DOES YOUR FAITH WORK?

Good Evening to All!

For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, not uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. (Galatians 5:6 KJV)

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6 NIV)

A reference verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:3--Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our father; (4) Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. ( brethren, you were chosen by God).

************************
What is a sign of spiritual maturity? Many people think that great faith is the number one sign. According to Gods Word, when He tells about the fruit of the Spirit, He lists all nine, but then He emphasizes that the greatest of these is "LOVE".

The Bible also tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, but love is the motivator behind the faith. We must love God to have faith in Him. If we love Him we will want to do His will, which is to love others. There is no way we can love God without loving others, because God is love.

Tonight's verse teaches us that faith works through love, and love is not talk or theory, but it is action. We can tell people we love them all the time, but if we don't show our love to them, then our words are in vain. Jesus was explaining to someone when they fed Him when He was hungry and gave Him drink when He was thirsty and visited him when He was sick and visited when He was imprisoned and they told Him they didn't do that, and that's when he said, "what you do for the least of them, you do for me."

Another verse which the Bible states is We cannot be walking in love if we see a brother in need, have what it takes to meet his need, and will not help him (See 1 John 3:17). Jesus summed Love up completely when He said "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all of your mind.' This is the First and great commandment. The SECOND is 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV). Jesus told the people, love Me and love people." Jesus let people know that walking in love is the key to living a life that is pleasing to Him. Trying to walk in faith without love is like having a flashlight with no battery. Without love our faith will not work.

This tells me that love is the number one sign of spiritual maturity. After all, to put complete faith in someone you must love them. I don't necessarily mean love as between a man and woman. I mean as a fellow human being.

God is love and the more we know Him the more we will love others.

Good Night to All and May God bless!