Thursday, June 2, 2005

The Algebra of Effective Faith

Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:8)
Faith works through love (Galatians 5:6). Without love, faith is meaningless — a failure.
Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2)
So let us now speak of faith in terms of love. First Corinthians 13, the “Love Chapter,” will be a very helpful guide. It extols the virtues of love throughout, but since faith works through love, it gives us some powerful insights into the effective, meaningful exercise of faith.
  • Faith working through love is patient and kind (v. 4).
  • Faith working through love does not envy, does not parade itself, is not puffed up (v. 4).
  • Faith working through love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil (v. 5).
  • Faith working through love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth (v. 6).
  • Faith working through love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (v. 7).
  • Faith working through love never fails (v. 8).
Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (v. 13)
Love never fails. Faith works through love. Faith working through love never fails.

No comments:

Post a Comment