John 13:35 English Standard Version (ESV) By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The second is the issue of a change of heart. This gives us the ability to feel what Jesus feels when He seeks to love the lost in ways we never could have done without the abiding presence of His love in us.

Ephesians 3:17 English Standard Version (ESV) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Ephesians 6:6 English Standard Version (ESV) not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

A bondservant is one who gives himself up to another’s will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among men. Source Vine’s Encyclopedia.

Note the wording, “whose service is used by Christ”. In this manner Paul rightly said in Galatians 2:20 ^“It is no longer I, but Christ who lives in me. I live by faith in the Son of God.” Text edited to hi-light the important relevant issues.

The 13^th chapter of 1^st Corinthians is the love chapter that defines agape love, God’s perfect love. If we judge ourselves by that standard we will discover that we come up short of that perfection over and over again. Failure leads to disappointment and self-incrimination. In order for the love of Christ, which abides now in our hearts, to love the unlovely, we must surrender ourselves to His will.

In order to know His will we need to allow our faith to identify His will and be obedient by faith.

Romans 16:25-27 English Standard Version

Doxology

²⁵ Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages ²⁶ but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— ²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

The third issue is that God the Father is glorified.

John 8:31 English Standard Version (ESV) So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

John 13:35 English Standard Version (ESV) By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 15:8 English Standard Version (ESV) By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

In simple terms disciple means to learn. The word is used only in the New Testament. It is often associated in emotional terms as followers which should be seen as an adherent of His commands but often is just seen as doing what Jesus did, or following in His footsteps.

These three verses are included today to go a step beyond learning or to simply be a student. The first is the Jewish perspective, one in where the scriptures are given with purpose and promise. By taking His Word and writing them on their hearts, the full effect of the promises of God would be realized. The first visible blessing of abiding in His word in this manner is the activation of faith according to God’s will.

Romans 10:17 English Standard Version (ESV) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Many will ask about our faith and the answer to that question should not be a label. I am a Baptist, I am Catholic, I am Methodist and the growing list of administrations is not faith, they are organizations. That makes as much sense as answering “I am an engineer.” It says nothing about what faith is and does.

Research the word faith in the Blue Letter Bible resource archives and we will find sixty-five different definitions of faith. Some of those resources are extensive and complicated. Faith cannot and should not be reduced to who we associate with in worship.

In an effort to point out the origins of faith we would do well to accept that faith is a gift from God in order that we might know and believe Him. Might does not mean that everyone will.