'You are everything that [we] hope for, and everything that [we] breathe for, and everything [our] hearts will need."
“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Th. 1:3)
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all his people -the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true word of the gospel that has come to you.” (Col. 1:3-5)
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13)
Works Produced by Faith
Works, Strongs #2041, is that which one is occupied or undertakes. It is any thing accomplished or done. And faith is belief in, trust in, or confidence in Christ. [1] Our actions, what we accomplish are to spring from belief, trust, and confidence in Christ.
“You see that Abraham's faith and what he did worked together. His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did.” (James 2:22)
Faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:20). And works without faith are dead (Col. 2:20-23; Gal. 2:16).
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes, “Wherever there is a true faith, it will work; it will affect both the heart and life.” Our works need to stem from genuine faith in Christ. [2]
The opposite of faith is unbelief, lack of trust and confidence in God's goodness and genuine love for us. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11: 6).
Faith is often subtle, showing itself (or one's lack of faith) in times of trial and difficulties. 1 Peter 1: 7 says that we will suffer grief and all kinds of trials so that “the genuineness of our faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Genuine faith showed itself in Paul and Silas by their praying and praising Jesus at the midnight hour after being beaten, thrown in the inner prison, and their feet put in stocks.(Acts 16:19-40). While they must have suffered greatly physically and emotionally, they rejoiced and praised God in the midst of their pain.
At times, I have seen people go through difficult circumstances and they grit their teeth and say, "praise God" or they try to ignore their difficulty all together and gloss over it. It doesn't seem to be genuine praise. This was not the kind of praise that Paul and Silas had. When they praise, the power of God broke forth and people were set free.
Another time that Paul was in prison, he wrote, in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" He goes on to say, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
Like Peter and the other disciples who rejoiced in being counted worthy of suffering for Christ, Paul and Silas genuinely rejoiced as they looked to the bigger picture and saw those things that were praiseworthy in the midst of their pain.
Many years ago I coordinated a women's conference for my previous church. At the end of the conference, a woman came up with incredible despair and depression. The pastors prayed for her and she was set free. My heart so rejoiced, and even though I was exhausted from all the work I had put in to the conference, that moment made it worth it all.
My plan was to rest and get caught up on some other things I had put on hold as soon as the conference was over. However, that week a whole series of difficulties occurred. I had a virus and lost all my data on my computer. My laptop (which was my backup for my data), also died and was not recoverable. I had a flat tire, I broke my wrist and severely sprained my ankle. I had to spend hours in the emergency room. And I had stresses and pressures come up at home and work.
These are obviously no where near the difficulties of Paul, but they were my own little world of trials. Instead of letting them discourage me, I remembered the woman who was healed at the conference and my heart genuinely praised God. The difficulties brought me overflowing joy instead of anguish. I felt incredibly complimented by them.
Faith also showed itself in Peter as he believed Jesus who told him that he would be a fisher of people (Luke 5:22). Peter stood up and addressed the crowd at Pentecost resulting in three thousand coming to know Christ after having betrayed Jesus three times and was no where to be found as Jesus died on the cross.
Sometimes people, including myself, can think it is humility to stand back and not be noticed. However, more often it is really fear and lack of confidence in God. We fail to believe that God will sustain us. It takes faith to step forward into the promises of God and trust Him to sustain you. Hebrews 10:38 says, "But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."
At one time, I thought faith was something that I had to work hard at. If someone is sick and one had faith, not doubting, the person would be healed. One needed to 'step out in faith' and take action.
However, I have known people who have 'stood in faith' for something they wanted, only to find disappointment when their 'works of faith' only resulted in pain and anguish. God can not be manipulated to get what we want from Him, nor is it faith to try to force God to act on our behalf.
When Satan tried to temp Jesus to throw Himself down from the top of the temple and let angels catch Him, he said, it is written, “'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" (Matthew 4:5-7)
A lack of faith is sometimes demonstrated by continually asking God to prove Himself or by grumbling and complaining against Him in difficulties. This was the circumstance that Jesus was was referring to when he quoted Moses from Deuteronomy 6:16. The Israelites had complained and grumbled against Moses at Massah for not having water to drink saying he brought them out into the wilderness to die.
One article notes about putting God to the test,
The difference between a faith that it based on works (trying to stand strong and force God to act) and that of Peter and Paul is brokenness. Both Peter and Paul had experienced brokenness in their own sin and failings. From this, they had a depth of understanding of Christ's love for them in their failings that can only result from experience.
Paul writes in Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height,nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
For Paul, Silas and Peter, in their greatest difficulties, when they were crushed and pressed on every side, what came out of them was not grumbling and a desire to turn back, but a depth of praise that brought honor, and glory to God, resulting in Christ being revealed to those around them.
“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, it's jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” (Song 8:6-7)
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:7-18,
Paul and Peter's works generated by their faith, showed themselves in actions of love. First for Christ. 1 Peter 1:8 says, “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,” And then, out of the overflow of that love, for others. 1 John 4:20 says, “If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes, “Faith works by love; it shows itself in love to God, and love to our neighbour.” [4] Paul says in Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”
One who has genuine faith in Christ, is free to love others. They no longer live live solely for themselves and their own gain. Through faith, they let go of self-preservation that comes from lack of belief in God and His goodness.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 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.”
Love is the fulfillment of the law. Galatians 5:14 says, “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Following Christ, results in one putting their hand to what their heart prompts. Thomas Moore notes about Mother Teresa, someone who loved others well, and fully lived what she believed, that her faith was inseparable from her compassion, and her compassion was never disconnected from her behavior. [5]
It is the love of Christ that compels Christian believers to serve the poor, feed the hungry, care for those who are ill. During times of plagues, it was Christians who risked their lives to care for those in need. As Mother Teresa notes, loving others should be as normal and simple to us as living and breathing. [6]
Mother Teresa notes that in order for us to be able to love, we need to have faith because faith is love in action; and love in action is service.” She states,“Our works of charity are nothing but the overflow of our love of God from within. Charity is like a living flame... Love of God must give rise to total service... Charity, to be fruitful, must cost us.” [7]
Labor, Strongs #2873, kopos, means bearing burdens (trouble, grief, sorrow, and toil) rather than just performing acts of service. Love shows itself in laying down ones life for their brother.
Paul says in Philippians 2:5, “In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death -even death on the cross!”
Jesus identified Himself with sinful man, taking on our likeness and bearing our burdens, taking them onto Himself at the cross, suffering all so that we could know life. In the same way, God asks us to bear the weaknesses of others. He asks us to carry each other's burdens, pick up our cross and follow Him. He asks us to identify with and love the unlovable. He asks us to suffer the sin of others for the benefit of our brother, and forgive them. And he asks us to love those who hate us and give to those who despitefully use us.
Matthew 5:43-46 say, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?”
Patient Endurance Inspired by Hope
As we love those who hate us, we do so hoping for something more. We believe in God's goodness to them and to us and we know that God can change the worst circumstances for His glory. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes that wherever there is well-grounded hope of eternal life, in all we do, we will seek to approve ourselves to God in sincerity and patience.
Hope inspires us to endure difficulties and trials. Hope, elpis (Strongs # 1680) means “favorable and confident expectation. It has to do with the unseen and the future...” [8]
Paul says in Romans 8:18-24, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed...in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God...
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
We have hope of eternity with God, with full redemption from all sin, bondage and decay. “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1 Cor. 15:52)
We also have hope in God for our transformation, freedom from bondage, and fulfillment of His purpose for us in this life. Paul says in Philippians 1:3-6, “I thank my God every time I remember you... being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.”
The Vine's Complete Expository dictionary notes that “Hope describes:
(a) the happy anticipation of good (the most frequent significance)”
Our hope, expectation of good and confidence in our future, is grounded in faith in Christ, who He is, what He has done for us, and His promises for the future.
As we set our hope on Christ, we are inspired to move towards Him, running the race with endurance. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
As an athlete trains for a race, they endure the pain and submit their bodies to the discipline because they believe they can win. They have hope for their future. Without this hope, they are not inspired to endure discipline and training.
Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:24-27, “Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
Training, noted by David Johnson is needed for one to run the race for the long haul. He notes that an athlete does not show up to play not having practiced / trained and perform well. Playing well involves training well. And training well, involves a rhythm of both resting and of engaging. He used the example of body building and noted that one builds their muscle by a rhythm of working out and of resting. One needs both. In the same way, spiritually, we need a rhythm of fully engaging and coming away to be alone with Jesus. [10]
Job struggled with despair when he lost everything. In Job 17:13-18 he said, “If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. I have saidh to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust." What he needed to regain his hope was to see and hear God in the midst of his pain.
Paul also struggled with despair when he encountered tremendous affliction and trials. However, it led him to greater dependence upon Christ. He said in 2 Corinthians 1:8, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.”
David struggled with despair as he experienced oppression by the enemy and felt that God was distant from him. In Psalm 42:9-11 he asks God, “Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?' My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, 'Where is your God?' Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
Christ is our hope. In all three cases, it was putting one's hope in God, remembering His goodness, trusting in His faithfulness and looking for His sustaining strength that brought hope out of despair. And out of their dispair, Job, Paul, and David came to know Christ in a deeper and more meaningful way. They experienced a 'dark night of the soul' that led them to a greater dependance upon and trust in Christ.
Lord, forgive me for my lack of faith - mumbling, groaning and complaining at times rather than praising you. You have given me so much, more than I could have ever asked for or imaged. A heart once so filled with despair has such tremendous hope and joy in You.
“The debt is paid, these chains are gone, Emmanuel, God with us” sings in the background.
I am so tremendously grateful. I long to love You and others better. I long to live Your word and often feel I fall so short.
Would you show us how to live our lives, running the race with patient endurance as to win the prize? Fill us with faith, love for you and our brother, and hope in all circumstances. You are more than worth all we have to offer.
1, 8. Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (G2041). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.
2. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. Located at: http://biblecommenter.com/1_thessalonians/1-3.htm Last Accessed: 7/28/10
3. Julian, Ron. Testing God. Located at: http://www.mckenziestudycenter.org/bible/articles/testing.html Last Accessed: 7/28/10.
4. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. Located at:
http://biblecommenter.com/1_thessalonians/1-3.htm Last Accessed: 7/28/10
5-7. Mother Teresa. No Greater Love. New World Library, Navato California. 1995.
9. Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words (2:311-312). Nashville: T. Nelson.
10. Johnson, David, Sr. Pastor. Staying in it for the Long Haul, Parts 1 & 2. Lessons in Leadership Series. Church of the Open Door. 3/14/99 & 3/21/99.
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all his people -the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true word of the gospel that has come to you.” (Col. 1:3-5)
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13)
Works Produced by Faith
Works, Strongs #2041, is that which one is occupied or undertakes. It is any thing accomplished or done. And faith is belief in, trust in, or confidence in Christ. [1] Our actions, what we accomplish are to spring from belief, trust, and confidence in Christ.
“You see that Abraham's faith and what he did worked together. His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did.” (James 2:22)
Faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:20). And works without faith are dead (Col. 2:20-23; Gal. 2:16).
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes, “Wherever there is a true faith, it will work; it will affect both the heart and life.” Our works need to stem from genuine faith in Christ. [2]
The opposite of faith is unbelief, lack of trust and confidence in God's goodness and genuine love for us. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11: 6).
Faith is often subtle, showing itself (or one's lack of faith) in times of trial and difficulties. 1 Peter 1: 7 says that we will suffer grief and all kinds of trials so that “the genuineness of our faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Genuine faith showed itself in Paul and Silas by their praying and praising Jesus at the midnight hour after being beaten, thrown in the inner prison, and their feet put in stocks.(Acts 16:19-40). While they must have suffered greatly physically and emotionally, they rejoiced and praised God in the midst of their pain.
At times, I have seen people go through difficult circumstances and they grit their teeth and say, "praise God" or they try to ignore their difficulty all together and gloss over it. It doesn't seem to be genuine praise. This was not the kind of praise that Paul and Silas had. When they praise, the power of God broke forth and people were set free.
Another time that Paul was in prison, he wrote, in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" He goes on to say, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
Like Peter and the other disciples who rejoiced in being counted worthy of suffering for Christ, Paul and Silas genuinely rejoiced as they looked to the bigger picture and saw those things that were praiseworthy in the midst of their pain.
Many years ago I coordinated a women's conference for my previous church. At the end of the conference, a woman came up with incredible despair and depression. The pastors prayed for her and she was set free. My heart so rejoiced, and even though I was exhausted from all the work I had put in to the conference, that moment made it worth it all.
My plan was to rest and get caught up on some other things I had put on hold as soon as the conference was over. However, that week a whole series of difficulties occurred. I had a virus and lost all my data on my computer. My laptop (which was my backup for my data), also died and was not recoverable. I had a flat tire, I broke my wrist and severely sprained my ankle. I had to spend hours in the emergency room. And I had stresses and pressures come up at home and work.
These are obviously no where near the difficulties of Paul, but they were my own little world of trials. Instead of letting them discourage me, I remembered the woman who was healed at the conference and my heart genuinely praised God. The difficulties brought me overflowing joy instead of anguish. I felt incredibly complimented by them.
Faith also showed itself in Peter as he believed Jesus who told him that he would be a fisher of people (Luke 5:22). Peter stood up and addressed the crowd at Pentecost resulting in three thousand coming to know Christ after having betrayed Jesus three times and was no where to be found as Jesus died on the cross.
Sometimes people, including myself, can think it is humility to stand back and not be noticed. However, more often it is really fear and lack of confidence in God. We fail to believe that God will sustain us. It takes faith to step forward into the promises of God and trust Him to sustain you. Hebrews 10:38 says, "But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."
At one time, I thought faith was something that I had to work hard at. If someone is sick and one had faith, not doubting, the person would be healed. One needed to 'step out in faith' and take action.
However, I have known people who have 'stood in faith' for something they wanted, only to find disappointment when their 'works of faith' only resulted in pain and anguish. God can not be manipulated to get what we want from Him, nor is it faith to try to force God to act on our behalf.
When Satan tried to temp Jesus to throw Himself down from the top of the temple and let angels catch Him, he said, it is written, “'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" (Matthew 4:5-7)
A lack of faith is sometimes demonstrated by continually asking God to prove Himself or by grumbling and complaining against Him in difficulties. This was the circumstance that Jesus was was referring to when he quoted Moses from Deuteronomy 6:16. The Israelites had complained and grumbled against Moses at Massah for not having water to drink saying he brought them out into the wilderness to die.
One article notes about putting God to the test,
“Notice how Exodus describes it: '...they tested the Lord, saying, 'Is the Lord among us, or not?' The lack of water caused them to question whether God was really on their side. All that He had done in the past didn't count; all that He had promised to do in the future didn't count; what counted was the frightening present. God couldn't really be there, couldn't really be powerful and trustworthy, if He would bring them to a barren wilderness. The question should have been settled already; God is there; He is powerful and loving. Instead, each new difficulty caused Israel to question His power and goodness. They 'tested' Him by making Him prove His faithfulness all over again. Years later, Moses looks back on this event and warns the people: 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.' This is the verse Jesus quotes when Satan tempts Him in the wilderness.” [3]Paul says in Philippians 2:14, "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.' then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life."
The difference between a faith that it based on works (trying to stand strong and force God to act) and that of Peter and Paul is brokenness. Both Peter and Paul had experienced brokenness in their own sin and failings. From this, they had a depth of understanding of Christ's love for them in their failings that can only result from experience.
Paul writes in Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height,nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
For Paul, Silas and Peter, in their greatest difficulties, when they were crushed and pressed on every side, what came out of them was not grumbling and a desire to turn back, but a depth of praise that brought honor, and glory to God, resulting in Christ being revealed to those around them.
“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, it's jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” (Song 8:6-7)
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:7-18,
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.Labor Prompted by Love
It is written: 'I believed; therefore I have spoken.' With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Paul and Peter's works generated by their faith, showed themselves in actions of love. First for Christ. 1 Peter 1:8 says, “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,” And then, out of the overflow of that love, for others. 1 John 4:20 says, “If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes, “Faith works by love; it shows itself in love to God, and love to our neighbour.” [4] Paul says in Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”
One who has genuine faith in Christ, is free to love others. They no longer live live solely for themselves and their own gain. Through faith, they let go of self-preservation that comes from lack of belief in God and His goodness.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 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.”
Love is the fulfillment of the law. Galatians 5:14 says, “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Following Christ, results in one putting their hand to what their heart prompts. Thomas Moore notes about Mother Teresa, someone who loved others well, and fully lived what she believed, that her faith was inseparable from her compassion, and her compassion was never disconnected from her behavior. [5]
It is the love of Christ that compels Christian believers to serve the poor, feed the hungry, care for those who are ill. During times of plagues, it was Christians who risked their lives to care for those in need. As Mother Teresa notes, loving others should be as normal and simple to us as living and breathing. [6]
Mother Teresa notes that in order for us to be able to love, we need to have faith because faith is love in action; and love in action is service.” She states,“Our works of charity are nothing but the overflow of our love of God from within. Charity is like a living flame... Love of God must give rise to total service... Charity, to be fruitful, must cost us.” [7]
Labor, Strongs #2873, kopos, means bearing burdens (trouble, grief, sorrow, and toil) rather than just performing acts of service. Love shows itself in laying down ones life for their brother.
Paul says in Philippians 2:5, “In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death -even death on the cross!”
Jesus identified Himself with sinful man, taking on our likeness and bearing our burdens, taking them onto Himself at the cross, suffering all so that we could know life. In the same way, God asks us to bear the weaknesses of others. He asks us to carry each other's burdens, pick up our cross and follow Him. He asks us to identify with and love the unlovable. He asks us to suffer the sin of others for the benefit of our brother, and forgive them. And he asks us to love those who hate us and give to those who despitefully use us.
Matthew 5:43-46 say, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?”
Patient Endurance Inspired by Hope
As we love those who hate us, we do so hoping for something more. We believe in God's goodness to them and to us and we know that God can change the worst circumstances for His glory. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes that wherever there is well-grounded hope of eternal life, in all we do, we will seek to approve ourselves to God in sincerity and patience.
Hope inspires us to endure difficulties and trials. Hope, elpis (Strongs # 1680) means “favorable and confident expectation. It has to do with the unseen and the future...” [8]
Paul says in Romans 8:18-24, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed...in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God...
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
We have hope of eternity with God, with full redemption from all sin, bondage and decay. “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1 Cor. 15:52)
We also have hope in God for our transformation, freedom from bondage, and fulfillment of His purpose for us in this life. Paul says in Philippians 1:3-6, “I thank my God every time I remember you... being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.”
The Vine's Complete Expository dictionary notes that “Hope describes:
(a) the happy anticipation of good (the most frequent significance)”
Lamentations 3:24 - “The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.”“(b) the ground upon which 'hope' is based...
(c) the object upon which the 'hope' is fixed e.g.,Col. 1:27, 'Christ in you the hope of glory';
1 Tim. 1:1. 'Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope.'” [9]Faith and hope are tightly linked. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And 1 Peter 1:21 says, 'Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”
Our hope, expectation of good and confidence in our future, is grounded in faith in Christ, who He is, what He has done for us, and His promises for the future.
As we set our hope on Christ, we are inspired to move towards Him, running the race with endurance. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
As an athlete trains for a race, they endure the pain and submit their bodies to the discipline because they believe they can win. They have hope for their future. Without this hope, they are not inspired to endure discipline and training.
Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:24-27, “Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
Training, noted by David Johnson is needed for one to run the race for the long haul. He notes that an athlete does not show up to play not having practiced / trained and perform well. Playing well involves training well. And training well, involves a rhythm of both resting and of engaging. He used the example of body building and noted that one builds their muscle by a rhythm of working out and of resting. One needs both. In the same way, spiritually, we need a rhythm of fully engaging and coming away to be alone with Jesus. [10]
The opposite of hope is despair. Despair means to be without hope. Despair is part of the curse, of living in disobedience and rebellion to God. Deuteronomy 28:45-67 says,
Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee....Christians (those not in rebellion to God) also at times struggle with despair (loss of hope) at times.
And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt
fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning
thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see."
Job struggled with despair when he lost everything. In Job 17:13-18 he said, “If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. I have saidh to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust." What he needed to regain his hope was to see and hear God in the midst of his pain.
Paul also struggled with despair when he encountered tremendous affliction and trials. However, it led him to greater dependence upon Christ. He said in 2 Corinthians 1:8, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.”
David struggled with despair as he experienced oppression by the enemy and felt that God was distant from him. In Psalm 42:9-11 he asks God, “Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?' My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, 'Where is your God?' Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
Christ is our hope. In all three cases, it was putting one's hope in God, remembering His goodness, trusting in His faithfulness and looking for His sustaining strength that brought hope out of despair. And out of their dispair, Job, Paul, and David came to know Christ in a deeper and more meaningful way. They experienced a 'dark night of the soul' that led them to a greater dependance upon and trust in Christ.
Lord, forgive me for my lack of faith - mumbling, groaning and complaining at times rather than praising you. You have given me so much, more than I could have ever asked for or imaged. A heart once so filled with despair has such tremendous hope and joy in You.
“The debt is paid, these chains are gone, Emmanuel, God with us” sings in the background.
I am so tremendously grateful. I long to love You and others better. I long to live Your word and often feel I fall so short.
Would you show us how to live our lives, running the race with patient endurance as to win the prize? Fill us with faith, love for you and our brother, and hope in all circumstances. You are more than worth all we have to offer.
1, 8. Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (G2041). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.
2. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. Located at: http://biblecommenter.com/1_thessalonians/1-3.htm Last Accessed: 7/28/10
3. Julian, Ron. Testing God. Located at: http://www.mckenziestudycenter.org/bible/articles/testing.html Last Accessed: 7/28/10.
4. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. Located at:
http://biblecommenter.com/1_thessalonians/1-3.htm Last Accessed: 7/28/10
5-7. Mother Teresa. No Greater Love. New World Library, Navato California. 1995.
9. Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words (2:311-312). Nashville: T. Nelson.
10. Johnson, David, Sr. Pastor. Staying in it for the Long Haul, Parts 1 & 2. Lessons in Leadership Series. Church of the Open Door. 3/14/99 & 3/21/99.
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