Recently, Gene addressed the students and staff of Nagaland Bible College in a five-part series regarding principles of ministry. Those lessons are on the website HERE.
We’ve posted several associated short videos derived from these lessons that you can enjoy and share with friends. Find them on our social media channels. Two examples are linked below.
#Faith #Hope #Love
In 1st Thessalonians 1:3, Paul says he is giving thanks because he remembers “without ceasing your work of faith, your labor, of love and your patience, of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ…” These are the three foundations of the Christian way of life.
The work of faith: we do not do the “work of faith.” Faith does the work in us because of what we believe. The work of faith is the work of the Word of God in our souls, conforming us to the character of Jesus Christ.
He had seen the work of faith in their life and the “labor of love.” In 1st Corinthians Chapter 13, “Love is kind, love is patient,” and so on, and so forth. And then he says, the “patience of hope.” Probably a better word would be “endurance.” They were being persecuted by the authorities, and yet they were standing firm and they were standing strong. And why was that? The promises that God has made. He is the one who will ultimately raise us from the dead in resurrection.
Anchored in these ways, they were able to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, hope in the promises that God has given us for eternity, and, of course, love as the Spirit of God “pours the love of God out in our hearts” and teaches us to love those who are around us.
Our Two-part #Calling
When Paul uses the word “election;” he means “calling.” Let me read 1st Thessalonians 1:4 this way. “Knowing brethren, your calling of God.” It’s a two-part calling. The first part of the call, Matthew 11:28, “Come to me all you labor and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” That is the call to salvation. We have to respond by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. He calls to all to come; not all respond. Those who respond have the first part of that calling — eternal salvation. What was the second part of the calling?
The second part of the calling goes on in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke on you and learn from me.” That is the call to discipleship, the call to salvation. “Come to me with your burden of sin and lay it down and I will give you rest.” The call to discipleship, which follows the call to salvation: “Take my yoke on you and learn from Me and you will find rest for your soul:” rest in the service of God. Rest in knowing that we are fulfilling the purpose for which God put us in this world. There is a peace, there’s a joy, and there’s a strength of knowing that we have finally found our place in life.