Faith, Part 2 of 3预览

Strengthening each other in faith

“We sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:2)

Life as a Christian is not always easy. The young church in Thessalonica also faced tribulation. This worried the apostle Paul. Unable to visit his friends in person, he sent Timothy “to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.” So he wanted to know about the spiritual health of the congregation.

Of course, Paul didn't just want information about the situation. He also wanted to strengthen and encourage these people in their faith. It was his desire that they be pure and holy before God.

Are there also people in your life who are interested in your spiritual health and enquire about your faith life? Is your faith strengthened by others, for example within your local congregation? And conversely, do you empathize with the needs of fellow believers and seek to strengthen and encourage their faith where necessary? If not, which steps could you take to change this?