#842 - THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FAITH AND LOVE

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV)

You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure; it’s a must. We have to do it. Your faith is growing phenomenally; your love for each other is developing wonderfully. Why, it’s only right that we give thanks. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (MSG)

Your faith is growing abundantly…phenomenally.
The love of every one of you for one another is increasing…developing wonderfully.

Growing faith.
Increasing love.

I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive.
Can you truly have growing faith without increasing love? 
Can you truly have increasing love without growing faith?

Where is the tension for you?
Should your faith be producing more love?
Does your love need to be fueled by more faith?

Here’s the statement that I want to be true about my life: The greatest evidence of Edward’s faith in God was great love for others.

I love Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of James 2:14-18 which highlights this idea in a greater way:

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.”

Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

Faith and love.
Love and faith.

Without one, the full expression of the other is impossible.