I know from the title of this article it sounds as if I’m down playing faith—but I’m not, for without faith it would be impossible to please God. What I’m saying is this, "Faith does not work alone. You can not isolate faith and say that it is the only thing that will move God. It takes faith and love to touch God."
Galatians 5:6 says,
"…But faith which worketh by love"
When we pray for the sick it is out of concern and that concern causes our faith to work. Faith and love go hand in hand. Even Jesus, the Son of God, healed people because He loved them not just because He had faith to heal.
Matthew 14:14 says,
"And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick." (NKJV)
Notice faith wasn’t mentioned here. In this particular scripture Jesus was moved with compassion, which generated love and caused the sick to be healed. He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. (Hebrews 4:15) Everything He accomplished was through love. We should follow His example.
Check your motives…
And I Corinthians 13 verse 2:
"If you had all faith so that you could remove mountains and have not love you are nothing."
I Corinthians 13 verse 1:
"Though I speak with tongues of man and angels, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass and a clanging cymbal."
As you can see from the above scriptures it all boils down to love. No matter what we do, if we don’t have love it will profit us nothing. It would be useless and unproductive to try to do something great without it. If you really want to do a work for God, you must have love. Check your motive, if you are trying to use faith for personal gain you’ll become a sounding brass and a clanging cymbal. Every thing we do must be done in love without an ulterior motive.
Have you ever been around someone who bragged continuously? Told you the places they have been and where they are going to be; what they’ve done recently and what they are going to do; how many times they have preached this year; how many attended their services on Sunday, and on and on. People like that are just trying to build themselves up by not giving God the glory. Love does not parade itself. Talk about your sounding brass and clanging cymbal. Remember the devil got kicked out of Heaven for trying to exalt himself above God. Those that exalt themselves will be abased.
Matthew 23:12 says, "And whosever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
The Bible also says,
"Let another praise thee and not thine own mouth; a stranger and not thine own lips." Proverbs 27:2.
If someone has been driving you up the wall lately with all their bragging don’t say a word. Write the above scriptures down on a piece of paper, hand it to them and walk off. Let God’s Word do your talking for you. Remember, love does not brag nor boast of itself.
Perfect love casts out fear…
1st John 4:18:
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
In this verse notice love, and not faith, was utilized to cast out fear. There is a lot to be said for love. It wasn’t faith that held Jesus to the cross, it was love. Jesus had the faith to call as many angels as He wanted to come to His rescue but He didn’t. And the reason He didn’t was because His love for us was greater than the pain He had to bear. He knew He had been sent on a journey of love and He wasn’t going to bow out and disappoint His Heavenly Father.
Many times we disappoint our Heavenly Father. We do and say things they hurt Him deeply. As I said earlier, "Without faith it would be impossible to please Him." His Word clearly tells us that. But, I also believe it is equally impossible to please Him without love. Remember, faith works by love. If you have faith but its not working for you, check the level of your love. Love caused a Father to send His Son to die for a lost and dying world. I think we should respect that love and act accordingly.
John 3:16:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Getting back to the title of this article, faith is not the only thing that moves God. Faith that moves mountains starts with love that moves God.
You’re in the army now, keep marching on!
Copyright 2002 by Darlene Osborne
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Darlene is Publisher of The Christian Online Magazine/ChristianMagazine.org
A monthly publication that is dedicated to Christian Writing
