What does it mean that love always hopes (1 Corinthians 13:7)?

What does it mean that love always hopes? We're going to answer that question. You can also discover more on GotQuestions .org. In the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, we find four things that love always does.

Love as an Action and the Meaning of Hope

Love is not just an idea, it is an action. The third action listed is that love always hopes, or hopes all things. The Greek word translated hope is from elpidzo, meaning to hope or wait for salvation with joy and full confidence.

Used 32 times in the New Testament, this word expresses more than a wish or a desire, but a confident belief in the unseen. Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see. Faith, hope, and love are often intimately connected in scripture.

We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Just as God is called love, Jesus is called our hope. Hope not only concerns our belief in Christ, but describes who he is to us.

Christ in Us and Hope for Holy Living

The hope within us is Christ himself. If he lives within us, his hope will be seen in how we treat others. Living with such an attitude reflects the way of Christ, leads to holy living, and brings glory to the heavenly father.

Hoping the Best for Others

Part of showing love is hoping, and part of hoping is seeing the potential of others. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming. In love, we can always be hopeful and show confidence in others.

How many times in the Old Testament did Israel fail God, yet their failure was never final. Love never says die. Peter failed Jesus, yet the Lord restored him. The Corinthians failed Paul in some ways, yet the apostle, in love, patiently corrected them and called them sanctified.

If you have ever had a person believe in you and share a hopeful attitude for your future, then you have experienced some of what 1 Corinthians 13 teaches. As long as there is love, there will be hope.

That answers the question, what does it mean that love always hopes? On our website, GotQuestions .org, you'll find a deeper discussion and recommended resources. If this helped you, give us a thumbs up and click subscribe.

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