An Active Faith

4 hours ago

1 min read

Faith is more than something we believe. Faith shapes how we live.

Article artwork created with ChatGPT - Concept and art direction by Steve Ellis

When Timothy returned to Paul after visiting the Christians in Thessalonica, he brought “good news about your faith and love” (1 Thessalonians 3:6, NIV). Their faith was evident in the way they were living, and hearing about it encouraged Paul during a difficult time.

He told them, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:7, NIV).

Their faith was active, and their faithfulness strengthened others.

Sometimes we can spend so much time learning about our faith that we forget the importance of practicing what we already know. We know Jesus calls us to forgive, serve, love our neighbor, care for others, pray, and trust God. Growth happens as these truths move from what we know into how we live.

An active faith does not mean that we have everything figured out. Paul still prayed that the Thessalonians' faith would continue to grow (1 Thessalonians 3:10). They were still growing, learning, and becoming more like Christ.

Is our faith active and growing?

Adding to Your Faith

This article is part of Adding to Your Faith, a series exploring how we can continue growing and maturing in Christ. Throughout the series, we will consider the importance of intentional growth, transformation, Christian community, and putting our faith into practice.