Christian Living

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SYMPTOM OF A LIVING FAITH, EFFECTS OF A LABOURING LOVE AND THE BENEFITS OF AN INSPIRING HOPE

All the scriptures are taken from the New International Version (NIV, 1984) unless otherwise stated. The following are the other version of the bible used
GWT- God’s Word Translation (1995)
ESV- English Standard Version (2001)
NAS- New American Standard Bible (1995)
KJV- King James Version
NLT- New Living Translation

Faith, love and hope are three distinct elements that are of great importance in a believer’s journey in Christ. The level of faith, love and hope that people have do varies, however the manifestation of these elements in your life are very essential. In his letter, Apostle Paul wrote,

“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 1:3

The Thessalonians Christians did not just have these three elements but the manifestation of their love, faith and hope was exemplary and causes them to be remembered always by Paul and others. What should I know about these three elements?

FAITH

“Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 GWT
The above scripture provides a vivid understanding of what it means to have faith; having an assurance that what will hope for will be and it also brings about the conviction of God’s existence despite the fact that we can not see him.

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” I Corinthians 15:14.

It is your faith that assures you that your expectations about resurrection of the dead will happen. Faith is independent of visual evidence and should not rely on people’s wisdom.

“So that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.” I Corinthians 2:5

Paul told the Corinthians the reason for his action was to let their faith rest on God’s power. Also your faith should not rest on what people say around you but should be based on the conviction of him that you believe. However, faith is meant to be put to work,

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” James 2:17 ESV

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:26

The two scriptures demonstrate that having faith is not enough, but putting your faith to work is important as that is what keeps your faith alive. It is certain that everyone can not be on the same level of faith but proving your faith with action will increase your level of faith.
The Thessalonians faith produced works (good deeds) and it is the works of their faith that they were remembered for before God. This points to the fact that even if you are not been recognised by others, the work of your faith is what God will recognise you for. Hebrews 11 gives numerous examples of people whose works of faith made them to be remembered. Examples of such people were Noah, Abel, Enoch and Abraham etc

WHAT DOES THE WORK PRODUCED BY FAITH MEAN?

The accounts of Noah and Abraham in Hebrews 11:7-9 demonstrates that obedience to the instructions of God is the only way to put our faith to work. Even though Noah had not yet seen what he was warned about, he obeyed and through his obedience 8 souls were saved. He didn’t wait for the visual evidence of rain but by the assurance that what he was warned about will happen, he began as he was told rather than wait till it became late. Also Abraham put his faith to work by obeying when he was directed to leave for a place he had not yet seen. He knew that God is faithful and thus he did not hold back to do as he was instructed.
The importance of having faith was indicated in Hebrews 11:6,

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 ESV

Having faith draws you near to God while putting your faith to work (obedience) draws you nearer to Him. This is the reason why Abraham was a friend to God. Believing that God exists alone is not enough to please him; you also need to believe that he will reward you when you earnestly seek him. This involves obedience as demonstrated by Noah and Abraham. It is not until you see what he promises that you should serve him. Though Jesus says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33. You do not have to get all you need before you decide to serve him. Though the Bible says “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7. It is not until the odds become better that you should think that God can do what you want.
The benefit of pleasing God is outlined in Hebrews 11:16

“Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

Faith is important if we are to receive anything from God because it gives the assurance that we will receive.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 NAS

Faith makes you to approach Jesus with the boldness that He can help you and by such approach, you will not be put to shame. There are examples of people who had put their faith to work and were not disappointed.

1. Mark 2:1-5
The faith of the four friends was what brought about the miracle of healing to the paralytic man. When you have faith that God can do all things, even when the odds are against you, your trust will still be that He can do all things that are according to his will.

2. Luke 8:40-48
The faith of this woman made her to receive what she had been hoping for. When we have faith we can please God and by pleasing him, he does what we trust him for.

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” Galatians 5:6 KJV
An author asked,

“Does it hurt when people do not trust you? Imagine how God feels?”1

The only thing that matters in your relationship with Jesus is your faith and not your race, gender, social background, family history or your education etc. However if faith works by love, then not obeying God is to doubt his love for you. If we are to please God and not hurt him by our lack of trust then we should express the work of our faith through obedience

LOVE

The two greatest commandments which encompass the Ten Commandments were rooted in love.
“Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

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1. http://churchsignmessage.com/b2evolution/blog2.php/2008/10/does-it-hurt-when-people-don-t-trust-you (Accessed 30/6/11)

Paul gave a clear idea of what love is

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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.” I Corinthians 13:4-6

It is very important that you have love both for God and others. Only those who love God can please him. Love makes you do certain things for those you love; it makes you go an extra mile. Love produces labour as shown by the Thessalonians.

What labour is produced by love?

“Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” II Corinthians 5:14-15 NLT

This shows that as an individual who love God, you can not live and think about yourself alone, you have to live for God. However, it is only those who are in Christ who can do this.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17

The new self makes you to live for God while the old self is ego-centric and everyone is born in to the old self. Coming in to Jesus takes away the old self and makes you to live for him alone by doing his will. If you are in Christ, you will have Love

“Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” John 14:10 NIV

If you are in Christ then you are in God and since God is love, then you will have love. A new creature has love that labours.

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;” Matthew 9:37

The harvest that is plentiful are those who need to know Jesus. These people may have never heard of Jesus but they know that they need someone who can heal their pains. The labourers are few but God wants you to be one of the labourers as Jesus said to his disciples

“And he said to them, “Go into the entire world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” Mark 16:15

Although you can not change the heart of an individual but how will these people know what they have never heard? And how will those who have heard understand what they were told if there is no one to explain to them (remember Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch Acts 8:26-40). God want you to reach out to the plentiful harvest in different ways you can but only those who love him and others that will labour to do so.

HOPE

To have hope is to keep believing that what we desire will happen, to believe that the future will be brighter no matter how tough the present may be.
Cicero said, “While there's life, there's hope.”2 This shows that those without hope are the living dead. However, our hope should be in the Lord. The Thessalonians endured so many trials because of their hope.

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

While you labour for Christ because of your love, persecution will come [Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. John 15:20] but hope in Jesus will keep you going.
On the other hand, your character determines if you will be a hopeful person or not. A positive minded person will have hope that though the present may be rough, the future will be better. Whereas a negative minded person will be blinded by pessimism and will never hope for anything good in the future. However, the character that produces hope can only be developed through perseverance. Those who can persevere will develop good character.

If God has promised, he will fulfil it, even though it lingers, it will come to pass and because he is the one that promised, time will always be on your side.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise...” II peter 3:9

“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3 ESV

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2. http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/31217.html (Accessed 30/6/11)

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH, LOVE AND HOPE

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” I Corinthians 13:13

As demonstrated by the Thessalonians, faith works, love labours and hope in Jesus inspires endurance. However, I Corinthians 13:13 shows that love is the greatest. But why is love greater? The comparison can be drawn between faith and love
Faith and love are needed if the church is to grow.

“So the churches were strengthened in the faith
and grew daily in numbers.” Acts 16:15

Faith makes you to reach out to others because you are sure of whom you believe and also since faith provokes miracle, it makes others to believe what they are told when they see extraordinary things happening. However, love is greater because love labours by making you to go extra miles. “Faith worked; but love, because it can do more, did more, and therefore labored - worked energetically, to promote the glory of God and the salvation of men.”3
Also when we consider this;

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” I Corinthians 13:7

This shows that the love of God and others is the key that keep one’s faith and also sustains an individual’s hope. Love never losses faith; this means it never stop obeying God’s instructions. Love also endures; hope inspires endurance and love makes you to endure all circumstance.
As you have read this, and you have seen that the symptom of a living faith is obedience and that love labour and hope gives endurance, let them manifest in your live.
May you remain blessed!!!


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3. Clarke’s commentary on the Bible ( Accessed at http://bible.cc/1_thessalonians/1-3.htm on 30/6/11)

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