[Biblemat] A) FAITH, LOVE, HOPE

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Wednesday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
Here is an article from my ancient files:

FAITH, LOVE, HOPE

     Paul remembered the Christians at Thessalonica because
of their "work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ..." (1 Thes. 1:3).  In these three phra-
ses lies much of each Christian's responsibility before God.
It is hoped that a study of each will benefit and encourage the
faithful to greater service in the Lord's kingdom.

WORK OF FAITH: -- Paul first mentions their work of faith.
Every Bible student knows that the faith that saves is an obedient one.  Paul 
wrote to those in Rome and declared that
Jesus is God's Son..."according to the Spirit of holiness, by
the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received
grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all
nations..." (Rom. 1:4,5).

     It will help us to know what the term "work" means.  Accor-
ding to W.E. Vine's Expository Dictionary Of New Testament
Words, this word "denotes...a deed, act."  James asks, "Was
not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offer-
ed Isaac his son upon the altar?  Seest thou how faith wroug-
ht with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?  And
the Scripture was fulfilled which saith 'Abraham believed God,
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was
called the friend of God.  Ye see how that by works a man is
justified, and not by faith only" (Jas. 2:21-24).  Abraham was
justified by his works or acts.  So are believers today.

     An inactive faith will save neither saint nor sinner.  To
prove one's faith in God, God requires obedience.  Note the
characteristics of saving faith in Heb. 11, "By faith Noah...
moved with fear, prepared an ark...By faith Abraham...obeyed
and he went out...By faith Abraham...offered Isaac...By faith
they (Israelites) passed through the Red Sea as by dry land...
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encomp-
assed about seven days" (vss. 7,8,17,29,30).

     This should suffice to show the honest student of Truth
that "faith" is much more than simply "mental assent."

     In becoming a child of God, the "work of faith" is of great
importance.  God requires the unsaved believer to repent
(Acts 2:38), confess his or her faith in Christ as God's Son
(Acts 8:36-38), and to be immersed in water for the forgive-
ness of sins (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38; 8:36-38).  Once one has
been saved, "...we are His workmanship created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that 
we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).  Some of these works
are studying, teaching others the gospel, keeping oneself pure and unspotted 
fromt he world, living a life of holiness be-
fore God and men.

LABOR OF LOVE: -- Next Paul mentions the Thessalonians'
labor of love.  The term "labor" denotes toil resulting in wear-
iness, laborious toil.  The Thessalonians had a love they really toiled at.  
Their love was not merely in words, but also
in deeds.

     In defining "love" W.E. Vine's says: "Christian love, wheth-
er exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is
not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with
the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon
those for whom some affinity is discovered.  Love seeks the
welfare of all, Rom. 15:2, and works no ill to any, 13:8-10; love
seeks opportunity to do good to "all men, and especially to-
ward them that are of the household of the faith" (Gal. 6:10.
We note that Paul did not remember the love of the saints only, but their 
labor of love.  Their love prompted them to
action."

     John informs us of true love in 1 Jno. 3:17,18, "But whoso
hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his 
bowels of compassion from hime, how 
dwelleth the love of God in him?  My little children, let us not
love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
Action, then, is the proof of our love, even as it is of our faith.
See 1 Cor. 13:1-8 for more details on love and its importance.

     Let us remember that true love includes labor.

PATIENCE OF HOPE: -- Patience is a much needed quality in
our service to God.  Patience means "an abiding under."  The
hope the saints had then, and should have now, is of eternal
life in heaven.  This will come after the judgment.  See Matt.
25:46.  Peter tells us of the "inheritance incorruptible, and un-
defiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you..." (1 Pet. 
1:4).  In Jno. 14 Jesus taught there are many
mansions in His Father's house which is in heaven (Matt. 6:9)

     Patience is something we must learn.  It does not come 
automatically nor naturally.  We are often anxious about many things, but we 
need to learn patience.  No one knows
when Jesus will come to judge the world except the Father,
according to Jesus Himself in Mk. 13:32.  Only those who 
have the work of faith and labor of love can enjoy the patience of hope of a 
heavenly home.

     The writer of Hebrews tells us that "without faith it is im-
possible to please Him (God); for he that cometh to God must
beleive that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that dili-
gently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6).  Let us cultivate in our lives the
work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.  ----------
Michael Garrison in Gospel Guide, Vol. 28, No. 1, Jan. 1996.   </HTML>
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