… along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Summary: Paul points us to the idea that Jesus needed faith, too.
In addition to God’s grace, or perhaps part of it, is the “faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
“Faith” is not a word that I often associate with being in Jesus. Of course, I have faith in Jesus, but that is not the same as Jesus having faith in him.
Paul seems to be saying that not only was grace poured out on him, but faith and love were as well.
How does that work?
Jesus is God in the flesh (John 10:30, 1 John 4:2-3), but that does not mean that he gets a free pass to live life without faith. From the moment of his conception, he is vulnerable in a way that God the Father is not.
From the time he is twelve, Jesus appears unconcerned with fitting in with this world. Luke tells the story of Jesus’ parents when their son is not found with the caravan. After three days of frantic searching, they find Jesus in the Temple talking among the teachers (Luke 2:41-52). Years later, during his ministry, Jesus drives the merchants and money changers out of those same temple courts (John 2:13-17).
Jesus displays his faithfulness to God again and again. He trusted God for everything, and the miracles he did attested to his faith in the Father (Hebrews 2:13).
Where did this faith come from?
Scripture tells us that Jesus was the “pioneer and perfecter of faith.” His willingness to put his life entirely in the Father’s hands was something new on the face of the earth. And his trust in God never faltered. Even on the night of his capture, agonizing so deeply that he sweated blood, his faith remained steadfast. He did not doubt his Father’s will; he only asked if it could be changed (Luke 22:39-44).
This is the faith that Jesus poured out on Paul. It is the same faith that God gives to each one of us if we accept it (Romans 12:3).
The love Christ has for us is obvious. He gave his life for you and me (Mark 10:45). Love, faith, and grace are all facets of this gem we call Jesus.
Application: Receive the gifts of love and faith that Jesus offers you.
Food for Thought: How are faith and love related to each other?
How are faith and love related to each other?
Without acting on faith, faith is dead.
James 2:18
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
And if love is not the motivation for our actions, our actions are worthless.
1 Corinthians 13
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Faith and love are related to each other because faith works through love. Our good works are only good if done in obedience to Christ, for His Glory.
Galatians 5:6
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
At the same time, placing our faith in Jesus, enables Him to transform our hearts to love as He loves. It seems circular to explain how faith invites love (God, Christ, the Holy Spirit), love grows faith (transforms us), and through faith we can love God and others as ourselves (becoming Christ-like). The question becomes “where does it start?” Ah, yes, God loved us first and sent His Son to pay our debt. Jesus paid that debt willingly out of love. We believe, then we act in faith, and the door is opened to God’s love in and through our lives.
1 John 4:7-12
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
Thank you, Chris!
Well said. I love how you draw out the circle of love that begins on the cross with Jesus. Amen!
Well done CH.