FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE - 3

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 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT). 

The AMPLIFIED version says God has given us three eternal graces: Faith in God, Hope of heaven and the Love of Christ. 

Love of Christ

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12 NKJV)

In a dramatic account, the bible revealed to us the depth of love in Jesus’s heart for His followers: ‘Therefore, when Jesus saw her [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” 

While we may describe this form of love Jesus showed His friends as what has been termed Philia [Brotherly, affectionate friendship love], there is a higher form of love – Agape [Unconditional, Unmerited love for others], the type that made God give His begotten Son to die for the sin of the world (John 3:16). 

Yet, Jesus spoke of the greatest form of love - Sacrificial love, still Agape in nature, as  the ultimate, referring to His own self-sacrifice for humanity. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”. (John 15:13). 

Apostle Paul later reiterates on these words, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?... neither death nor life... will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35, 38-39). His Love is so amazing, so divine!

© OO-I.

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