Three Vital Graces For Christian Living!

Three Vital Graces for Christian Living!

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

What traits or qualities should I pursue as a Christian priority? Which graces would God be interested in establishing in my life to create a rock solid spiritual foundation for others? There are three vital graces for Christian living, worship, service, decision making, relationships, and development. The three are crucial to authentic Christian maturation and expression. Faith, Hope, and Charity (love) are among the highest and most critical of all Christian characteristics and personality assets. These God-designated values should mark and flavor the character of everything Christian without exception. Since they are distinguishing values they will inform and influence our marriages, families, churches, occupations, ministries, and businesses. They provide a prism through which the light of our lives shine coloring all things concerning us to the praise of our Lord.

Now consider each of these graces thoughtfully:

Faith

Christians are to live by faith—this is essentially trusting God’s Word and acting on it in daily interaction with Him. Christians are not to act as if God is not involved in their lives, or as if God is not the supreme Reality to them. Such issues as living in fear, doubt, worry, apprehension, inactive service, and self-confidence are diametrically the opposite of genuine expressions of faith in God. We must be sure to avoid trusting money, people, human strategies, and ourselves more than we believe/trust The True and Living God. We habitually trust God to enable us to handle life. While we can know many things through science and history, there are other Realities that can only be known or experienced by faith in the Word of God. Each day should be punctuated with a rich and deep confidence in something God wills, commands, or promises in the Word of God. 

Hope

Christians are to live in hope—“God…hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus” (1 Pet. 1:3), “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2:13). A Christian must not indulge in self-pity, discouragement, hopeless feelings, despair, and frustration. Certainly every one of us longs for and greatly appreciates the existence of hope in our souls! We truly have something worth anticipating and often we stretch our necks looking for our Savior to come for us. Clearly we must live each day filled with the realization that our Lord could come today and receive us unto Himself. While we may have the luxury of hopeful circumstances from time to time, but our hope is rooted in the Person and promises of God! These much treasured promises of the Rapture of the saints (1 Thess. 4:13-18) are absolutely essential to sane living in a broken world. Beloved, embrace your hope in Christ (1 Cor. 15:35-58; Phil. 3:20, 21); it is as indisputable as the resurrection of our Lord Jesus!

Charity

Christians are to live in love—“walk in love, as Christ also loved us” (Eph. 5:2), “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart…love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 22:37-39). A Christian experience can never be loveless and remain ‘Christian.’ We cannot afford to resort to inactive service, selfishness, isolation, disinterest in others, turning our backs while others suffer for daily essentials, and harsh unjust mistreatment of the weak, vulnerable, and helpless. Charity is serving, sharing, and caring for others with God's glory and their good as motivating passions. It is not with a pretentious love, sanctimonious lip service, nor with mere human-grade affections that we live selflessly in service to others. No, God’s soldiers of agape-love must approach each day filled with the Spirit and committed to loving God supremely while loving our families, neighbors, friends, church families, and work associates as ourselves. Beloved, just look around you; godly love is needed everywhere!

Thus we have examined briefly the three vital graces for Christian living—faith, hope, and charity. These three remain…they abide as tremendous needs in our broken world. In fact, they will be needful until Christ makes all things new after the Millennial Age as we enter the Eternal Age (Rev. 21). In that day, faith will become sight as we walk in all the realities of God’s will, commands, and promises in the fullest ways possible. Our hopes will be realized in a fantastic and yet continuous manner as we share life most intimately with The Spirit, our Heaven Father, and with the lovely Lord Jesus, our grand Savior! In addition, we will share all eternity with all the saints of God from every age in a new heaven and earth. What a ‘family of God’ (Eph. 3:14, 15) reunion that will be! And that last grace called charity…well…we will continue to love God supremely and our neighbors as ourselves. I imagine this will transpire in the form of serving and sharing of ourselves for all eternity in ministry to our Lord and His people. You see, this greatest of all graces will forever be applicable for the people of God throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Thus, “the greatest of these is charity” (1 Cor. 13:13).