For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;
When you read Paul’s history in the book of Acts, you get the sense that he had a special affinity for the churches in Asia Minor. Part of it may have been the amount of time he spent there, but these verses give us a glimpse into the character of these particular bodies of believers. It had likely been 4 years since Paul had been in Ephesus, and word had reached him that great faith was shown in these house churches and love was shown for all the saints.
If only every group calling itself a church today could claim the same! Unfortunately many are plagued with laymen and ministers seeking to control rather than serve while others show love and serve those around them without real faith in the Lord Jesus and the word of God. What description would accurately describe the local body of which you are a part? What a blessing it is to be a part of a church where faith and the teaching of God’s Word is strong and members are concerned with showing love to others close to home and abroad. I give prayerful thanks for this in my own life!
Examine your heart and life today. Is your faith in the Lord Jesus or in “good works” or a list of religious requirements? Do you show indiscriminate love for the saints or give and love when it is most convenient? In the end faith without love and love without faith are useless.
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