2Th 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

In his earlier Epistle Paul congratulated the Thessalonians on the fruits of faith, love, and hope which he saw among them (1Thessalonians 1:3). Now he is thankful that their faith and love continues to grow and abound.

What a great compliment Paul paid the Thessalonian Christians: “your faith groweth exceedingly”.  Their faith has grown so much that the apostle Paul finds it necessary to make special mention of it!  The first question that we should be asking ourselves now is: “Is my faith growing in a way that others can see?” Daily we should be asking ourselves: “Am I growing in the faith?”

But some are quick to blame the church for their lack of spiritual growth. IF the Church were more dynamic. IF the preaching was more powerful. IF the teaching was more edifying. IF the elders were more motivating. IF the members were more loving.  Seldom someone will blame himself for his weak faith.

The truth is: the problem lies with the heart and not with anything else. Our Lord says: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8).

It is not about the programs or people. I attended a very small congregation while I was studying in Melbourne, Australia. The congregation consisted of about ten elderly folks. They didn’t have elders or a full time preacher. They didn’t have any other church programs; they didn’t need them to be faithful. Yet, those folks were in church every Sunday.

Faith grows when the heart is near God. And, “growth” is a sign of a living faith. A feeble faith makes a feeble life. A faithful Christian has an active lifestyle in God’s kingdom. Obviously, these Thessalonian Christians weren't just trying to hang on to their faith till Jesus returned. They were learning, moving, and growing. Their lives offered evidence to that fact -- they were ACTIVE. And Paul and those around them could see they were faithful and that their faith kept growing.

Faith will not grow by our wishing it to grow. One must take a personal responsibility for making his faith grows. Faith grows by means of what it feeds on: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Peter concurs: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).

Apparently, the preaching the Thessalonians heard was provoking them into an ever deeper walk with Christ. I daresay that this congregation in which I am a member of has a very solid pulpit preaching and wonderful bible class teaching programs. The sermons and bible classes are geared towards encouraging the members to live a life of faith and godliness. And, for some reasons that one still does not feel edified by those lessons, it is because the heart is not there.

One can attend church but the heart is far away (Matthew 15:8). The heart is a reason that one’s faith is not growing. His heart is not in the sermon and bible class. It is for this reason the lessons didn’t make him a stronger and more faithful Christian.

Let us be like the Thessalonian Christians: let our faith grow exceedingly. We can grow if we begin to take charge of our spiritual growth: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

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