NOW ABIDE FAITH, HOPE & LOVE

Intro.

1.  1 Cor. 13:13 - Faith, hope & love: Three attributes of a Christian’s life which define us and explain who we are in Christ Jesus.

2.  The superiority of love is seen in its eternally enduring quality:

• Faith & hope will give way to sight & reality - 2 Cor. 5:7; Rom. 8:24-25.
• Love abides - 1 Jno. 4:8 (Mk. 12:30-31).

3.  This triplet serves as strong exhortation to us to remain faithful unto death & receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10; 2 Tim. 4:7-8).

• A faith that will not fail - 1 Pet. 2:6.
• A hope that perseveres - Titus 1:2.
• A love that permeates - 1 Cor. 16:14.

I.  Rom. 5:1-5: THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH, HOPE & LOVE.

• Faith...Over sin (justified; peace, grace).
  • Justified: Rom. 4:5-8.
  • Peace: Eph. 2:14-18 (With God, over sin).
  • Grace: Eph. 2:8-10 (in which we stand).
• Hope...Over the despair of sin (reward & rejoicing) - Gal. 5:5.
  • No disappointment! - Rom. 5:5.
• Love...Of God over sin in our hearts - Rom. 5:5.
  • The love of God is with His people - cf. 2 Cor. 13:14.
  • More than conquerors - Rom. 8:37-39.
  • Keep yourself in the love of God by obeying Him - Jude 21; 1 Jno. 5:3.

II.  1 Thess. 1:2-4: THE ACTION & IMPACT OF FAITH, HOPE & LOVE.

• Faith...Work of God in our lives - Jno. 6:28-29 (cf. Phil. 2:12-13).
  • Saves, alive, fruitful, justifies - Jas. 2:14-26.
• Hope...Patiently does the will of God - cf. Rom. 4:18-21.
• Love...The driving force of faith - Gal. 5:6.

--Our lives as God’s elect are animated by faith, hope & love! (1:4)

III. Col. 1:3-6: THE INFLUENCE OF FAITH, HOPE & LOVE.

• Faith...Must be observable to be real - Jas. 2:15-17.
• Love...Is also observable - 1 Jno. 3:16-18.
• Hope...Gospel - In heaven & urges us to faith & love! - Heb. 6:19

IV. Heb. 10:22-25: THE MOTIVATION OF FAITH, HOPE & LOVE.

• Faith...To draw near to God - cf. Heb. 9:14; 12:24.
• Hope...To hold fast our confession - cf. Heb. 6:9-12.
• Love...To consider one another (exhort, etc.) - Heb. 3:12-13.

V.  1 Peter 1:17-23: THE REVERENCE OF FAITH, HOPE & LOVE.

• Faith...To live with a view toward judgment - 2 Cor. 5:7-10.
• Hope...To remember that God is our reason for hope - Psa. 39:7.
• Love...To fervently love each other - 1 Jno. 4:20-21.

VI. 1 Peter 1:3-9: THE REWARD OF FAITH, HOPE & LOVE.

• Faith...The salvation of your souls (v. 9) - Guards us (v. 5), if genuine, will bring us praise, honor & glory (v. 7).
• Hope...Living (v. 3) - As we hope for our inheritance, we endure trials (v. 5-6) & rejoice (v. 8) - Rom. 12:12; Titus 1:2.
• Love...To abide with God forever - cf. Jno. 14:23.

--2 Jno. 8 - Look to yourselves - do not lose these things - Full reward!

Conclusion

1 Cor. 13:13 - Faith, hope & love now abide.....we must have faith, hope and love abiding in us! (cf. 2 Pet. 1:5-11)