Love With Faith – Ephesians 6:21-24

I never cease to marvel at Jesus. He had the ability to speak truth into people’s lives that was sometimes hard and yet they loved him. And this no doubt springs from the fact that he completely loved them. The rich young ruler comes to mind (Mark 10:17-22), who, when he turned and left Jesus because Jesus said he had to leave all his possessions to inherit eternal life, it says “Jesus loved him.” Jesus embodies the love with faith that Paul wishes for his readers.

So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Ephesians 6:21–24, ESV)

Once again we note the lack of personal references to readers, which again leads us to believe that this letter is not to one church but to several churches in the Ephesus orbit. And Paul is not coming by soon. He is in prison, but it seems clear from Philippians that he anticipates being released. However, his plans do not include an immediate trip to the Ephesus area. Tychicus will be coming through, though, and he will tell everyone about Paul’s situation.

Tychicus is one of Paul’s several delegates, like Timothy, Silas, and Titus, who can speak for him and minister to the churches. What a team ministry he had! Can I be team member like that? If someone needed to send me to bear a message would they be able to say, “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” about me?  Would I encourage their hearts?

Paul wishes/prays for the recipients of this letter that they may experience peace, most likely, in light of the emphasis of this letter, peace between themselves, that is, not conflict but harmony.  And he wants for them love with faith.  Love without faith is compromising and unable to persevere.  Faith without love is hard and dogmatic when it isn’t necessary to be dogmatic.

All of this comes from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all real virtue.  As does grace, which belongs to all who love the Lord Jesus with incorruptible love.  It isn’t love if it can be corrupted.  I can’t say I love my spouse or my friend if I am disloyal to them.

Why doesn’t Paul mention the Holy Spirit here? I don’t know. He has given plenty of play to this third person of the Trinity in chapters 1 (the Holy Spirit is the seal of our salvation), 2 (we pray to the Father in the Son’s merit by the aid of the Holy Spirit), 3 (the Spirit can enable us to understand the love of Christ), 4 (the Holy Spirit is the one who has made all believers one and who is grieved by our disunity) and 5 (we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit and live the way that promotes His unity). Paul has in previous letters to churches spoken final remarks  in Trinitarian terms (2 Corinthians 13:14). In some letters his conclusion only mentions the Lord Jesus (2 Thessalonians 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 16:21-23). Paul is definitely Trinitarian. He just doesn’t need to be formulaic in his expressions about God.

Discussion Questions

1. Who stands out in your life as someone who is both doctrinally correct and genuinely loving?
2. What do you think made Tychicus someone Paul could trust to represent him to the churches?
3. What have you found in this letter from Paul that encourages your heart?
4. What examples have you seen of believers expressing their faith without love?
5. What examples have you seen of believers expressing their love in a way inconsistent with the truth?
6. What does it mean to you personally that Christ’s love is incorruptible?