Day 84

What are the pillars of Christianity?

This is an excellent question to ask. If you enter this question into a search engine you will find many answers and many disagreements. But once, long ago, a man by the name of Laurence asked this same question to his spiritual father, Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD). Augustine responded with a short treatise on these three items: Faith, Hope, and Love.

We read about faith, hope, and love quite a bit in the new testament, but one of the greatest proclamations of these three great pillars is found in the first letter written to the Thessalonian church.

"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God." (vv. 1:2-4)

"Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (vv. 5:8-9)

Notice how they are praised who not only claim faith in Jesus Christ, but also hope quite earnestly for his return while labouring in the works of love. This instruction alone teaches us that salvation is not a passive gift; it is an active gift, working and flowing through us. It is not simply something we believe and then get on with life. It is life changing, even changing what we dwell on with our minds and the work we set before our hands to do.

But also notice the foundation of faith, hope, and love: "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." These three things are the product of our knowing the election we have in Jesus Christ and the salvation he has given us. Paul also equates them to spiritual armor, which we put on not only for protection, but to fight the good fight.

So think on these things and consider how faith, hope, and love work out in your Christian life.

In Christ,

Jay Silvas