The Merciful Masterনমুনা

A Sharing Faith

One of the prayers of the apostle Paul for his friend Philemon is that he would generously share his bounteous faith and its fruits with others. Even in his imprisonment, Paul is overjoyed and finds much comfort in Philemon’s endeavors of love towards the household of God. He is deeply moved by the fact that so many saints have been blessed by Philemon. However, he desires Philemon would do more. Paul desires that Philemon’s faith would be even more pronounced and active in good works. 

The faith of a Christian is to be constantly churning out acts of love and fellowship throughout one’s life. We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). Good works are the evidence that our faith is true and there is life within wrought forth by the Spirit of God. A righteous man is like a tree planted by rivers of water that yields its fruit (Psalm 1:3). Such a life of love lived out for others is a testament of the gospel reality of Christ Jesus. A living faith is God’s effective means to bring people to the full knowledge of Christ. A word of affirmation, a listening ear, a home cooked meal, a visit to the sick, a helping hand, and the sharing of the truth of God in love is the work of ministry each of us is called to do for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God (Ephesians 4:12-13). 

A family where the members constantly shower each other with encouragements, love, and gifts would be one that is tightly knit together in an intimate fellowship of love. Such love manifests itself in various ways and is always ready to forgive each other’s faults. Likewise, the body of Christ to which the Christian belongs should love in this manner. We who are blessed by the love of Jesus are to constantly manifest that love towards others. The Christian faith is truly Christian only when it is shared with others by word and deed.