Faith, Hope, and Charity

This week I was thinking a bit about the connection of faith, hope, and charity. I thought that I was doing pretty well with them, but through my studies I have realized that if you are lacking in one of these three areas, you are lacking in all. 

D&C 18:19 "And if you have not faith, hope, and charity, you can do nothing."

Alma 7:24 "And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works."

Moroni 10:20 "Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also behope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity."

They are three attributes that are fairly well-known, but as always, we tend to learn more as we see examples. In order for you all to understand the connection, I have put various scriptures in order as to help each one of us see more clearly the interconnection of these three.

Faith. Alma 44:3-4
 3 But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our religion and our faith in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot destroy this our faith. 4 Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith.
--In the heat of battle Captain Moroni bears testimony to his enemy that because of his faith in Christ, as well as that of his people, the Lord has preserved them and helped them prosper. Six times he testifies that it is according to his faith that he has been preserved and not because of his military skills. Testify of your faith in Christ.

Hope. Ether 12:4
4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

--Hope comes by faith and becomes an ancor; holding us where we need to be, helping us see where we need to go. If we do not have hope, we would not see why we do the things we do, and would quickly lose our course. Anchor yourselves with hope. Do not take your course away from God.

Charity. 1 Corinthians 13
 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
 8 Charity never faileth:

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Luke 10:33-37

Only when we have this faith and hope, can we be in the path of God. Only when we are in the path of God can we help others to come as well. Love every person like they are a child of God because they are.

So what must we do?

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall haveeternal life."

2 Nephi 31:20

With love,

Elder Andrews