Toward a Theology of Faith, Hope, and Love: Applications in Theology, Lesson 6
By John Frame and Steve Childers
“Faith, hope, and love…these are the chief things—indeed, the only things—to seek for in religion.” –St. Augustine
What should you believe?
What should you hope for?
How should you love?
Augustine taught that the essence of: 1) our faith is found in the Apostles' Creed, 2) our hope is found in the Lord’s Prayer, and 3) our love for God and others is found in the Ten Commandments.
Eleven centuries later, a former Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, dedicated his life to continuing Augustine’s tradition of helping people cultivate the Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love by using the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments.
John Calvin then decided to follow this example in Augustine’s “handbook” and Luther’s letter to his barber, by writing his own brief summary of the essence of biblical Christianity–that became his famous Institutes of the Christian Religion.
In this series you'll see how a mind that is renewed by biblical faith, and a heart that is alive with biblical hope, results in a life that honors God by loving him and others deeply and well.
Lesson Goals
In this lesson, you'll be equipped to:
Understand that worshipping God shapes our lives
Recognize the Enchiridion in directing our worship
Pray through the creed, prayer, and commands
Learn the sum of godliness from Calvin’s Institutes
Realize faith, hope, and love in Pauline theology
Align our minds, hearts, and lives with the biblical virtues
Choose Your Learning Pathway
We help underserved church leaders develop churches that transform lives and communities