The Work of Faith, Patience of Hope, and Labour of Love

Next Part The Work of Faith, Patience of Hope, and Labour of Love 2

"Your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope."
1 Thess. 1:3

When our blessed Lord rose from the dead and went up on high to appear in the presence of God for us, as our personal Representative and interceding High Priest, he "received gifts for men, yes, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them." (Psalm. 68:18.) Now these gifts which he received on our behalf were twofold– First, "gifts,"in the usual sense of the term, that is, the extraordinary gifts of the blessed Spirit, which were principally given for the edification of the Church; and, secondly, the gracesof the Spirit in his quickening, sanctifying power, whereby the people of God are made fit for the inheritance of the saints in light. Now we find the word of truth drawing a very clear distinction between these two things– the gifts of the Spirit and the graces of the Spirit.

But in order to set before you this distinction in a clearer light, I will read to you the testimony of the word to the "gifts" of the Spirit as distinct from his "graces." "To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines." (1 Cor. 12:8-11.)

And again, "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts." (1 Cor. 12:28-31.) We see from these passages the nature of these gifts– that they were more for the edification of the Church than the personal benefit of their owner; that some of them, in particular, as prophecy, the gifts of healing, and of tongues, were strictly miraculous, and therefore temporary and transient, passing away when not absolutely needed; that they did not necessarily constitute their possessor a partaker of grace, though he might be so, and in most cases was so; and that they differed much from each other in operation and administration. (1 Cor. 12:4-6.) The end and object of these gifts was the building up of the Church on her most holy faith, as the apostle so clearly and beautifully explains– "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." (Eph. 4:11, 12.)

But in examining more closely the nature of these gifts, we must draw a distinction between those which were miraculous and those which were not. The miraculous gifts, such as prophecy, healing, speaking with tongues, passed away with the apostolic age, and ceased when the canon of scripture was closed. But the gifts of the ministry, as of "pastors and teachers," still abide, and will do so as long as there is a necessity for "the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry, and the edifying of the body of Christ;" in other words, while the Lord has a people upon earth. But whether these gifts passed away as strictly miraculous or whether they still abide in the Church for the work of the ministry, they possess alike this distinctive feature, that they are but for time, not for eternity; for the edification of others, and are neither saving nor sanctifying to the possessor; that when accompanied with grace, they are highly to be prized, but should be jealously watched over lest they puff up with pride and issue in a terrible downfall.

But the gracesof the Spirit, as distinct from his gifts, are of a very different nature. This made the apostle say, "But covet earnestly the best gifts– and yet show I unto you a more excellent way." (1 Cor. 12:31.) What was "the more excellent way"– a way excelling all the best gifts of the Spirit? The way of grace; and more especially the way of that prime grace, "charity" or love. And why more excellent? Because, unlike gifts, it never fails, but abides forever and ever. Thus he says, "Charity [or love] never fails– but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part." And then he adds– "And now abides faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." We thus gather up one distinctive feature of graces as opposed to gifts, and especially of the three leading graces– faith, hope, and love– that they abide, their seat being the heart, which the Lord claims as peculiarly his own, their Author and Finisher the Lord of Life and glory, and their end the salvation of the soul.

But there is another distinguishing characteristic of these three graces, faith, hope, and love, which is, that they are what I may call working graces. It is a great mistake to think that a Christian is not a worker. There is no man who works like him. As Deer justly says, "The Christian works with all his power, and grieves that he can work no more."

And yet with all his working it is not he that works, but the grace of God which is in him, as said the apostle of himself, and in so doing well expresses the experience of every real Christian– "But by the grace of God I am what I am– and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all– yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Cor. 15:10.) Thus though the Christian works, it is not really he who works but the grace of God in him, and it is this which makes a Christian such a paradox; that is, such an apparent contradiction both to himself and to others. At one time, none more earnest, more diligent, more active, more zealous, more bent upon every good word and work; and yet at another time, how slothful, how indifferent, how cold, lifeless, and dead, as if he had neither a grain of grace nor a spark of feeling. Sometimes he is as watchful as a sentinel in the face of an advancing enemy, and anon drops asleep in the sentry box, overcome with weariness and listlessness. Sometimes so filled with the Spirit of prayer and supplication as if he would seize heaven by storm and take the kingdom of God by violence; and then seeming scarcely to have a breath of prayer in his soul. Sometimes he loathes and abhors himself in dust and ashes as exceedingly vile, the very worst and basest of all sinners; then again is puffed up with a sense of his own importance as if there were no such saint as he, or if a minister, no minister like him for gifts and abilities, usefulness and acceptance. Sometimes his affections are so fixed on things above, that it scorns as if he had no care and no desire for anything but the presence, love, favor, and glory of God; then at another time his heart is as cold as ice and as dead as a stone. Sometimes the things of eternity lie so weightily and yet so warmly upon his breast, that it seems as if nothing else were worth a single thought; and then come trooping in the cares and anxieties of this present life to engross his mind and carry him away to the very ends of the earth. Thus the Christian is a contradiction to himself; and yet with all this, the point still remains good, that every grace of the Spirit in him is a working grace. And not only so, but every grace of the Spirit has its own work to perform and its own end to attain.

Look, for instance, at the words of our text, to which these remarks are meant to be introductory. We read there of "a work of faith, a labor of love, and a patience of hope." See how the apostle brings before us these three abiding, these three working graces, and how he assigns to each its particular office. He tells the Thessalonian believers that he "remembered without ceasing their work of faith, and their labor of love, and their patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and their Father;" being persuaded, from what he saw of those Christian graces in them, and their activity and energy, that they were the people whom God had blessed– "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God."

In endeavoring, with God's help and blessing, to unfold the mind and meaning of the Spirit in these words, I shall seek to describe, as the Lord may enable,

First, "faith" and its "work."

Secondly, "hope" and its "patience."

Thirdly, "love" and its "labor."

You will observe that I have rather inverted the order of these two last Christian graces, for as they stand in our text love precedes hope. My reason for so doing is that this is not only the spiritual and experimental order in which these three graces succeed each other in the heart, but that in which the apostle has himself arranged them in another place– "Now abides faith, hope, love; these three, but the greatest of these is love."

I. Let us first, then, look at FAITH AND ITS WORK;and in so doing I shall attempt to show you faith under these six distinct aspects–
1. faith in its nature;
2. faith in its work;
3. faith in its opposition;
4. faith in its examples;
5. faith in its victory;
6. faith in its fruits.

For I wish to bring before you as clearly as I can a living, breathing, speaking portrait of this heavenly grace as featured in the word and as drawn upon the heart of the child of God, that you may have some testimony in your conscience whether you are the favored partaker of it or not.

A. Now in examining the NATUREof faith, we may direct our first glance at its BIRTH and ORIGIN, and in so doing shall soon see from the word of grace and the experience of the family of God that, like Paul's call to the apostleship, it is "neither of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead." (Gal. 1:1.)

Are we not expressly told that those who received Christ (and how could they receive him but by faith?) "were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God?" (John 1:13.) And so declared our Lord when he said, "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6.) We may lay it down, then, as a most certain truth, that faith is a plant which does not grow in the native garden. Does not our Lord say, "Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up?" (Matt. 15:13.) If, then, faith is not to be rooted up, in other words, if it is to be an abiding grace, it must be planted by the Father's hand, and thus testifies also James– "Every good gift and every perfect gift" (and is not faith both a good and perfect gift?) "is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17.)

Faith, then, is an exotic, a tender plant from heaven's own warm, happy climate, where no cold blasts chill, no frost or ice destroys, no blighting east wind withers the flowers that ever bloom and the fruits that ever grow in that celestial paradise. If faith, then, be of this divine origin we shall seek for it in vain among the children of this world. And such is the Lord's testimony to ancient Israel, even those whom he had brought out of Egypt, and who therefore had the strongest reasons to believe– "And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be– for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith." (Deut. 32:20.) No, the Lord the Spirit says even more than this of that generation which witnessed Christ's miracles– "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him that the saying of Elijah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Elijah said again, He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." (John 12:37-40.)

But besides this scriptural testimony, we have only to appeal to the experience of every saint of God whether he does not carry in his own bosom the inward conviction that faith, true faith, saving faith, the faith of God's elect, the only faith worthy of the name, is the pure, special gift of God. In fact, such is the express language of the Holy Spirit– "By grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves– it is the gift of God." (Eph. 2:8.) And again– "Unto to you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." (Phil. 1:29.) You will also find among the fruits of the Spirit, of which we have a blessed catalogue by the apostle, "faith" expressly mentioned– "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith." (Gal. 5:22.) And if a fruit of the Spirit, how clear the conclusion that her birth and origin are not of the flesh.

But now having thus hastily glanced at faith's celestial origin, we may be better prepared to examine its NATURE; what it is in itself as a peculiar and distinct grace of the Spirit. And I think that to determine this we cannot do better than take the apostolic definition given in Hebrews 11:1– "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Two things are here said of faith which I shall separately consider. 1, That it "is the substance of things hoped for." By "substance" I understand what we call subsistence; in other words, that faith gives a substantial existence to those things in which the soul hopes, making them real, clothing them, as it were, with life, and enduing dim and distant shadows with a present and positive existence. Not that, like a magician's wand, faith alters the nature of things, or makes that to exist which did not exist before, but it gives them an inward subsistence, so that they are as if actually present– handled, tasted, and enjoyed as personal realities. Now faith does this in several ways which we shall see better after we have considered what are– "the things hoped for." These are twofold– present grace and future glory. Thus the work and witness of the blessed Spirit, with his teachings, support, and consolations; the forgiveness of sin, a sense of God's favor, his hand to be with us all through the various scenes and changes of this mortal life, a peaceful deathbed, and a triumphant entrance into the kingdom of God, with a blessed expectation of when Christ appears to see him as he is and to be made like unto him, are "things hoped for."

Now faith gives to these things thus hoped for a solid subsistence in the bosom in various ways. First it convinces us of their reality by mixing itself with the promises, as Abraham believed the word of promise– "Thus shall your seed be." Then it gives the soul a taste of the sweetness and blessedness of the things hoped for, for by faith we taste that the Lord is gracious, and "Unto you who believe he is precious." (1 Pet. 2:3, 7.) "O taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm. 34:8.) As the word by which faith is raised up in the heart is "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power," the eternal realities thus revealed have a peculiar weight, a weight in some degree proportionate to their importance, and this gives them a substance compared with which all earthly things are but a shadow. Be assured that if your faith does not give eternal things a deeper place in your heart, a stronger hold on your conscience, and a warmer claim upon your affections than the things of time and sense, your faith is not the substance of things hoped for, nor the faith of God's elect.

Faith also gives an pledge of the things hoped for, for they are revealed to faith, and as this pledge is attended with the witness and the seal of the Spirit it brings joy and peace. The apostle, therefore, says, "Who has also sealed us, and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. 1:22); and so testifies Peter– "Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory– receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (1 Pet. 1:8, 9.) Thus we see that faith is not a notion, an opinion, or a fancy; but a most solid, substantial blessing, and as such gives eternal realities an abiding place in the heart.

But, 2. faith is also "the evidence of things not seen." What are those things not seen? Such divine things as the mystery of the Trinity– Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the Unity of the divine Essence; the glorious Person of the Son of God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the blessed Spirit; the complex Person of Immanuel, God with us– the efficacy of his atoning blood as purging a guilty conscience; the suitability of his glorious righteousness as "justifying from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses;" his resurrection from the dead; his ascension up on high; his personal intercession at the right hand of the Father, his second coming in glory with all his saints and angels. These are some of the things not seen. As the apostle speaks, "The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." And so, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those that love him." But faith sees them, as our Lord said to his disciples– "Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me– because I live, you shall live also." (John 14:19.) But how did they see him except by faith? the same faith as that whereby Moses "endured as seeing him who is invisible." (Heb. 11:27.)

Thus faith has an inward evidence, a spiritual testimony that the things unseen to mortal eye are true; and as thus endued with spiritual sight, it penetrates the veil spread over all things here below, and entering into the very presence of God, brings down the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as personal realities. Such, then, is a short description of the nature of faith; this being its leading, its distinguishing feature, that it credits God's testimony, believes what God has said on the sole authority of his word as made life and power to the soul by the blessed Spirit.

B. But now we come to faith's WORK;for faith is not an idle, sluggish, indolent grace. It has much to do; yes, it has everything to do, for without it nothing is done to any purpose, for "whatever is not of faith is sin." (Rom. 14:23.)

1. But what is faith's chief work? It is to BELIEVE in the Son of God."This is the work of God," said our blessed Lord when asked, "What shall we do that we might work the works of God?" "This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent." (John 6:28, 29.) And we have a testimony to the same effect from the pen of holy John, where he says, "These things have I written unto you who believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13.) But you may say, "Why, this is not such hard work." This would not be your language if you knew anything of the difficulty of faith, or if you knew the difference, the solemn, eternal difference, between a faith that is merely natural and historical, founded upon reason and argument, and the faith of God's elect which embraces for itself, under a divine and heavenly power, the Person and work of the Son of God as a living reality, and draws a holy influence out of his glorious fullness to purge the conscience from guilt and filth, and to fill the soul with all joy and peace in believing.

But this difference which you know not is deeply wrought in the heart and conscience of the people of God. They well know, that you might as well attempt to create a new sun and launch him in the sky, as to raise up a living faith in the soul in and upon the Son of God by your own strength and power. They know it through a deep and abiding sense of the unbelief of their heart by nature, and its utter inability to raise up a faith which works by love, purifies the heart, overcomes the world, gives free access to God, obtains answers to prayer, and is attended with the sensible approbation of the Almighty.

2. But not only is it the work of faith to believe in the Son of God, but to LIVE a life of faith upon him; not merely to penetrate into the presence of God and apprehend the Person of Christ within the veil, but also day by day to live upon his glorious and ever-flowing, overflowing fullness– as the apostle so sweetly describes his own experience in this matter– "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20.) This, then, is faith's work, to be ever looking to the Son of God as the Way, the Truth, and the Life; to be ever living upon his fullness, ever receiving out of it supplies of heavenly grace. But as this can only be done by prayer and supplication, it is faith's work to call upon his holy name, though sometimes it may be from the very ends of the earth; to plead with him, and talk with him as a man talks with his friend; and thus, in the active operation and living exercise of this heavenly grace, to wrestle with him as Jacob wrestled with the angel, so as to bring down into the heart a blessing from his mouth.

3. But again, another part of the work of faith is to STAND;for by faith we stand. (2 Cor. 1:24.) And what is it to stand? When we consider what there is in sin and self to carry us away, O to stand in the evil day, and having done all to stand! is not this the work of faith? Yes; to stand upon our feet against the floods of error which are sweeping in as a torrent round the Church; against the floods of evil which are streaming over the world; against the deluge of the iniquities of our own vile heart; against the floods of temptation out of the mouth of Satan; still to stand, and stand firmly on the ground of truth and a good conscience where the Lord has placed us– this, this is indeed the work of faith.

4. But again the work of faith is to FIGHTas well as to stand. We are called upon to "fight the good fight of faith;" and we are told that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." So we are provided with a heavenly suit of armor, and above all with a precious shield, "the shield of faith, whereby we shall quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;" for, as Deer says, "Christians are called not to play, but fight."

Our daily experience is more or less an experience of conflict. We have to fight against besetting sins; against the snares and temptations laid every moment for our feet; against the daily unceasing influence of an ungodly world; against the very things that our carnal heart most fondly loves; and against the workings and arguments of our natural mind, which are all opposed to a life of faith. All these things we have to fight against, and to resist even unto blood, striving against sin. But we shall see, perhaps, more clearly what the work of faith is, by examining, in the light of the word and of Christian experience, our next point;

Next Part The Work of Faith, Patience of Hope, and Labour of Love 2

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