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Faith, Love and Hope
Faith, Love and Hope are at the heart of a Christian’s soul
One without the other would not make Christian’s life in this World whole,
So all three are needed to make him personally vibrant
And his witness to the World gloriously radiant
If a Christian ‘s life is likened to a building,
Then the saving faith on Christ’s redemption work without doubt is its underpinning,
A Christian’s life base is laid when he appropriates Christ’s atoning work on the Cross,
For at that moment, he is cleansed of all the spiritual dross
Oh yes, we observe in the Scriptures, the faith of Jewish Christians being shaky
At a time Roman Emperor Nero unleashed persecution on the Christian clergy and laity
They wanted to return to Judaism as Roman Empire tightened the screws
It is to revive their slackening faith
(Heb 12:2)
that an Apostle penned an Epistle now known as the Hebrews
Christ is superior to everything in Judaism the Apostle reasoned
Like a Potter at the wheel, once again their broken faith, he painstakingly refashioned
Praise God, it is believed the Jewish Christians’ once again re-focused on Christ’s death and resurrection
And put all their faith
(Heb 2:3)
on Saviour’s plan of redemption
If faith in a Christian’s life is the bedrock then love is its pillar
Loving God and neighbours’ is a primary part of a Christian’s “spiritual career”
It is by loving God and his neighbor unconditionally
That a Christian enhances his testimony
Yes Church at Corinth had faith and hope
(I Cor 1:7)
in plenty
But on love front, they displayed their dismal poverty
Hence Apostle Paul was constrained write an Epistle on getting right their priority
His treatise on love in the Said Epistle has since been a blessing to that Church and posterity
It is believed that the Corinthian Church got back their bearings on love,
To all that was dogging them spiritually, they gave a powerful shove
To love their Creator, Redeemer and neighbor they manfully strove
To the watching Greeks about Christ’s glory, what more then was left to prove
The Blessed Hope of a Christian can be likened to the roof of a building
Always giving him strength to do the Almighty’s bidding,
Especially when the going gets tough
What with the path ahead in the Christian’s pilgrimage suddenly becoming really rough
On Faith and Love the Church at Thessalonica
(I Thess 3:6)
in the First Century was doing well
But when it came to hope, they needed Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to tell
That contrary to their fears all is well for those who die with their faith firmly fixed on Lamb’s propitiation
For they would rise again with the glorified bodies to participate in the ethereal wedding function
After some time the believers’ in Thessalonica
fell into yet another dangerous thinking
Of not doing any work, awaiting as they were a bit-too-keenly Christ’s Second Coming
So in order to get their bearings right on Hope doctrine Apostle Paul had to pen yet another letter
Wherein he warned them not to be indolent
(2 Thess 3:6-10)
and tarnish Christ’s image in front of their
neighbor
It is believed that the two Epistles of the Apostle Paul, which we now in the Scriptures enshrine
Got them going properly in the matter of Second coming doctrine
They maintained their balance between their daily vocation and the Blessed anticipation
And to the concerned mind of the burdened Apostle, that brought much needed relaxation
At death or rapture when, we finally behold our Royal Bridegroom face to face
For hope and faith there will be no longer any place
For then only love would bind us together to dwell forever with our Heavenly Benefactor
Till then let us soldier on with all of faith, love and hope pleasing Him at all times our indescribable Saviour.
© Suresh Manoharan
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