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How is love greater than faith if it's only by faith that we receive salvation in Christ?
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. But in 2 Timothy says That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way for salvation, that's what N.T says. So if it requires faith to believe in Jesus, how can love be greater than faith?
1 Corinthians 13:13
MODERNGREEK - 13 Τωρα δε μενει πιστις, ελπις, αγαπη, τα τρια ταυτα. μεγαλητερα δε τουτων ειναι η αγαπη.
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Asked July 21 2015
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Georg Kouz
Supporter
Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
JD Abshire
Supporter
Considering the book of Corinthians was written to the professing Church, the scripture assumes they were already saved. Salvation is not in question here but rather an exhortation to fulfill the ministry of the gifts imparted by the Holy Spirit in and through a heart of love. Paul identifies fruit of the Spirit in the following passage. I believe so many times we Christians think if we exhibit one of these attributes we are "Spiritual". However, the word is not fruits, plural but "fruit" singular. If we are truly experiencing a fullness of the Spirit "all" these attributes would be manifested. I manage to "leak out" a little glory once in a while. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:22-26)
John Green
Supporter
Love is the only one of the three, (Love, Faith and Hope) that is eternal. Faith and Hope will be fulfilled and there will no longer be a need for them in heaven, whereas Love will be perfected and will be constantly present and functional throughout eternity.
Kenneth Heck
Supporter
We are saved by grace through faith. But if a person has no love of the truth he may not be saved. 2 Thess 2:10 "...because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." So we see that because of God's love, and our own love of the truth, we can be saved. Faith itself is a gift of God Eph 2:8: it is like the mustard seed, Matt. 17:20, which is planted in ourselves, and we are expected to nurse it to full stature, that is, to endure to the end without becoming faithless. But love is what unites man to God, men to men, and all existence to God. We say God is love, but we don't say God is faith, or God is hope. 1 Peter 4:8 "...love shall cover a multitude of sins." Love is the true underlying basis for salvation, not man's capacity for faith or hope.
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