The End of Faith and Hope 

   “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13: 13) 

   These words of St. Paul speak to the Christian life, these are three things that all Christians profess; faith in God, hope in eternal life, and love of God and neighbor.  But of these three only one will remain in the next life: love.

   Faith is what keeps me going in a world that seems to be on a rocket ship to hell, faith in God’s words, faith in my Lord Jesus Christ.  My faith tells me that this world is a temporary exile and that my true home is with God in His kingdom.  That faith is my strength.

   How desperately I need hope; hope in God’s promises, hope in the life to come.  Without this hope life would be so much harder.  Satan is the ruler of this world and without hope in God I fear I would more readily fall victim to his temptations and evil urgings.  My hope helps me resist him.

   The love of this world is a mere shadow of love as it will be in God’s kingdom.  A love so pure, so intense that earthly love can never compare.  This is the love God intended for all mankind and it is the love He still has for us.  However, we lost the ability to love as He loves when sin rose its ugly head in the Garden of Eden.  We will again know that love in heaven.

   So why do I say that there will be an end to faith and hope?  St. Paul wrote that “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11: 1).  What I have placed my faith in during this life will be reality in the next; there will no longer be a need for faith.

   The hope I have of eternal life with God will, by His grace, be fulfilled in the next life.  There is no further need for hope when all I hoped for is mine.

   Love, however, will remain for it is eternal.  God is love and that love will be the greatest blessing of heaven.  Not only will I know the fullness of God’s love for me, but I will be able to share that love, with Him and with all the saints who are gathered there.