For what thanks can we render
to God again for you, for all the joy
wherewith we joy for your sakes
before our God; night and day praying
exceedingly that we might see your
face, and might perfect that which is
lacking in your faith?
1Thessalanians 3:9-10
You might have wondered what it means: "circle of faith," and tried to ponder how this applies to you. It does of course for as with the Thessalonians as good as their faith was there was something lacking. Paul wanted to perfect their faith, therefore faith is a growing aspect of an Authentic Christians faith. I wish I could say that this growth is a straight line moving from the past to the present into the future, but it is not! The Thessalonians faced persecution from the Judiazers , the Gnostics, the Romans, and even from the Greeks who held to their old religion ideologies. We may not face such things, but we do face trials, problems, such as lost of job, a death of a family member or close friend that does not have any sense to it for they did not die of old age, they died of freak accidents, or even disease. Our faith is shaken and anyone who will not admit this is lying for we are people, with a fallen nature, and we do not always understand so we are often depressed, questioning, even God, so our faith needs to be perfected. This circle of faith goes from high to low, to high, but the only way that this circle enlarges so our faith is strong is by our relationship to Jesus Christ. The stronger our relationship to Him, the better our chance that our circumstances will not completely destroy our faith, or inhibit it so that it hard to return to the faith we once had. Here is where good Christian men and women, our brothers and sisters in Christ come to our aid. John wrote: "If a many say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hate seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? and this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also" (1John 4:20-21). The Greek word for "hate" is: μιση, carries the meaning greater than our English word "hate," for it means to have a malicious and unjustifiable feeling towards others, whether towards the innocent or be mutual animosity. Also to prefer for one thing over another by way of aversion or disregard, or the claims of one person or thing relatively to those of another. James relates this to murder and in some sense, not actual murder, or killing, it is murdering the person, his or her character, etc., therefore in effect: it is murder. How is this done? If you faith is in a low state, when your faith is almost gone, or on the other hand has raised your opinion of yourself to a higher elevation than is actual, your concern is only to yourself in either case. Faith must have its way and its way is to not focus on yourself, rather to love your brothers and sisters and this takes effort and will only be affective as is your relationship to Jesus Christ. Are you proactive? Are you just going to Church fulfilling some supposed worship that is appealing to God? Or, are you taking time to speak with, to check on, to show love, agape love, that principled love of God to others, if so when you are in need they will return that love. We are to care for our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. How often does a person who regularly attends Church is not present and you call that person to check up on Him. What if a brother or sister is going through a financial crisis, a broken down car, are you going to love that person in their crisis of faith? Why are you a Christian? So you can get the hope of eternal life? Or, for other reasons as with some Churches whereby people get their euphoric feelings massaged? Are we not a particular congregation made of up men and women who need each other? Yes! Paul knew this fact: Christians need help to grow their faith and that faith grows as their relationship to Jesus grows. We are His arms and legs, His mouth, His people to aid others and this until either we go to be with Him, or they go to be with Him, or in the final, He returns to bring His bride home.
Pray for people? Yes! Do more! Prayer is just the start. Do what you can and I bet you can do more than you think. You may know someone who can help, you can bring food, or just be at their side to comfort them so they know that their faith, in this circle, is a faith strong and that strength comes in numbers, not just in: "I am praying for you!" One of the great ends of this ministry that all Christians of the word or in i to help forward faith towards perfection. God gave you this responsibility: will you respond?
And they answered Joshua,
saying, All that thou commandests
us we will do, and whithersoever
thou sendest us, we will go.
Joshua 1:16
Remember: You are a child of God
Richard L. Crumb
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