GROWING IN FAITH AND LOVE
The Bible shows that God esteems faith (which involves hope) and love (his “greatest” gift) above all other gifts (1 Corinthians 13:13). And faith in the loving Christ of the Bible inspires believers to love God and people more (1 John 4:19, Romans 5:8).
FAITH RELATED TO GOD AND LOVE
AI states: “In the Bible, faith is confidence and trust in God and His promises, even in the absence of physical proof. It’s defined as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). This trust is not just intellectual assent but a deep-seated reliance that involves the whole person—mind, heart, and will—and is demonstrated through actions like love and obedience.
According to the Bible: “without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). And “Though [faith] is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree” (Matthew 13:32).
WAYS BIBLE-BELIEVERS GREW IN FAITH AND LOVE
In Hebrews chapter 11, The biblical word of God, gives us many Old Testament examples of people with faith in God.
Peter is selected as a New Testament example of how a believer in the Son of God grows in faith and love: When Simon Peter first met Jesus, Peter had little or no faith in the Lord; but his faith grew progressively as he followed the Lord.
Jesus got into a docked boat, which belonged to Peter, where Jesus taught people standing by about “the word of God.” When he had finished speaking, he said to Peter, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Peter was one of 70 disciples that Jesus sent out “two by two” to preach the word of God, and to “fish for people” (Luke 10:1-23).
Later, Peter denied that. he knew the Lord three times, when Jesus was being falsely accused by the Jewish Sanhedrin; but the disciple repented (Luke 22:54-62).He experienced the Lord’s forgiveness and grew in faith and love (John 21:15-17).
On the Holy Day of Pentecost, when Jews were gathered in Jerusalem, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit promised by Christ (Acts 1:8). It was then that Peter began to boldly preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For “Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say…22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2:14-24).
When Peter and other disciples were threatened by the Sanhedrin with jail or death, for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ; “Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men” Acts 5:24-29).
You may see other things that Peter did that demonstrate his growth in faith and love for the Lord, Recorded in “The Acts Of The Apostles,”
WAYS YOU CAN GROW IN FAITH
Be like Peter and other disciple in aspiring to be like Jesus Christ (Luke 10:1-23; Roman 8:28):
- When you first hear the gospel of Jesus Christ you ought to realize that you are a sinner, and that you need to accept the Son of God as your Savior (Romans 6:23; John 3:16).
- Repent of all your sins and wrong doings (1 John 1:9; Luke 13:3).
- Proclaim the saving gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16)
- Pray as the Lord and the disciples prayed (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 18:1).
- Be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit (John 14: 15-17).
- Live by all the inspired Word of God (Matthew 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27).
- In view of his sacrificial death, Jesus said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35).
As you grow I faith and love, “rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12-13).
