LOVE, WORKS AND FAITH

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 22 December 2011

Hi all,

The 1960’s introduced the world to one of the all time great pop/rock groups. The Beatles literally hit the streets running. The compositions of Lennon and McCartney were hugely successful. The group became popular beyond their wildest dreams. So much so that one of them claimed to be more popular than Jesus. Those words sealed the fate of the group. They broke up and, following the assassination of John Lennon, they were never able to recover the popularity they once had known.

Their music, which started out as pop/rock music, has in many instances been recorded by full orchestras and even now is just as well known as it was some four decades later. It’s impossible to select which of their compositions was/is the most popular. One of them was “All you need is love”. It was a wonderful song. But it wasn’t good theology. Love on its own is not sufficient!

We often refer to the Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is a lesser known “trinity”. Not one that’s easily recognised. These are, love, works and faith. They are intertwined in such a way that it is sometimes hard to separate them. Let’s look briefly at the words of Paul to the Galatians. ⁶ For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Gal 5:6 KJV Here they at combined in an unmistakable way. Faith on its own is pointless as we are reminded by James.

Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians is often referred to as the “love” chapter. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Cor 13:2 TNIV; This puts faith and love into a Christian perspective. But there is still a final “ingredient” in this “trinity”. It’s the word “work”. Faith requires action. Love requires action. The action is “work”!

I don’t want to push this analogy too far, but think for a moment about the Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We know them as three Persons in One. The mystery is how three separate Persons can be indivisible. If I could answer that I’d have a queue of theologians from here to next week asking me to explain “it” to them. Similarly, if we think about our lesser known “trinity”, we have faith, work and love. For this “trinity” to be meaningful, the “qualities” must work together in some sort of indivisible way to produce balanced Christianity.

In my early days in the “Faith” movement, I understood that I needed faith. It was true then and is true to this very day. As a Beatles fan I soon realised that “all you need is love” was inadequate. What the last 50 years has taught me is that faith depends on love and love depends on faith. But for these two wonderful “qualities” to become a reality, we need to do something. You cannot love in a vacuum. For love to be meaningful there must be someone or something to love. To love someone requires that I take action toward that person. Action is a verb. It’s something we do. But faith also requires action; another verb. So this “trinity” is the hallmark of the Christian life. Let us then actively love and actively have faith and our Christianity will become meaningful.

Our Meditation this morning looks at love, works and faith. We need all of them alive and active in our lives.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland.

LovE, Works and Faith

O Lord, there’s a connection, between Faith and Works and Love. I don’t think I had known it, but it fits us like a glove. For Love produces service, and service is called work. And laziness gives little more, than the desire to shirk. But Lord You’re also saying, the work that God desires, Is when men put their trust in You and do what You require! It isn’t complicated! It isn’t hard to find! We do not need a guru. Not even if we’re blind! But faith alone is useless when it is on its own. There must be an expression of doing what is shown. For faith demands an action; a task that can be seen. It isn’t wishy-washy or slovenly and mean. The principle is simple. We reap what we have sown. So when faith has no action, the crop will not be grown. Of course, we do not like it. We much prefer to sleep Our favourite occupation is dozing, counting sheep. Our comfort is addictive; and working far too tough. We’d like to sleep out lives away, But You have said “Enough If you will not take action, There won’t be any food; If you don’t work, you will not eat; had better be construed”. To put it very simply, don’t belly-ache and cry; It’s only when you act in faith that you’ll get your reply. To contemplate your navel will never get things done. But when faith is in action, the devil’s on the run! Don’t sow to please your nature, for flesh will reap decay. Instead, sow to the Spirit; and blow your cares away. Just do the things He’s told you and put your trust in Him. Your faith will be rewarded and it will not grow dim. When faith combines with action you’ll find it doesn’t fail, And you will be a follower, along the Jesus trail. So let us keep on praying and knocking on His door. He’s sure to come and answer You and He will give far more, Than what you had expected. That’s surely guaranteed. For that is what He’s promised and placed into faith’s seed. You’ll find faith is an energy that comes from God Most High; To help you live a life for Him, until the day you die. And it will give Him pleasure, to see what can be done. All in the Name of Jesus. His one begotten Son. Jim Strickland – Written 22nd December 2011