Faith, Hope, Love

Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.


Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him


1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.


1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.


1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?


1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.


2Th 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.



Can you have faith in God without love? Or love of God without faith? Seriously, can you? I know that we can love a person without fully trusting them, having faith in them, but that's with our very imperfect love. Some would say that's a warped love, being able to love someone whom you can't have faith in. We do it all the time as parents don't we? Our children do things that hurt us as they grow up and yet the love doesn't stop. But... is the love still there because we are trying to have faith in them, that they'll be better? The same with spouses that cheat, or do other things that are detrimental to the relationship. We love them, the love doesn't stop just because we are hurt by them and we want to give them another chance don't we? We want to believe they won't hurt us again. That's faith isn't it? Believing in something unseen, hoping in something. And love, we give part of ourselves to those we love don't we? We invest part of ourselves. We care for them and don't want to see them hurt.


Can we have faith in someone without love? Yes, I don't have to love my neighbor do I, in order to trust them. Or is that a love of fellowman that I have for them? I certainly can't hate my neighbor and have faith in them could I? Faith seems to disappear when hate enters in. Can we have love without faith? No. Because love automatically has us hoping in the best even if we think the worst. I may think the worst of a lying, cheating, abusing husband but the part of me that still loves him would have hope that the lying, cheating, and abusing would end. Part of me would hope that there are good reasons for all of it if it doesn't end.


Faith and love are all intertwined aren't they? It's no wonder that without faith it's impossible to please God. We have to believe in God and have a certain measure of love towards God and others. I say a certain measure because I'm beginning to believe that it's very true, we have to love God and love our fellowman- these are the two greatest commandments that all the rest hang on. It's not the overwhelming gooshy love but a love filled with hope, a love believing in the best of each other even in the face of the worst. A love hoping when there is little tangible reason to hope.


Jesus died to give us hope. We have to have patience, our faith has to remain to the end, we have to love each other- hope in each other. We have to have faith, hope, and love... and yes the greatest is love because it encompasses faith and hope. It's determining to love when there is no outward reason to hope or have faith.


Faith without works is dead. We cannot truly have faith without works. The faith in God will result in a life full of decisions based upon that faith and our lives are made up daily of the works we do, the actions we take.


May the Lord God Almighty look down upon us and bless us with the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit live in us, all by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May our faith grow now and always in Him and our works, our lives be a reflection of that faith. Please Lord, hear us and help us.


Amen.