Faith Works Through Love

Introduction

True faith issues in love - actively works through love - operates - a faith that saves is a faith that works

our faith in Christ should motivate some response in how we live. Those who believe that God loves them in and through Christ will begin to respond by loving God and others, as well.

Galatians 5:6 AV

6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

1. Faith and Love are Twins

A. The Nature of this Relationship

This relationship of faith and love is born at the moment of salvation.

Ephesians 6:23 AV

23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This faith is trust in God - in his pardon for our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Why is faith the only way of salvation - 1) no other way is possible - the road of good works is blocked by our sins. 2) God has chosen the way of faith. 3) There is no self-boasting in the way of faith. 4) It is a way for anyone.

To have faith in God is to have the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that after such faith we are sealed by the Holy Spirit - and what is the first fruit of the Spirit - love.

So back in our text, he says that circumcision doesn’t mean anything (works, religious rituals), but faith!

But in further clarification, it is faith working by love that makes someone a Christian. Later in Galatians...

Galatians 6:15 AV

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Our faith sparks a love for God. How can we love God if we doubt Him? If our faith is weak, our love will be weak. They are twins in this relationship to God.

They are inseparably linked - when one is strong so is the other, when one is weak so is the other.

To love Christ is the natural outcome of faith in Him. The prodigal son when he was returning to his senses said, “I will arise, and go unto my Father.”

A faith in God, or a turning to Him requires a natural affection to Him as well.

It’s almost like a parent and their newborn child - there is an immediate love. And we, upon salvation, knowing what God has done for us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have an immediate love for God at our new birth.

Faith is the telescope that helps us to see the beauties of Christ. Using a telescope, you’ve maybe been able to Saturn, Mars, the Orion Nebula, and other of the heavenly bodies.

By faith we see Jesus and when we look upon him and see the beauty of His character, our love for Him is immediately affected as well.

We love Him because he first loved us; and He is altogether lovely.

It’s impossible to say I have faith in Christ but do not love Him - faith and love are twins!

B. The Unity of This Relationship

But not only are they twins, there is a unity of purpose in their relationship as well.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 AV

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

They are united in their activity together. In our verse, they are both described as a breastplate of Christian armor. Faith sees Christ and accepts Him, and His sacrifice.

There is an immediate acceptance!

One of the things that changed when I got married was I was able to say something that brings value to a relationship. “This is my wife.”

Now that was not said in some sort of overly possessive way, but in a way of pride and unity. ‘My wife’ - we belong together, we are one.

It’s true of any dear relationship - ‘my mother’ ‘my brother’ - we’d say it with a puffed out chest a little.

Thomas says (when his faith in Jesus is confirmed by the Lord’s personal appearance) - ‘my Lord and my God.’

David says, “Thou art my God.”

Our hearts are united in love to the one we have put our faith in. We could say, “Jesus is mine.”

Faith and love must work together. There is a unity in their relationship.

Faith brings us into the invisible realm of Christ and his grace…we enjoy what is impossible to enjoy otherwise. We see already the privileges of salvation - the hope that will one day be ours - the future home in heaven - the cleansing of our sin - the perfection of our bodies - the justification of our soul - the mercies of God day after day - and our love for God is a natural outcome.

Our love will be the practical outflow of that faith - it will bring us into a practical relationship with God and people.

Faith and love then protect us! A strong faith guards us against the temptations of the mind - the things we read and hear that could get us off track with God. Faith knows what it believes and holds to it.

Love guards us against moral temptations - our love for God and his righteousness would keep us from temptation. Love for him would create a life yielded to him.

The Christian life must be guarded by faith and love working together as our breastplate. We must have both as they are inseparable.

2. Faith Can Only Function By Love

We’ve seen that faith and love are united - twins in a unique trusting and protective relationship. Now lets see more of how they function. We’ll note this in two easy ways.

Faith cannot work without love.

A. Love is the Tool of Faith

1 Timothy 1:5 AV

5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Timothy speaks hear of the end or the ‘goal’ of the command. There were people who had swerved aside into false teaching; believing fables (they actually believed stuff they read on facebook).

False doctrine were being taught and Paul is telling Timothy to stay true to the faith and the goal of a true faith is charity out of a pure heart and conscience and faith unfeigned.

Remember Jesus summed all the commandments with love God and love your neighbor. Paul said the same in:

Romans 13:10 AV

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Now I won’t spend too much time on this verse by Paul said this love is pure, from a good conscience (meaning ease our conscience through love, not more questions and strife); and sincerity of faith. Not phony.

So love is the tool by which true faith is seen, authenticated and verified.

Love is the paintbrush to the painter. A painter could be inspired countless times with a scene, or an emotion, or a desire. But without a brush to paint with, that emotion or scene cannot be expressed.

You cannot express your faith in any more fundamental, and Biblical and God-pleasing way than love.

Faith has in a way decided to work with the tool of love. No other tool authenticates your faith.

Faith with its inspiration from divine wisdom, using the scenes of heaven, and the desires of God, will use the love of Christ in your heart to paint a picture in your life of what true faith and religion really are.

Not only is love the tool of faith, but in putting our faith to work,

B. Love is the Pattern for Faith

We all have hobbies or things that we enjoy. From time to time I enjoy puzzles. Honestly I even enjoy Legos. But maybe it’s something like knitting or sewing. We like putting things together.

But in order to put something together properly, you need a blueprint, guide, or pattern.

See love, as the outworking of our faith, must be how we pattern our faith.

It is the mold which the liquid gold of faith is poured into, fashioning us into the divine pattern of Christ’s love.

John 15:12 AV

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

And there is only one pattern. It’s not a love patterned after the world - it is a love patterned only by the Lord Jesus Christ. There’s no other way to put your faith to work than to pattern it after Jesus Christ.

If you try - you will make a mess of your faith.

“The genuineness of your faith is not determined by the number of sins that you are against but by the amount of love that you display.”

You know what we Christians are really good at? Acting like Pharisees. We do it all the time...’well I’m a Christian.” I don’t do this, do that, I’m against this, I’m against that.

A legalistic approach is never a verification of our faith. It’s not patterned after the law - Jesus completed the law.

Our faith is patterned after His love. Love is the motivator!

We got to church not because it’s some legal requirement but because we love Him and His people.

3. Love Perfects our Faith

Ephesians 1:15 AV

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Colossians 1:3–4 AV

3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

A clear practical aspect of our love perfecting our faith is how we love one another.

Sometimes Christians aren’t really good at that. We can be divided along ‘party’ lines and forget (especially in the brotherhood) that we are one faith - therefore one family.

Sometimes we can get pretty critical of each other. But remember faith and love go together.

Young people, you can get pretty dismissive of older church family - but recognize that you need to love them, accept them, and learn from them - listen a bit.

Older folks, you can get pretty crank with younger folks. Maybe instead of criticizing them and the downfall of humanity - get to know them, lead them, mentor them.

Wealthier brothers and sisters don’t disdain the poor, and the poor don’t be envious of the rich brother or sister. They’re family and your faith in Christ should naturally flow into love for them.

Men don’t mistreat the women but respect and elevate them. Ladies don’t denigrate the men but honor them as well.

And certainly never use skin color, language, or culture to think you are superior or better. Faith in Jesus Christ means you must love the saints equally.

And you need to love your enemies - all of them. Whatever people you think are ‘destroying this nation’ are the people you need to love - the ones that hate you, despise you, persecute you.

Your faith is authenticated and perfected by how you love people. If you love is puny, then so is your faith.

Let’s look at a few practical ways we love each other.

A. Faith Works by Restoring One Another

Galatians 6:1–2 AV

1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

We get pretty full of ourselves. We think we do things the right way. Maybe its on the spiritual side - we think we’re holier. Maybe our ‘group’ is better, or the way I do things is better.

Those other people are faulty. Well sir, get off your high horse and get down to their level and serve them. Pick up their burden and carry it.

Standing around pointing at other people and how wrong they are is distinctly un-Christlike. But boy do Christians get that way.

Christ’s tool and pattern of love always sought to restore people.

Remember the woman found committing adultery? I fear that too often we’re really good at identifying with stone-throwers.

Switch sides - perfect your faith by helping and restoring people.

B. Faith Works by Humbling Us

Galatians 6:3–4 AV

3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

This certainly goes hand-in-hand with our ministry of restoration. But humility is key to genuine love for others.

Humility is seeing ourselves as God sees us.

Here’s your pep talk for today - you’re no better than anyone else, your way is not better than anyone else’s, your opinions aren’t better, and your accomplishments aren’t better.

Your expression of love needs to get lower.

Stop judging yourself by other people and judge yourself by Jesus Christ.

And yes, I’m speaking to Christian in this room - and yes I am talking about you.

C. Faith Works by Persevering

Galatians 6:9 AV

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

And lastly, on a more encouraging note - don’t quit. Don’t quit using the tool and pattern of love. Don’t deal with people from the flesh.

Progress takes work, patience, endurance.

The kingdom of God has no place for quitting Christians.

This love that is twinned with faith, united in in protecting us, the tool and pattern of our claim, must consistently be employed everyday by the people of God.

Keep working on relationships with people in your family, especially your church family.

Keep working on loving your neighbors, that unsaved coworker, that overbearing boss.

Don’t ever quit.

CONCLUSION

Have you seen those, “You only had one job” memes?

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(1)  Faith works: let us as a Church work because we have faith. (2)  A working Church must be a loving Church, for faith works by love.

There is no other true verification of your faith than love. You have no other option.