On Sunday, as we continued our series, “A Place to Belong,” Pastor JJ emphasized the importance of love in action in the life of a believer.
Focusing on 1 Corinthians 13:13, he said that “faith” believes what God says, and “hope” expects what God promises. But “love” actually does what God does.
Faith and hope are necessary to bring us to salvation and maintain our spiritual lives while we are here on earth. Galatians 3:26 says, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith …” And in Galatians 5:5, Paul writes, “For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.”
But John didn’t say, “God is faith,” or “God is hope.” He said, “God is love.”
Once we reach heaven, faith and hope will no longer be necessary because we will see God face to face. There will be no need then for faith or hope, because we will be in God’s presence. There will be nothing left to respond to in faith, nothing left to hope for.
Love is the greatest, because when we’re in heaven, only love will remain to experience and rejoice in forever.
The essence of God’s character is love. Love is what motivates His actions and defines His being. And that has major implications for the way we live our lives.
That’s why next Sunday, October 1, we want everyone at STF to invite someone to church with them -- so your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates, etc., can experience this God of love.
Christianity is not some lifeless religion; it’s a love relationship with a God who is love. Jesus Christ didn’t come to this earth, die and rise again to start a religion; He came to this earth, died and rose again to start a relationship of love with you, me and everyone else.
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