Saturday, March 2, 2019
1 Corinthians 13:13 . . . And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love . . .
DIVINE LOVE: THE SOURCE OF OUR SALVATION
One last caution. When Paul says divine love (A-GAH-PE) is the greatest, he is not saying we are saved by our acts or deeds of love. That would contradict his own teaching: "By grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Sinners are justified, saved, through faith alone -- faith in Jesus' atoning sacrifice for us.
Yet it is said that love is greater than faith and hope. How so? Faith is what makes us God's children, but we will no longer need faith in heaven. Hope is that which expects great things from God, but once in heaven our hope will be changed to sight.
Divine love is the greatest because it is God's love which moved Him to undertake and carry out His rescue plan to save sinners. Thus the love of God undergirds and outstrips everything else.
Paul practiced what he preached. After his conversion to Christianity, he ran into all sorts of difficult people and trying circumstances. Often his love for Christ and his fellowmen was put to a severe test. Yet through the faith given him he could say, and with our Spirit-given faith we can say with him:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35ff).
Rejoice, my heart, be glad and sing, A cheerful trust maintain;
For God, the source of ev'rything, Your portion shall remain.
Did not His love and truth and pow'r Guard ev'ry childhood day?
And did He not in threat'ning hour Turn dreaded ills away?
Upon your lips, then, lay your hand, And trust His guiding love;
Then like a rock your peace shall stand Here and in heav'n above.
(Lutheran Service Book, 737:1, 4, 7)
