There are lots of terms commonly used in the church today. We hear about values such as love, faith, and patience and the importance of such things. When we consider these virtues, then take inventory of them in our own lives, often we feel comfortable and confident of our mastery in these areas. For example, we have love for others and for Christ, we have faith in Him and the promises in His word. Love, faith, and patience (and there are others) are considered virtues, qualities to be had. They are listed in the dictionary as nouns. In grammar class a noun is defined as a person, place, thing, or idea. These virtues are ideas many feel we possess in living an honorable Christian life. There is one challenge with this principle. The classification of these ideas is wrong. They must be verbs, actions to be lived out in our everyday life, even in circumstances when it seems impossible to be portrayed. It is only in Christ we can demonstrate these qualities. We do not possess these things unless we demonstrate them.
Let's look at faith as an example. There are many times faith is described as something to be had. However, when faith is something we possess it is demonstrated. It can be seen. "Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 9:2. Our faith is evident to others by living out our salvation in practical ways. When we have faith it is not something we need to expound about. It is visible to those around us. "For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything." 1 Thessalonians 1:8. When we face trials, are pressed on every side, broken and poured out, yet can remain faithful to Christ and praise Him for the sole reason of, He is worthy, our faith is on display to others. Not for the purpose of showcasing our faithfulness, but to showcase the worthiness of Christ. If we truly have faith in our lives, it is acted out, demonstrated. "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 2:17. James, the brother of Jesus, explains this simple fact. If we have faith we will have works as well. And then he tell us, when our faith is tested it produces patience.
Patience is another virtue we can look at to prove this point. To have patience, it must be exhibited, otherwise it is a statement which could be made by anyone. Words are easy. It is not to be proclaimed, it is to be demonstrated. The only way it can be demonstrated is by our faith being tried. "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:2-3. To possess patience is to bear out patience in our daily lives. True patience is not simply maintaining proper behavior in our job, or in challenging circumstances in public, where we know there will be consequences for our rash behavior if we do not. True patience is in our hearts, in addition our actions, in private with our children or even our friends or loved ones. Patience is loving, having kind words or thoughts in trying times. It is not popping off and then feigning sincerity. Patience is acted out, demonstrated. It cannot be possessed without being lived because being lived is how it is possessed. But patience is not the greatest of these things.
. . .The greatest of these is love. This single word in the English language is used to describe many different characteristics. The Bible has four different Greek words for different types of love. The entire Bible is the love story. Yet our culture has minimalized the word to describe how we feel about ice cream. It is the most powerful virtue we can exhibit. It changes lives and hearts, ends war and heals wounds. Love breaks chains and strengthens the soul, and yet without Christ we are not capable of possessing or showing it. It cannot exist without being demonstrated. In relationships with others we can know if we are loved by peeling away all the words and looking at the actions. Being told we are loved is no proof. We can only know if we are loved by how we are shown. Christ's love for us unmistakable, not only because he told us, but because he showed us. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. If we love, it is demonstrated. "And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it." 2 John 1:5-6. We cannot have love for Christ or for others without it being acted out. Christ declared that the two greatest commandments are to love Him and to love each other. It is not enough for our love to be spoken, it must be shown. "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18. Love is defined in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. It explains how love is to be manifested in our lives to be seen by men to glorify God. Manifestation is a must regarding all virtues. They are to be acted out to touch the hearts of men for the glory of God.
Let's look at faith as an example. There are many times faith is described as something to be had. However, when faith is something we possess it is demonstrated. It can be seen. "Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 9:2. Our faith is evident to others by living out our salvation in practical ways. When we have faith it is not something we need to expound about. It is visible to those around us. "For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything." 1 Thessalonians 1:8. When we face trials, are pressed on every side, broken and poured out, yet can remain faithful to Christ and praise Him for the sole reason of, He is worthy, our faith is on display to others. Not for the purpose of showcasing our faithfulness, but to showcase the worthiness of Christ. If we truly have faith in our lives, it is acted out, demonstrated. "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 2:17. James, the brother of Jesus, explains this simple fact. If we have faith we will have works as well. And then he tell us, when our faith is tested it produces patience.
Patience is another virtue we can look at to prove this point. To have patience, it must be exhibited, otherwise it is a statement which could be made by anyone. Words are easy. It is not to be proclaimed, it is to be demonstrated. The only way it can be demonstrated is by our faith being tried. "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:2-3. To possess patience is to bear out patience in our daily lives. True patience is not simply maintaining proper behavior in our job, or in challenging circumstances in public, where we know there will be consequences for our rash behavior if we do not. True patience is in our hearts, in addition our actions, in private with our children or even our friends or loved ones. Patience is loving, having kind words or thoughts in trying times. It is not popping off and then feigning sincerity. Patience is acted out, demonstrated. It cannot be possessed without being lived because being lived is how it is possessed. But patience is not the greatest of these things.
. . .The greatest of these is love. This single word in the English language is used to describe many different characteristics. The Bible has four different Greek words for different types of love. The entire Bible is the love story. Yet our culture has minimalized the word to describe how we feel about ice cream. It is the most powerful virtue we can exhibit. It changes lives and hearts, ends war and heals wounds. Love breaks chains and strengthens the soul, and yet without Christ we are not capable of possessing or showing it. It cannot exist without being demonstrated. In relationships with others we can know if we are loved by peeling away all the words and looking at the actions. Being told we are loved is no proof. We can only know if we are loved by how we are shown. Christ's love for us unmistakable, not only because he told us, but because he showed us. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. If we love, it is demonstrated. "And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it." 2 John 1:5-6. We cannot have love for Christ or for others without it being acted out. Christ declared that the two greatest commandments are to love Him and to love each other. It is not enough for our love to be spoken, it must be shown. "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18. Love is defined in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. It explains how love is to be manifested in our lives to be seen by men to glorify God. Manifestation is a must regarding all virtues. They are to be acted out to touch the hearts of men for the glory of God.
As we take inventory of faith, patience, love, as well as other fruits in our lives received by the Holy Spirit, we must first determine if we demonstrate those virtues, and if so, how. "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God." 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4. These virtues are not strictly nouns to be held or possessed. They must also be verbs which are evidenced to others. Our faith will have works and be tested to produce patience. Our patience exists only in trial. Love is shown as well as spoken or proven untrue. Virtues do not exist to be had but to be shown. A virtue with no evidence has no purpose. Christ has made us what we are, the noun. Then comes our purpose, what we do, the verb. When we show these traits as true representations of our hearts, we draw closer to Christ.
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