Paul’s language “work of faith,” “labor of love,” and “steadfastness of hope” was the language of his prayer for the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1.2). 4 They are the following:Ĭonstantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, (1 Thessalonians 1.3) Two other passages, both found in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, contain this magnificent trinity. In addition to the blessing of the complete Word of God, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13 of the blessings of faith, hope, and love. 3Thus, Paul’s letters provide all Church doctrine and his life reveals the pattern to follow to live holy lives before our Redeemer. Paul called these truths “secrets.” 2 To reveal holy living and obedience to these truths, God established Paul to be the pattern for believers to copy for living the Christian life. The Lord revealed to Paul these new truths of the Church to guide and administer His new creation. New wine cannot abide old wineskins (Matthew 9.17). Included in this commission was that Paul would found a new creation, the Church, the body of Christ (Ephesians 3.1-7). God saved Paul and appointed him to be the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11.13). They have been replaced by things far superior: the completed word of God, faith, hope, and love. Today, no one in the Church legitimately exercises the gifts of prophecy, knowledge, or tongues. 1 Thus, the supernatural gifts of 1 Corinthians 13 ceased by the time he wrote 2 Timothy. Paul’s commission included completing the Scriptures (Colossians 1.25 DARBY). After this, the Church would operate on the basis of the Word of God through faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these being love. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul taught that the supernatural communication gifts which God gave the early Church, i.e., the gift of prophecy, the gift of tongues, and the gift of knowledge, would vanish once the Scriptures were complete. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13.13).
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