Scripture: "And the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love."—1 TIM. i. 14."Your work of faith and labour of love."—1 THESS. i. 3.
"The breastplate of faith and love."—1 THESS. v. 8.
"Your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each of you all toward one another aboundeth."—2 THESS. i. 3.
These expressions of the Apostle Paul show us the true connection between faith and love in the life of the 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, with a fervent love to the brethren. The sum of the preaching on that day was: Believe in the Name of Jesus Christ, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. And the natural result followed: "And all that believed were together, and had all things 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 reformation took place in regard to the doctrine of faith, but at the same time what a lack of love there was between the preachers and the leaders in that faith! So the world was not taught the lesson that God's love was all-powerful 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 faith in God's love, our hearts will be filled with love to the brethren. The genuineness of our faith in the love of God must be shown by love in our daily lives at home.
May God help us from day to day by faith to be rooted in this love, that we may at all times be living examples of its truth and power, and so become a blessing to others.
