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Faith Made Effective Through Love

for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision strengthens anyone rather faith made effective through love (Galatians 5:6)











The word translated above as counts is strengthens (ἰσχύω, ischuō, to be strong, have strength; strengthen). What strengthens us in Christ? Surely, as we will see it is not going back to the Old Testament and trying to be strengthened with that which does not give strength. What strengthens is faith made effective (ἐνεργέω, energeō, in work; energized; made effective; effectual) through love. The English word energized has its root in this Greek word made effective. Energy is defined as the capacity of acting or being active; the power of operating; power exerted; effectual operation; efficacy; strength or force producing the effect.* There is a strength produced by faith working or energized or made effective through love. 

you have made yourself ineffectual in Christ, whoever justifies himself in the law, fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4) 

If ones falls from grace, going back to the Law they make themselves of no effect. The Law did not bring anyone into maturity, "for the Law perfected [matured] no one, now, the introduction of a better hope through whom we draw near" (Hebrews 7:19). Maturity is the work of ministry.* The work of ministry is to build up the body into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, into mature adulthood (Ephesians 4:12-13). How that operates is truth in love, the body grows into maturity in Christ, "according to the working (energeia, energy; making effectual) in each individual part, making the body grow, building itself up in love" (Ephesians 4;16). The gifts are given by Christ to build up the individual in faith and love, this is the work of ministry, and in turn this effect on each individual part encompasses the whole, producing a unity of faith so the body grows up (made effective; matured) in love. 
if having all the faith so to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
Paul writes love is the greatest gift working along truth within the church as faith without love is nothing, it is of no effectual power without love, thus not true faith.* James would agree, faith without deeds of love is dead.* We can give to an organization or mission and outreach to our community but if we do not love one another we walk in darkness. If we, the church, have the worlds goods and give to the world but turn our hearts from the brother I see in need, in my church, faith has not been made effectual through love in my heart (1 John 3:17). The love of God has not been fulfilled. 
This illustration is for the present time that according to gifts and sacrifices offered these can not give power perfecting [maturing] the worshiper as far as his consciousness is concerned (Hebrews 9:9)
Faith that is effectual through love strengthens us. Strength to love and serve others doesn't come from the works of serving or sacrificing or offerings or the Law, but it comes from having been strengthened in love and faith. Paul calls it being rooted and founded and built up in Christ, in faith (truth increases faith) and love (Ephesians 3:16-17; Colossians 2:7). You have to build a proper foundation if you want your house to stand. The plant needs to be rooted if it is to grow up and bear fruit, some thirty, sixty, or hundredfold. What strengthens in this process of growth is faith working or made effectual through love. 

Paul writes similar of the effect of grace, he was made a servant "according to the gift of God's grace, that given me according to the energy of his power" (Ephesians 3:7). The effect of true grace brings about God's power (2 Corinthians 12:9). The effect of being justified by the Law, is a falling from God's grace and its effect or energy or power. The effect of living to laws, decrees, handwriting or the written code is to render useless the power that comes through Christ. 
Now, whoever keeps His word, truly in that person the love of God is fulfilled, in knowing, existing in Him (1 John 2:5)
The effectual operation of faith is through love. Or love is the force that produces the effect (reality; completion, perfection, maturity) of faith. The effect of love on faith is that it brings about or achieves, or accomplishes, maturity or perfection. This is how we know the love of God is fulfilled in us; our faith matures producing obedience. First we must be rooted in faith and love.*
now, to the extent of all theses, [put on] love, existing the bond to perfection (Colossians 3:14)
Put on is added here as in context Paul is talking about putting on (like putting on clothes) these other qualities; compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, long suffering (Colossians 3:12). He writes to the extent or above all these put on love. Really if you loo at these qualities love is the basis of each. So we put on love to a greater extent, or it is above, or the most excellent way, it is even greater than all the gifts. Why so? why is agape love so important to effectual faith? The work of ministry, that works though love, produces a unity of faith and maturity in Christ, so that we are no longer children but grow up into the measure of Christ (Ephesians 4:12-14). Agape love is the bond that leads to this maturity in Christ. Thus the body grows up when each individual part is loved and growing in faith, which is effectual on the individual part and the whole body. The power that makes our faith effectual, or brings us into maturity, is love.  
now, truth in love we grow up all into him, who exists the head, Christ, from whom the whole body joined and knit together through all supplied ligaments according to the working in each one part making the body grow to the extent it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:15-16)
Love is the bond that leads to maturity. Bond is defined as anything that binds; ligament that holds together.* I now understand what Paul means about the ligament in regards to the body. It always confused me, I understood the members or those given gifts working together, without which the body is not whole. But what is the ligament that holds the member together? The bond or ligament that unites the body together is agape love. We know this because faith is made effectual through love, the body grows up truth in love, and the bond of love leads to maturity or the increasing of faith. "... nourished [supplied further] and knit together [held together; united] through the ligaments and bond, growing up of the growth of God" (Colossians 2:19). The joining, nourishing, knitting or holding or binding together of the ligaments of the body is truth in love. There is a unity of faith and bond of love that produces maturity in Christ. What strengthens and builds up the church, beginning in each individual part so that the whole of each part is joined and working together, is faith made effectual through love.
so that strengthened to lay hold of, together with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth both to know the love of Christ surpassing knowledge so that filled to the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:13-20)
Paul writes that God grants us a ruling strength in our inner being through the Spirit. This knowing or enlightenment of his power available to us comes through his mighty strength which he accomplished in Christ (Ephesians 1:15-20). He also writes of a rooting in faith and love so that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith (or we are rooted and built up in him and established in faith) and that we are rooted in love (Ephesians 3:17-18; Colossians 2:7). Paul writes we need these strengths to lay hold of a greater strength; to know the surpassing love of Christ so to be filled with the fullness of God. James equates fullness or wholeness with maturity (James 1:4). This being rooted in faith and love and possessing the greater strength of this surpassing love of Christ is how we will endure (Romans 8:38). This has been a testimony in my own life, when I can't pray or praise my way through some tribulation, distress, persecution, or danger, God reminds me I am his and that he loves me. It founds and calms me during the storm. It reminds me it is love that makes faith effectual especially when endurance is needed during a trial.  
in this all will know that you are my disciples, if you possess love for one another (John 13:35)
This is one of the most striking and most challenging scriptures, for the church. In his first letter John writes if we love one another we walk in the true light (1 John 2:7-11). If we do not we walk in darkness. It is a sign of our maturity or obedience to Jesus who commands us to love one another (John 13:34-35). Jesus in the parable of sowing tells us it is a mature plant that bears fruit, some thirty, some sixty, some hundredfold. The importance of love in this is that it is the nourishment that makes growth effective in truth. As Paul writes the bond of love leads to maturity. The love of God is fulfilled in us when we grow up mature, truth in love. Faith by itself is nothing, it is made effective through agape love. 
 





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