1 Thessalonians 1-5
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In Paul’s writings in the New Testament he often uses these words:
faith, hope, and love. He said in
1 Corinthians 13, “Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is
love.” They also show up a couple
times in today’s reading in 1 Thessalonians.
What I see in these chapters is that faith, hope, and love are not
just emotions that make you feel good – they are virtues that should move us to
action. In chapter one Paul says
of the Thessalonians’ that their work was produced by faith, their labor was
prompted by love, and their endurance was inspired by their hope in Jesus.
Once again, faith, hope and love are not just emotions, but they
are virtues that are necessary to “hold on to the good and avoid every kind of
evil.” Chapter 5, verse 8 says,
“But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith
and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” We’re talking armor here … protection;
a covering. The breastplate and
the helmet are meant to cover and guard the heart and the mind, which Satan is
always after. Our defense? –
Faith, Hope, and Love.
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