Is Love the Greatest?

[Spockrates]

I think I know what you are trying to say and I agree in a way but, like all positives, our trust in God will be perfect and complete! This is the same as , there will be no doubt, no worry, no negatives and certainly "no more tears"!

I have complete faith what you say about faith is true. But isn't the same true of love? Won't our love for God also be perfect and complete? Since they will both be without flaw and lacking in no way, how does this demonstrate love is greater than faith?

 

[Spockrates]

Certainly light is symbolic of sinlessness and truth but we limit God who is limitless, if we think that's all there is to light is symbolism. How did God create light in the begining when there was no light? God is light!

I agree with your reply to James.

 

[RJ]

I have complete faith what you say about faith is true. But isn't the same true of love? Won't our love for God also be perfect and complete? Since they will both be without flaw and lacking in no way, how does this demonstrate love is greater than faith?

• I don't think you get the previous thought. First and foremost, God said it, I didn't : 1 Corinthians 13:13
• Our perfection will be so complete, "We will know him as well as he knows us", there will be no need for faith or hope and all that remains is love.
• 1 Corinthians 13:7..... If we could possiblly love perfectly in this life, there would be no thoughts of faith and hope, they would just be.
• But, considering what our real existence is here and now, God tells us that faith, hope and love will abide now but latter, in heaven, only love remains and therefore is the greatest.

 

[Spockrates]

I did say what it was, a couple of times. I will summarize - when we receive the light we get the truth, which means that God becomes real to us, and we know who Christ is (). Darkness is to falsehood (which includes sin, but darkness is not just about sin), as light is to truth. To summarize how the love, light and life of God fit together, as Scripture reveals - the Holy Spirit gives us life, this life issues in love and light. The love issues in grace, and the light issues in truth. says grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, because He brought us God's life, love and light. Jesus is the true light of the world (), and also God's love to us (), and Jesus is also the life ().

On the negative side, of man's fallen condition, the fall of man brought death, this death issued in hatred and darkness. The hatred brought judgement and works and anything else opposite grace, and the darkness brought sin. God's solution to sin and darkness is light. God's solution to judgement and works is grace. God's solution to hatred is love. God's solution to death, is life. Christ is our light, grace, love, and life. God's solution is found in Christ.

Yes, sorry for being so slow to understand. I suppose one might say just as God has a Trinity of persons to his one being, so too God has a Trinity of aspects to his one being. These three are love, life and light. Does this sound right?

Reminds me of something Jesus said:

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

(John 14:6)

So now that you have satisfied my curiosity about one thing, I'm curious about something else. I hope you don't mind my asking: Do you think any of the three persons of the Trinity is greater in value than the other three? Or do you think they are each of equal importance?

 

[Spockrates]

• I don't think you get the previous thought. First and foremost, God said it, I didn't :
• Our perfection will be so complete, "We will know him as well as he knows us", there will be no need for faith or hope and all that remains is love.
• ..... If we could possiblly love perfectly in this life, there would be no thoughts of faith and hope, they would just be.
• But, considering what our real existence is here and now, God tells us that faith, hope and love will abide now but latter, in heaven, only love remains and therefore is the greatest.

How do you know faith ceases to be in heaven? How do you know it remains in the grave with the flesh we discard and leave behind?

I do believe you and Paul when you say love is greater than faith. But I think there must be another reason for it's superiority than the one you have given.

What about James' reason he provided in this discussion? He says love is greater than faith because love is what God is, but faith is not.

 

[RJ]

Hmmm, maybe you are not looking at it the same.
What reason is there for faith in heaven, your faith has been perfected and made complete. Having future or continuing faith....in what? Your faith, hope and love now is imperfect, it has flaws and is not complete.
In the spirit world your faith is perfected, complete and finished; there is no need for it anymore. The same with hope and neither are eternal. But, love endures all and is eternal, why would it's existence be in question? So, being a part of perfect love it just exists in it's fullness with no need for faith or hope!
Sorry, you can't see that but, that is why they call it heaven.

 

[Spockrates]

Hmmm, maybe you are not looking at it the same.
What reason is there for faith in heaven, your faith has been perfected and made complete. Having future or continuing faith....in what?

Faith in God.

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

(Mark 11:22)

Your faith, hope and love now is imperfect, it has flaws and is not complete.
In the spirit world your faith is perfected, complete and finished; there is no need for it anymore. The same with hope and neither are eternal. But, love endures all and is eternal, why would it's existence be in question? So, being a part of perfect love it just exists in it's fullness with no need for faith or hope!
Sorry, you can't see that but, that is why they call it heaven.

Thanks for trying to explain. My apologies for being slow to understand, but--like love--I don't see any reason to doubt faith's existence in eternity. Perhaps you have a different meaning in mind for the word faith than I do?

I think, then it would be wise of me to carefully consider your meaning of the word before I try to comprehend the truth you know. So please tell me: What does the faith mean to you? How do you define it?

 

[RJ]

Faith in God.

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

(Mark 11:22)



Thanks for trying to explain. My apologies for being slow to understand, but--like love--I don't see any reason to doubt faith's existence in eternity. Perhaps you have a different meaning in mind for the word faith than I do?

I think, then it would be wise of me to carefully consider your meaning of the word before I try to comprehend the truth you know. So please tell me: What does the faith mean to you? How do you define it?

• First and foremost faith is a gift from God, you do not manufacture it. Ephesians 2 :8
• Second, faith increases by God himself from his word: Romans 10:17
• Faith is confidence and believing without seeing: Hebrews 11:1 , 2 Corinthians 5:7
• And now faith in heaven is not needed, you are spiritual and perfect and faith is no longer needed.
• Also, love is no required or needed, it just is!

 

[B-A-C]

He says love is greater than faith because love is what God is, but faith is not.

Well.. God is love.. but that isn't all He is.
He is righteous Psa 11:7;
He is Judge Psa 7:11;
He is Holy Lev 11:44;
He is jealous Exod 20:5;
He is vengeance Deut 32:35;
He is much more than that even...

 

[james1523]

Well.. God is love.. but that isn't all He is.
He is righteous Psa 11:7;
He is Judge Psa 7:11;
He is Holy Lev 11:44;
He is jealous Exod 20:5;
He is vengeance Deut 32:35;
He is much more than that even...

Yes, actually He is "I AM" which means He is everything.

 

[Spockrates]

• First and foremost faith is a gift from God, you do not manufacture it. Ephesians 2 :8
• Second, faith increases by God himself from his word:
• Faith is confidence and believing without seeing: ,
• And now faith in heaven is not needed, you are spiritual and perfect and faith is no longer needed.
• Also, love is no required or needed, it just is!

What is the object of our faith? Is this object the same as the object of our love?

 

[Spockrates]

Well.. God is love.. but that isn't all He is.
He is righteous ;
He is Judge ;
He is Holy ;
He is jealous ;
He is vengeance ;
He is much more than that even...

Yes. God does have righteous indignation and judges sin. Otherwise, hell would be empty. Would you say God's indignation and judgement is always fair? I believe you and I both would say this. But please tell me this: Is such damnation an act of love toward the one damned, or an act of some other virtue? And if it is some other virtue, is such a virtue of equal or lesser value than God's love?

 

[Spockrates]

Yes, actually He is "I AM" which means He is everything.

Everything good, you mean? Or is he sometimes loving and other times unloving? Sometimes wise and other times unwise?

 

[Brighthouse]

Ah but faith is a command!! hehe Hebrews 11:6! For without believing what good would any of the 3 be by themselves? Before Jesus I had great love for myself! LOL I placed all hope in myself,because I believed only in myself.Of course I was wrong,because self has limits to all these things,Jesus does not! John 13:34 to be willing to die for a friend,as Jesus did for us!! The cherry on top of the ice cream of love! Love is the engine to which the nature of God himself flows,but even an engine needs parts to keep it running.( Gal 5:22-26) I have learned the hard way,words are only as good as the deeds behind each word spoken!( james 1:22)

 

[Spockrates]

Ah but faith is a command!! hehe ! For without believing what good would any of the 3 be by themselves? Before Jesus I had great love for myself! LOL I placed all hope in myself,because I believed only in myself.Of course I was wrong,because self has limits to all these things,Jesus does not! to be willing to die for a friend,as Jesus did for us!! The cherry on top of the ice cream of love! Love is the engine to which the nature of God himself flows,but even an engine needs parts to keep it running.( ) I have learned the hard way,words are only as good as the deeds behind each word spoken!( james 1:22)

Hi, Brighthouse. Why do you think Paul says love is greater than faith?

 

[Brighthouse]

Did not argue that point. hehe 1 cor 13:1!! I just want to make sure you understand that having faith is important! To me brother, real faith can only work through love!!( gal 5:6)

 

[B-A-C]

What is the object of our faith? Is this object the same as the object of our love?

It should be, but it isn't always. When we say "object of our love" we need to be careful.
Remember we are also to love one another. Husbands are commanded to love their wives. (John 13:34-35; Eph 5:25-28; Col 3:19; )

 

[B-A-C]

What is the object of our faith? Is this object the same as the object of our love?

It should be, but it isn't always. When we say "object of our love" we need to be careful.
Remember we are also to love one another. Husbands are commanded to love their wives. (John 13:34-35; Eph 5:25-28; Col 3:19; )

Did not argue that point. hehe 1 cor 13:1!! I just want to make sure you understand that having faith is important! To me brother, real faith can only work through love!!( gal 5:6)

Amen. Love alone won't save us.

In fact without faith it is impossible to please Him (Heb 11).

 

[Spockrates]

Did not argue that point. hehe 1 cor 13:1!! I just want to make sure you understand that having faith is important! To me brother, real faith can only work through love!!( gal 5:6)

Yes, thanks. I was just curious about your opinion--if you have one in mind--about why Paul thinks love is the greater of the two.

 

[Spockrates]

It should be, but it isn't always. When we say "object of our love" we need to be careful.
Remember we are also to love one another. Husbands are commanded to love their wives. (; ; ; )

True, we love others as we love ourselves, and we ought to love God to, I think. How about you?