My Favorite Scriptures

​Today, one of my friends asked if I have favorite scriptures. The truth is, I have several favorite scriptures. John 3:16, Hebrews 11:1, and 1 Corinthians 13:13. But, if I had to pick one, it would be 1 Corinthians 13:13 because I feel it encompasses the concept of everything I believe about life with Jesus.

John 3:16 (NKJV) 

​For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

​John 3:16 is a verse that summarizes everything we need to know about God. Concisely and stated, God loved the world so much that He sacrificed His only Son so that our sins could be forgiven.

The world had become separated and rebellious against God. Sin was rampant. And, you see, God could not look upon sin, so something had to be done. A sacrifice of atonement had to be made.

When we sacrifice something, it should be precious. What good is a sacrifice that we don’t care about? Is it a sacrifice if we are willing to throw it away anyway? No, a sacrifice is something valuable to us, and the thought of giving it up makes it a sacrifice.

God loved His Son like a father loves a child. And God loves us like a father loves a child. The sacrifice of God’s only child is a sacrifice like no other. And, He made that sacrifice so that our sins could be forgiven, we could have a way to build a relationship with Him, and we could be invited into the Kingdom of Heaven to enjoy a glorious life forever in the presence of God, our Creator. 

There is no greater love than the love our Father has for us. His sacrifice is evidence of that.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)  

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

​We know there is a Creator, God. We know God saved us through His Son, Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. And we know that Christ is coming back for us.

We know God loves us merely by all He has done for us. We have faith in God’s promises. Our Father has never and never will lie to us. Hope is living this life without a doubt, but with the expectation of Jesus returning to take us home to the Father’s Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)  

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love is the greatest gift of all time. It is a gift that can be given and received simultaneously. It is out of love that we have been saved. Out of love, we have been given an opportunity to have eternal life in Heaven. And, for that, we are asked to do nothing except to believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Jesus Christ is the epitome of love. His sacrifice says it all. We live life with faith and hope of His return. As He loves us, He asks us to love others. Bestow upon others the kind of love He has bestowed upon us.

​Do you have favorite scriptures?

​Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-jacket-sitting-beside-woman-in-blue-dress-shirt-6860466/

Copyright Marlene C Bertrand April 1, 2023

Marlene Bertrand is an evangelist and a reputably ordained minister. In 2012, Marlene established a ministry with Christian House International to share the gospel with the world. Through Voice of Hope, Marlene hopes people will learn about the Lord, our Savior and will come to know, love, and trust Him for a life forever in the Kingdom of God.

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