There is an undeniable link established in Scripture between faith and love, that is, agape (Gk). It is my intent in penning these words to firmly fix this interconnection in the mind of the sincere seeker of the truth of God’s word. The primary points I intend to use to illustrate this truth are as follows: 1) God views faith and obedience as one virtue, 2) the relationship between the righteousness by faith and the righteousness of the Law, 3) the repository of faith and love, 4) the protective nature of faith with love, 5) the operation of faith through love, 6) the mature fruits of the Holy Spirit, and 7) “…the greatest of these is love”. I will attempt to be as clear as possible with my efforts to relate what I have discovered through diligent searching of the Scriptures and of prayer for spiritual light regarding this subject. Also, I do not believe I have an exhaustive or complete understanding of this subject, and invite any and all communication with those who read these words to contribute to more spiritual growth and encouragement in the Body of Christ regarding this very fundamental issue.

God views faith and obedience as one virtue

Faith is spoken of in the Bible as that which is given to us by God. Faith comes from God, not from inside some secret chamber of man’s heart. Man cannot reproduce faith in any way, shape or form. God has given to every person a “measure” of faith (Romans 12:3). Every child of God has been given a gift of faith, which resides as a seed planted in the ground of their life. As Jesus taught in the Gospels concerning planted seed, faith waits for the new life to spring up from the soil of the heart of the child of God. When the water of the Word of God falls upon the soil of a man’s heart, this seed springs to life. This is the work of the Holy Spirit of God as He comes to dwell within us through His Spirit. People often excuse themselves for not having enough faith for a particular situation. However, our Savior made it very clear in His own teaching of the nature of faith, that faith as small in size as a grain of mustard seed has sufficient power to achieve miraculous results in the natural realm (Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6). Faith is also a requirement to be pleasing to God. The Bible simply and clearly states, Without faith it is impossible to please God… (Hebrews 11:6a).

When using the Strong’s Greek Dictionary to review the definition of the word “faith”, it is discovered the primary verb, which is the basis for the word for “faith,” is the verb which is translated as “obey, believe, confidence, persuade, assure, agree, etc”. The word translated as faith is from the word which is translated as obey, or to believe. I find this truth to be most interesting in light of personal experiences in trying to identify faith in my own life. Apparently, God sees faith and obedience in the same view and as one in the same. In other words, faith is not found when obedience and assurance are not active in the life of the Believer. Faith is not faith when unbelief and doubt are present. Put another way, if I am not in full agreement with God’s word, or in possession of the assurance of the truth of that which I desire from God, I am not approaching Him in faith. What I am expressing without this assurance of faith is nothing more than wishful thoughts. God, who sees the thoughts and intents of the heart of man, is not pleased when He sees unbelief and doubt in the heart of those who cry out to Him. Mankind banishes himself into a separation from the presence of God when he approaches God without the presence of faith in his heart.

The important issue is the following question: what am I expressing to God when I bring my requests and concerns before Him, if I also am aware of doubt and unbelief in my own heart? For example, how do I come before God concerning the gift of divine healing for myself or a loved one? Am I solid in my belief that God has healed me? Or, am I giving God a “way out” of an awkward situation if for some reason I am not instantly healed when prayer if offered? Some say, “Maybe He just doesn’t want me to be healed.” Do I have a solid assurance that the work of the cross of Christ included provision for my healing? Or, do I repeat that often heard statement, “I know God CAN heal me.”, instead of a clear testimony of faith which says, “God HAS healed me, in spite of any physical evidence to the contrary.”?

In the Book of Hebrews we can read the following words inspired by the Holy Spirit of God Himself, “…for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6b). This Scripture makes a clear statement of what God expects from His children when they approach Him with their petitions. He fully expects, and is certainly worthy of, our unfailing loyalty and holy reverence of heart. After all, He is the One and only Great Architect and Creator of all that exists in the Universe, including each and every person. He gives life and breath to everything which moves. His concern is for the health and safety of every creature of His, whether that be the animal, plant, or human kingdom. God’s word declares that the entire world with all its repositories of various commodities actually belong to Him. He owns it all. To come before God with any doubt regarding this fact, and in the same breath mutter a request for God’s help in financial affairs or personal provisions, is very close to the act of blasphemy. The same argument applies when we make our request to Him for divine healing. He has already declared His intention in His word concerning His willingness to heal those who are diseased and afflicted. The earthly ministry of the Son of God illustrated this fact overwhelmingly. It is also His clearly stated intention to provide for each and every living person’s welfare. Not only does God have this interest in His own children, but also for every living creature. It is apparent, we must approach God in faith and without the presence of unbelief in our heart.

In the Scriptures, when speaking concerning the faith of Abraham, both Paul and James referenced the writings of Moses, as recorded in Genesis 15:6. They both stated, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. For Abraham, this belief in God was not a simple declaration of his theological identity, but such a firm assurance in God’s word that he left his homeland and started on a lifetime journey to follow God’s leading toward a promised new land. In the beginning of this fifteenth chapter of Genesis, God spoke to Abraham and described Himself as his Shelter and his Great Reward. It was because of God’s self-description to him that Abraham asked the Lord for an heir. It is this chapter which describes the Abrahamic Covenant and remains in force to this very day. God promised Abraham his offspring would number as the sands of the sea and would possess the very land which He had promised to Abraham. This all took place over 400 years prior to the giving of the Law, whereby obedience became linked to the observance of certain customs and rituals. Somehow, man developed a theology with his focus on the observance of practices and rituals, instead of on the word and promises of God.

This message should be firmly planted in the heart and mind of every child of God: the faith which pleases God, and that which He is looking for as fruit from our life, is the firm obedience and belief in His words and promises. Without God’s word, we have no basis for faith (Romans 10:17). But, when we have God’s word, and with it a firm commitment to hear and act on His word, we are living in the true realm of miraculous faith. This is the life which pleases God, and receives the fulfillment of God’s promises.

The relationship between the righteousness by faith and the righteousness of the Law

There seems to be an erroneous doctrine propagated from our evangelical pulpits which seems to draw incomplete conclusions regarding the Old and the New Covenants, as if the Old Covenant, with its legal practices and observances, was somehow less important to God than the New Covenant. This is a dangerous conclusion and not consistent with the actual record of Scripture. Even Christ, when discussing this point during His earthly ministry, declared the truth of the word of God saying, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am come not to destroy, but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). Christ’s own testimony establishes the truth which illustrates the relationship between the Old and the New Covenants. Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, became the link between these two distinctly different Covenants. The Old Covenant details God’s response to man’s acts of obedience to the Law. Whereas, the New Covenant speaks of God’s personal relationship with Believers because of the completed work of our Savior, Jesus Christ, upon the cross 2000 years ago. But, as we discussed previously, the true nature of the life which pleases God was personified through the life of Abraham. Indeed, Abraham was called “Friend of God”. His faith and belief in God produced a strict obedience in his life to follow the direction of God as He led him to a Promised Land. This was 400 years prior to the presentation of the Law. God was looking for a people who would walk in obedience with Him; those who would hear His voice and would be comfortable in His presence. He was looking for fellowship; friends, who would walk with Him out of love and not coercion. In the life of Abraham we see this “friend of God” leaving his homeland to follow God’s leading. The true intention of God was visible and possible without the many and varied ritualistic observances of the Law. Abraham’s life confirmed this fact.

There is, however, a very distinct difference in the performance of each of these Covenants. This distinction was prophesied by the Old Testament Prophets, as they saw the promised redemption of mankind, though not clearly. The primary difference had to do with how the terms of the Covenant were to be accomplished. Namely, that God Himself would dwell within the life of the Believer through the gift of His own Spirit living within their heart. No longer was the individual held accountable for inadvertent omissions and side slips, because God would dwell within the Believer’s life, through His Holy Spirit’s influence, and He would personally guide each person on the path of true righteousness and peace with Him. The workload, which used to be based on the strict adherence to certain customs done on certain days and at certain times, became the full responsibility of God Himself. Paul described the weakness of the Law in that it was powerless to bring mankind to perfection. It only prescribed remedies for forgiveness of sin. But, due to the fact that periodic sacrifices had to be offered for the same sin year after year, there was a constant reminder of the failure. This conditional approach was completely set aside under the New Covenant because of the once-for-all sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God upon the cross. The price was eternally paid for all who will come to faith and belief in Him as their Lord and Savior. The result was a clean and clear conscience (1Tim 1:5, 19; 3:9; Heb 9:9, 14; 10:2, 22). It became possible for the prophesy of Isaiah chapter 1 to be fulfilled wherein God would forever forget the sins and make the sinner clean. The perfect sacrifice had been made. His purpose was stated clearly and set in force, saying, I will live in them, and walk in them; they shall be my people, and I will be their God. There are eight individual Old Testament prophesies containing this statement of God’s desired relationship which He has wanted to have with each and every child of His (Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 31:33; 32:38; Ezekiel 11:20; 36:28; 37:27; Zechariah 8:8; 13:9). Then, once again, in Revelation 21: 7, within the context of John’s prophesy concerning the New Jerusalem, Jesus declared this promise to those who overcome, He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

The primary goal and under-scoring purpose of God in having a relationship with those who will obey Him and follow Him is that they will be His sons and daughters. This goal is the same throughout the Old and the New Covenant times. Simply stated, the Law was originally given to prepare those who would obey Him for sonship. The weakness of the Law was that it could not bring about a completion of the goal because of the constant reminder of the act of past sin. Then, if an offense was made at any time, even if it was an inadvertent side slip or a failure of memory, one would immediately be judged as a law breaker. The result was those who walked with fear on “pins and needles” expecting the heavy hand of judgment to come down on his head. This kind of child-father relationship evokes images of a sledge-hammer wielding, angry control freak waiting to beat a rebellious child into shape.

The Apostle Paul, knowing full well the intention of God was to be fully committed to His children with a loving relationship, wrote in Second Corinthians, chapter 6, quoting the Prophet Jeremiah from chapter 31:33-34… But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, “Know the Lord”; for they all shall know me from the least to the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Throughout many of Paul’s epistles found in the New Testament we find him making a case for the righteousness which is by faith compared to the righteousness which is by the law. One such letter is found in the second chapter of the Book of Romans. In this chapter, Paul distinguishes between those who have received the Law, and who make their boast over those who have not received the Law. He makes the distinction between those who, even though they have obeyed on one point, and still offend the Law in another point, they are still judged as a Law-breaker. Then he stated concerning the Gentiles, who did not have the Law, but who nevertheless obeyed the spirit of the Law because they are being guided by a law stamped into their conscience, are actually receiving credit for their obedience and are justified by their conscience. So, in Paul’s words, though they were uncircumcised, yet their conscience guided obedience to the meaning of the Law declared them justified as if they were circumcised.

Apparently there was quite a contention in the early Church over the issue of the rites of membership for converted Gentiles to be able to be received on an equal basis in the Church with practicing Jews. One serious issue was over the whole issue of circumcision. In verse 13, Paul states, For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Then again later on in the same chapter, verse 29, But he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Paul clearly taught of the importance of the condition of the heart as a higher priority than the prescriptive letter of the Law. In Galatians, chapter 5, verse 1-6, we read, Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ has become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

There was a larger issue here in these portions of Scripture than solely the issue of circumcision. Circumcision was a clear legal requirement of the Law prior to any male entering the temple of God to worship. But, over the generations of passing time, the deeper spiritual meaning was set aside by a strict adherence to the letter of the Law. No longer did the spiritual value rise up in the mind of the faithful follower, but a self-justification in the fact of the obedience to the letter of the Law. Paul spoke to the larger issue as saying there are other practices which are just as legalistic and lifeless as this issue of circumcision. The point here in all this is that God was more concerned with finding those whose righteousness meant something to them, and it actually was practiced from the heart of man fully committed to loving Him. Earlier in chapter 2 of the Book of Galatians, Paul spoke this clearly, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified… I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain (verses 16 and 21). Clearly, it is shown the relationship which exists between the righteousness which is through the law and the righteousness which is by faith are at total odds. It is either one way or the other, but if your righteousness is from the law, then walk carefully, so you do make a mistake. If one offense is made at any time, then the entire law will judge you as a law-breaker.