Love and Works

Faithful-Fellow · Seventh-day Adventist Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 4

I wrote this essay, though it is mainly speaking about my local church. However, I believe it can speak for a lot of Seventh-day Adventist churches today.

Faith, Works, Love and the Church
By [name withheld, me]

Faith. Works. Love. These are three messages that Jesus taught when He came to earth. They are the guiding principles to a blissful, Christ-like church family. Without one, the others are dead. As a church we must strive for a perfect balance of each.

The first of the three messages is faith. This can often be the most challenging virtue we are expected to have. Because of our human natures, we often forget that the very creator of the Universe is our Lord. As a church we must have faith that God will watch over us and provide for us if we trust in Him. Jesus, our perfect example, taught faith, to trust in the Lord and walk not by your own sight, but the Lord's. In Christ's own words, "Have faith in God." Mark 11:22. I believe that our church is strong in faith.

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." James 2:17. This verse in James perhaps is the best reference to the balance between faith and works. When we have faith, we trust in God enough to obey His will. Jesus, again as our holy example, went about the lands doing good and charitable deeds. If we have faith in Christ we should do good works in order to please Him. We can certainly please God by serving others in deeds and works. I believe that our church is lacking in good works. As a Pastor I deeply admire once said, "If we closed our church doors today, would the community notice?"

As with faith and works, Jesus is once again our shining example and teacher. Mark 12:31 verifies that love for others is the greatest message of all. The relationship between love and works is that if we truly have the love that Jesus taught us to have, then our church will be a shining beacon in the community, expressing the divine love and care that God has for creation through good works and charitable deeds. After all, God has a wonderful and genuine love for us. Shouldn't we be living examples of that love?

I saved the message of love for last because I believe it is the most important of these three currently affecting our church. Truly, if we do not have the love of Jesus, then we are no greater than the Pharisees. Are we a loving, caring, brotherly and sisterly church family or are we a church family with unforgiven private transgessions against one another, loathing, gossip, and division? I am firmly convinced that our church needs more love. "This is My commandment: that ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12.