FAITH AND LOVE
"And the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love." - 1 Tim. 1:14.
"Your work of faith and labor of love." - 1 Thess. 1:3.
"The breastplate of faith and love." - 1 Thess. 5:8.
"Your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each of you all toward one another aboundeth." - 2 Thess. 1:3.
THESE expressions by the Apostle Paul show us the true connection between faith and love in the life of a Christian. Faith always comes first; it roots itself deeply in the love of God, and bears fruit in love to the brethren. As in nature the root and the fruit are inseparable, so is it with faith and love in the realm of grace. Too often the two are separated. On the Day of Pentecost they were one: there was a powerful faith towards the Lord Jesus joined with a fervent love to the brethren. The sum of the preaching on that day was “Repent and believe in the name of Jesus Christ, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” And the natural result followed: “And all that believed were together, and had all things in common”; “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.”
Alas, that this should not have been wholly the case at the Reformation. A powerful reawakening took place in regard to the doctrine of faith, but at the same time what a lack of love there was between many of the preachers and leaders in that faith! So the world was not taught the lesson that God’s love was all powerful and able to sanctify the whole life of man.
Let this thought sink deep into our hearts: “The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love.” As we cultivate [i]faith in God’s love[i]filled with love to the brethren
May God help us from day to day by faith to be [i]rooted
at all times be living examples of its truth and power and so become a blessing to
others.
-from The Secret of Brotherly Love by Andrew Murray
