Work, Labour, and
Patience |
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Elder
Mark D. Rowell |
1 Thes
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.”
Paul introduces a fairly common theme we find in many of his
writings: that of the combination of faith, love, and hope.
Probably the most well-known place is found in 1 Cor 13:13,
but it’s also found in Colossians and other places as well.
The significance of the combination is no accident. The base
elements of faith, love, and hope are the fundamental
aspects of the child of God with regard to how we live in
this world.
Now, combining faith, love, and hope with action in each
moves the application to the next level. In fact, it evokes
a very powerful spiritual desire in the believer and compels
them to action. Paul could have said “remembering without
ceasing your faith, love, and hope” and he would have
been justified in so doing based on the truth of the
statement. However, adding the actions in each of those
three things makes us realize that we need to be doing
something.
The “work of faith” gives the reader insight into the
purpose of the faith that God bestows on us in the new
birth. You see, faith is granted that we might act by it.
This work of faith means that all we do should be done so in
accordance to the faith within us. Not only should we “work
our faith,” but each thing that we do should be of that
faith! Are we perfect in all our works? Certainly not! But
faith being the “how” of our work will enable us to be
faithful in the things pertaining to the Lord. Paul tells us
to “…work out [our] own salvation, with meekness and
trembling…” We need to be busy working the work of faith
each and every day of our lives. May God give us grace to
work the work of faith.
The
“labour of love” gives the reader insight into the true
meaning of love. You might say that “work” and “labour” are
the same, but they are not! Labour gives the sense of
strenuous toiling in or for something. We often hear that
love should not be just spoken but shown by action or deed.
This takes it further than that! A labour of love should
call to mind the love of the Saviour. His labour of
love was to give His life for the children of God! Jesus was
“…poured out like water…” in His great sacrifice for
us! We should expend every ounce of “faithful energy” we
have to love one another! John says, “We know that we
have passed from death unto life, because we love the
brethren…” (1 John 3:14) Our labour of love should mimic
this in every way! May God give us grace to love one another
as we should.
The “patience of hope” gives the reader insight into what it
truly means to hope. Mounce's Bible Dictionary
describes patience as “endurance in adherence to an object.”
So, patience isn’t just waiting for something, it’s the
endurance as we “lay hold upon the hope set before us.”
(Heb 6:18) We are taught to endure in this life by clinging
to the Lord through our hope! We must adhere ourselves to
the Great Shepherd of the Sheep and cling to Him in hope
that is our anchor! We must endure this life in hope of that
which is to come! May God give us grace to be patient of
hope.
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and
labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in
that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Heb
6:10)
The Lord Himself does not forget our work of faith, labour
of love, and patience of hope in this life. Remember, the
Lord is faithful in all things, and he always abideth
faithful and will never deny us! May we strive in our lives
to do these things, as a profitable servant of the Lord,
and, when our life has passed away, may we hear those good
words of the Lord: “Well done thou good and faithful
servant."
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