Pattern of Faith and Love

UV 2830/10000 Pattern of Faith and Love
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Galatians 5 v 6

Religious traditions and practices do not count for anything in bringing salvation to mankind. But faith in Jesus Christ that operates in love can bring salvation to all mankind. Love is the fruit or result of faith. God’s love for mankind is expressed chiefly through the forgiveness we receive when we believe in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Love is expressed not merely in words or in speech but in deeds. Without love, our faith is dead, ineffective and empty. Faith in Christ is the root while love is the fruit. The pattern of our lives should be an intertwining of faith and love at all times.
Having experienced the forgiveness and love of God in Chriist, we cannot remain inert and unchanged. Faith sows the seed of the agape love of God in us and we are to water and nourish this seed by our actions and reactions over our lifetime. Love is the essence of the character of Christ and it should also be the essence of our own character. Love has two dimensions: love of God and love of our fellow beings, including our own family, kith and kin, friends, strangers, neighbours, enemies.
The first fruit of the spirit that St Paul mentions is love. In fact, the other eight fruit are the dimensions of love. If we are loving, we should be patient in our attitudes, actions and reactions with all. If we are loving, we will be joyful, peaceful, kind, humble. If we are loving, we will control our anger and the words we speak. We will speak with self restraint and exercise self control. Self control requires us to actually yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit. Our different parts or organs and compartments of life should be submitted at all times to the supervision of the Holy Spirit so that we do not err or fall from the grace or favour of the Lord.
Prateep V Philip