Love With Faith

“Peace [be] to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph 6:23 AV)

The wording in this verse is throwing me off.  It seems as though Paul is wishing his own peace on the brethren, but the love with faith is from God.  But I don’t think that is the way Paul intended.  I think the peace and love with faith are from God, and Paul is bestowing these graces on the brethren on behalf of God the Father and the LORD Jesus Christ.  It is the love with faith that has me intrigued.  Love with faith is a lot deeper than love without faith.  Love with faith trusts that the sacrificial love given will be effective even if there is no discernable evidence for it.  Love with faith is what marriage requires.  One must trust a spouse regardless of what may or may not be reciprocated.  This is the highest form of love.  Paul refers to this love as charity in his letter to the Corinthians.

There are certain expectations when exercising love.  Appreciation is one of them.  Affirmation is another.  We also expect some type of response in return.  It may not always be to the degree we desire, but any bit is appreciated.  When we give gifts to our children, they may not thank us.  But we enjoy looking in their eyes when they see what is given.  They may not understand the sacrifice that was made for their newly-found prize.  But the look on their faces is what pleases Mom or Dad.  We know that in time, they will reciprocate that love.  We have faith that if we do our part and love them with our whole heart, there will come a day when they show their appreciation.  I have the luxury of having sons in the ministry.  This means that every once is a while, they use their upbringing as an illustration.  In their way, they are saying thank you. 

Love with faith knows no limits.  Love out of duty does.  Love with faith has patience.  Love by commandment does not.  Love with faith does not care for immediate results.  Love by constraint does.  Love with faith looks to the future.  Love without faith looks at the present.  Love with faith can see the profit that their love has on the receiver more than it sees any benefit that might come upon Self.  Love with faith does not care what the results are.  Love without faith keeps score.  Love with faith knows that reward for sacrificial love comes from God.  Love without faith sees reward that only comes from man.  Love with faith means that the heart is fully engaged.  Love without faith only engages the will.  Love with faith sees love as far more effective than the immediate.  It sees love as compounded investment.  Love without faith is only focused on the need at hand.  Love with faith has a sense of contented self-sacrifice.  Love without faith does not see any inward benefit of selfless love.  Paul wished on God’s part love with faith for the Ephesian church.  This depth of love comes only from God.  As Paul shared earlier in the letter, by accepting Jesus Christ, we learn of His person and nature.  His love becomes our love.  Divine love with faith becomes the nature of the saint.  It is deep love.  It is the deepest love of all.