S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

In the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, we find four things that love "always" does. Love is not just an idea; it is action. The third action listed is that love "always hopes" (NIV) or "ho...

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July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Andy Mangus Supporter I am a Christian since October 1979 & devoted truth seeker.

A very simple and short answer that I submit:

Love always hopes is the premise that the character of what Love is, is this: Love is purity of goodness, as exemplified in that God is Love. Love is hope in inception, love is hope in the positive outlook for 'the best outcome, the best result, the ingredient is one that is void of bad, which is the polar opposite of good. The Bible teaches us through His Holy Word to have and exhibit these 3 main character traits to live by as a Child of God: We are to live by FAITH; we are to have 'eternal HOPE'; and, we are to live and be 'the ever-flowing conduit of His eternal LOVE, by and IN which He first created us! 

The Bible tells us that "God is Love", that He is Pure and Holy, that all goodness comes from the Father. God tells us that love is the hope of God that all will come unto Him seeking His everlasting Grace and Goodness. Hope is God's example for us to be positively desiring (Hope) that our fellow man will seek out God's love that is overflowing from His rivers of Grace that He gives freely and without measure.

Hope is God's optimism as expressed by "that all men might be saved and receive unto themselves the eternal gift of everlasting life, through His one and only Son, Jesus Christ."

"Praise God that we have a Savior! And, His name is Jesus Christ!"
~~Andy~~

August 26 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Robert Tan Supporter Robert Tan M.Div, M.Div, Gospel Preacher & Bible Teacher

When Paul talks about love, faith, and hope (three theological virtues), he always mentions them in their close relation one to another. It is like talking about the Trinity. When we talk about the Father, we cannot do it well enough without thinking about the Son and the Holy Spirit, and their interrelationships. 

In the following verses love, faith, and hope are placed in proximity. (1Co 13:13 NIV) And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1Th 1:3 NIV) We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Th 5:8 NIV)
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. (Gal 5:5, 6b NIV)
For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Col 1:5 NIV) the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel. The three theological virtues are also mentioned in close proximity one to another in Romans 5:1-5, 12:6-12, Eph 1:15-18. In 1 Tim 6:11 and Ti 2:2, faith, love, and endurance are placed side by side.

To Paul, faith, love, and hope are closely related to one another. To him, faith that justifies a sinner is not any faith, certainly not dead faith, but only the faith of Christ, or the faith demanded by Christ. (Gal 2:16a KJV) Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. The faith of Christ, or the faith demanded by Christ is the faith that expresses itself through love, agape (Gal 5:6b). Hence, not any person can have this kind of love, but only those who have the faith of Christ will have this love, for this love is produced only by the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22).

One of the characteristics of the love produced by the Holy Spirit in a believer's heart is the love that produces hope, the opposite of despair, in the heart of the believer. Whenever there is love, there is hope. When there is love (agape) in a marriage, there is hope for peace in that marriage. When love rules a family, there is hope for peace and harmony in that family. Members of the family hope for something good, for peace and harmony for one another, and for the whole family. 

Further, love brings about hope in those to whom that love is directed. We can place our hope in God for our forgiveness and salvation because God is love, and he loves us so much. Because of his great love, he sent his only Son to save sinners from the bondage of sin, the kingdom of death, the dominion of Satan, and God's own condemnation. Because God's love in Christ Jesus for us reaches out so high, deep, and wide, nothing can separate us from his love. Truly only in this God, who loves us so much, can we sinners place our hope for forgiveness and salvation through his Son, Jesus Christ. 

Agape indeed produces hope, the opposite of despair, in the heart where it is present, hope for the best for those to whom it is directed, and hope in those who receive that love.

July 28 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

RICK PORTER Supporter Chaplain [ Truckers Chapel ]-- Undeserving Child of God

I would only like to add that again all is rooted in grace [1 Corinthians 15:10 ] as Paul says of himself, it is of each believer.

God's Grace draws us to Faith. Because we are given Faith, we then acquire Hope in all because we trust in what we have Faith in, what Jesus did for us.

God is Love [ 1 John 4:8 ] and His Love and Hope has spread abroad through the Holy Spirit in us as believers [ Romans 5:5 ].

April 25 2017 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report