2020-08-25 “Charity Hopeth All Things”

I Corinthians 13:4-7  “Charity …  7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

In listing the blessed attributes of “Charity” (love toward God that is shown outwardly), Paul tells us that “Charity … hopeth all things”.  In this context, our hope rises from our God-given “faith” (Hebrews 11:1).  With this “faith” we have the “substance” and “evidence” to believe the Word of God, and thus to rest in hope (having full anticipation) of “all things” that our Lord has promised.  So, when we are told that we are “Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (II Corinthians 4:9), we believe it and our hope rests in it and it shows outwardly to encourage those around us.  When we are faced with great tribulations and troubles, our Lord “will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (I Corinthians 10:13), and we believe it and our hope rests in it and it shows outwardly to encourage those around us.  When we are told that “I can do all things (“all things” Our Lord Commands” through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13), we believe it and our hope rests in it and it shows outwardly to encourage those around us.  When we are told that our Lord declared, “of all which he (the Father) hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (John 6:39), we believe it and our hope rests in it and it shows outwardly to encourage those around us.  When we are told that our Lord “hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (II Timothy 1:9), we believe it and our hope rests in it and it shows outwardly to encourage those around us.  When we are told that “we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:17), we believe it and our hope rests in it and it shows outwardly to encourage those around us.  Our “hope” is a “good hope”; for, as Paul prayed, “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,  17  Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” (II Thessalonians 2:16-17)!