Faith That Works
Faith That Works
Embracing Faith, Love, and Hope - 1 Thessalonians 1.3
Paul loved to speak about faith, love, and hope. 1 Thessalonians 1.3 is just one of the places where he ties the three together:
We recall, in the presence of our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
See how faith yields work, love drives labor, and hope sustains us. In the Christian life, these three virtues shape our character and influence our actions.
A Faith That Works
For the Christian, works are an outgrowth of faith. We work from salvation, not for salvation [i]. When we were regenerated (in baptism, Titus 3.5), the Spirit began His work inside us for transformation, 1 Corinthians 3.18, Philippians 2.13, 2 Timothy 1.14. Our works are an outgrowth of that transformation, Galatians 5.22-24. They are the evidence of genuine faith. If there are no works, our faith is dead, James 2.17. Genuine and authentic faith always obeys God because it recognizes Christ as Lord, Colossians 3.15. We have become slaves of righteousness, Romans 6.16, and the fruit of that is sanctification, leading to eternal life, Romans 6.21-22.
Work, Motivated by Love
I don‘t remember where someone said, “Faith produces works, and love performs the labor.” In Galatians, as Paul powerfully exhorted those Christians to walk away from a twisted concept of salvation combining faith with works of law, he urged them to focus on the gospel: faith working through love, Galatians 5.6. “Love,” as used in 1 Thessalonians 1.3, comes from the word agape, which denotes a love that loves the unworthy and loves unselfishly. It is a love that is freely given irrespective of merit and a love that seeks to provide. Ultimately, it is seen in our God, with the most significant example being the gift of His son, John 3.16; 1 John 4.9-10; Romans 5.6-10.
The practice of agape love has a way of changing us – to where we see others as God sees them. It becomes a fundamental characteristic of any person committed to Christ. “Labor,” as used in verse 3, describes the effort with which we are to love. The word speaks of going to the maximum level, straining at, and exerting the greatest effort. This, of course, is done with sincerity. We are to show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly, 1 Peter 1.22.
An Enduring Hope
Christians look forward to when the Lord returns so they can see Him face to face and be with Him forever. Here, Paul commends the Thessalonians for their endurance. They stayed faithful to God despite tremendous pressure to conform or change their beliefs. They could do this because they knew their hope was anchored in the unchanging and all-powerful Lord, Jesus Christ. God has guaranteed His promises. He cannot lie, Hebrews 6.18, and He has taken an oath, 6.17. Through these two unchangeable things, our hope is an anchor of the soul. It is also confirmed through the constant intercession of Jesus, Hebrews 7.25, who stands guard over us.
Your hope of heaven is more than wishful anticipation; it is firm, solid, and immovable. Since it is, it presses you to action day by day.
The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday, Proverbs 4.18.
Our hope of heaven is not mere wishful thinking; it is a firm and immovable anchor for the soul. Each step in faith, love, and hope brings us closer to the glorious day when we will see our Lord face to face. Until then, press forward as light shines brightly in the darkness, awaiting the fulfillment of your hope in Christ.
[i] Ephesians 2.8-10 describes the progression. God gives us salvation by grace. It is not by our work, lest we should boast. Because of that gift, the Christian works, having been empowered by the Spirit to do the works God has designed.