Well there’s a huge topic, one that will never be exhausted!
I for my part would like to share that we often misunderstand these three “theological virtues” because their names have somewhat different meanings in ordinary use than in Scripture.
“Love” is most obvious - we think of love as a feeling, and especially as the love between a man and a woman (which is why this gets used at weddings all the time). But scripture tells us God IS love, and we know that God is not just a “feeling.” And the love that Jesus commands us to have is a very active thing, not just an emotional connection. So it is important to remember that the various emotions that humans call love are all just weak reflections of the real thing, which is a characteristic of God - and which can flow through us to the world if we let the Holy Spirit dwell in us and direct us in God’s service.
Next is “faith,” which we tend to reduce to “belief” despite the fact that scripture points out clearly that even demons believe, and yet clearly do not have saving faith. So faith is again much more powerful than what we tend to think of, and involves our entire selves being submitted to God’s will, which is why it must bear fruit in works. And it is a gift of God, not something of which we can boast.
Finally “hope” which in common usage, at least in English, tends to refer to another emotion, an almost wistful looking-forward to something desired and which implies doubt, the possibility that the desired outcome may not come to be. But hope in scripture is again very strong - a certainty given by God which empowers the believer to do the will of God even in the face of opposition, to remain joy-filled even in under suffering, and to remain faithful to the end.
And in this life, all three work together and depend on one another - but in eternity, when we will be with Him, we will no longer need faith and hope - and so only Love remains, as the Apostle says.
Dear Everyone,