🕊️ Theological Virtues Passages
The most prominent place they are listed together in the Bible is the Apostle Paul's famous chapter on love: 1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." Here are other key verses that define or emphasize each of the three Theological virtues:
1. Faith, Belief in God and trust in His promises, even when the evidence is unseen.
Icon: ✝️(The Cross) The Mind's Light: The virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that He has said and revealed. It is the foundation of the spiritual life.
Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (The classic definition of faith.)
Romans 1:17: "For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
James 2:17: "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (Emphasizes that true faith produces good works.)
2. Hope: The confident expectation and desire for the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life, based on God's promises.
Icon: ⚓(The Anchor) The Soul's Anchor: The virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven as our happiness, placing our trust in promises rather than our own strength.
Romans 5:3–5: "...we also glory in our sufferings, because suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
Hebrews 6:19: "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."
3. Love/Charity: Loving God above all things for His own sake and loving one's neighbor as oneself for the love of God (often referred to as agape love).
Icon: ❤️(The Heart) The Heart's Flame: The "greatest of these." It is the virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves.
1 Corinthians 13:4–8: (The description of Agape Love) "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
Matthew 22:37–39: (The Great Commandment) "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"
These three virtues are considered Theological because they relate directly to God as their source and object, and are believed to be infused into the soul by the grace of God.