FAITH FOR IMPACT (6)

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE” – Galatians 5:6

LOVE is the enduring basis of FAITH for IMPACT: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE” (Gal.5:6). That is, “the only thing that counts – truly matters – is Faith expressed through Love”! The divinely ordained driver and acceptable motivation for Impactful Faith is Love. An authentic Christian Faith is not just a belief system or set of dogmas; it actively manifests through loving actions towards God and others. True Faith is demonstrated by putting love into practice. Faith is not just about believing in something, but acting on that belief through love for others. True acts of Faith are motivated by Love for God and others.

Paul’s thesis to the Galatians was: To turn back to the Law as a means of salvation is to give up our Liberty in Christ and allow ourselves to become slaves again (v.1). What matters most is not keeping the letter of the Law as denoted by circumcision, but Faith expressed through Love. Yes, the Law is still important. We are to serve our Lord by using our freedom to obey all that He has taught us to do, but recognizing that our obedience never places God in our debt. We deserve Hi wrath and anything else is pure Mercy. Our obedience is driven by Love! Our belief in God is not just an internal conviction but actively manifests through tangible, outward expressions of Love towards others.

True Life in Christ is Faith working by Love! Our Faith is not a mere passive belief, but one that actively motivates us to show compassion – passion in loving action – towards others. Love is the outward expression of a Living, IMPACTFUL FAITH. When Faith works through Love, it results in positive actions such as forgiveness, kindness, compliments, generosity, and service to others, signifying the true essence of Christianity. Faith produces a life in which our works and deeds are motivated by Love, reflecting Love for God and others by sacrificial obedience and service. We choose to forgive those who have wronged us, even when it’s difficult, and performing acts of kindness.

Faith works through – is made evident and powerful by – Love. Beloved Believer, our Faith in Christ must begin to translate into loving action, as we consciously and intentionally choose to show love in our daily lives, and to act in love in all interactions, considering the needs of others and responding with compassion and kindness. We must learn to pray for opportunities to express love and for strength to put faith into active love. We must enthusiastically seek ways to serve those around us, through volunteering, offering encouragement, a helping hand, or simply kind words. Faith working through actions motivated by Love for God and others, creates positive transformation in society.

By living out our Faith through Love, we can inspire others to do likewise, creating more caring and compassionate communities.