II Timothy 1:13 “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
There are two principal things that draw Born Again (John 3:1-8) Children of God to the Gospel and the Lord’s Church; they are, “faith and love”! It is said to be “faith and love … in Christ Jesus”; for, it is the perfectly reliable truth concerning “Christ Jesus” “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (II Timothy 1:9). He “saved” us because He loves us; and He has bound us together in love for Him, His Church, His Gospel, and for each other. This blessed “faith and love” comes from, and is sustained by Jesus Christ our Lord; furthermore, He is the object, focus, and reason for this “faith and love”. When Preachers are blessed to herald the “sound words” of our Lord’s Gospel, there is great joy in Zion as our Lord opens his “fountain” of “faith and love”. It is all about “Christ Jesus”, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” (I Peter 1:8)! It is somewhat like standing alongside that glorious “river” as “faith and love” gush forth, filling us with Spiritual Joy. The Psalmist described it this way, “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.” (Psalms 46:4)! It is no wonder that gifted Preachers are said to have “beautiful … feet”: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isaiah 52:7). That is there is great rejoicing when we see them coming, for their messages are “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” (Proverbs 25:25)! It is so comforting and pleasant that David declared, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.” (Psalms 122:1).