as believers is faith-oriented and God-governed.

Faith is basically a God-centered belief. It is formed and fashioned by the word of God. It is propelled by the sure promises of God.

We live today's life counting on God. When life goes wrong, we refuse to go wrong with it. Abraham Heschel said, "Faith like Job's cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been shaken."

Living by faith means being mindful of God and feeding on His word. Our attitudes are formed by faith, our actions are informed by faith, and our lifestyle is influenced by faith.

*Hope is for tomorrow

We are creatures of hope. Hope tells us that there is a tomorrow, and that tomorrow is certainly better than today. What the future holds is surely something to look forward to. Paul says, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (1Cor.15:19). Beyond this life there is a better and greater future. Augustine says, "Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are." People of hope are not satisfied with the way things are now, and so they labour to effect a change in the future. 

Moreover, the Christian hope is based on the future God has promised and packaged. The psalmist says, "I hope in thy word" (Ps.119:81,114; 130:7). God promises eternal bliss for those who believe in Jesus Christ. The psalmist says, "My flesh also shall rest in hope" (Ps.16:9). Again, he says, "And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee" (Ps.39:7). Solomon says that "the righteous hath hope in his death" (Prov.14:32). Our hope in Christ keeps us going in this messy and hopeless world.

*Love is for time and eternity

Love is for all times. It is a durable and enduring virtue. Love lasts for time and eternity. Love is bliss for the soul. Billy Graham said, "When we preach atonement, it is atonement planned by love, provided by love, given by love, finished by love, necessitated because of love. When we preach the resurrection of Christ, we are preaching the miracle of love. When we preach the return of Christ, we are preaching the fulfillment of love."

Love is winsome. Love is powerful. Love is sweet. Mother Teresa talked about the paradox of love, and said, "I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no more hurt, but only more love." William Barclay acknowledged that "more people have been brought into the church by the kindness of real Christian love than by all the theological arguments in the world, and more people have been driven from the church by the hardness and ugliness of so-called Christianity than by all the doubts in the world." The fruit of the Spirit is love, and faith expresses itself through love (Gal.5:6,22). 

Our life in Christ is initiated by faith, ignited by hope, and driven by love. Life is a mess without faith, hope, and love.

I present to you the divine triad of faith, hope, and love. We live triumphantly by faith, we live enthusiastically by hope, and we live beautifully by love. We are gladdened by faith, enlivened by hope, and enriched by love. The divine triad of faith, hope and love transforms our lives totally. By faith we live a transcendent life. By hope we live a radiant life, and by love we live a blissful life.

AMEN!!!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter