A Brief Definition of True Christianity
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
John Calvin comments:
From this we may gather a brief definition of true Christianity – that it is a faith that is lively and full of vigour, so that it spares no labour, when assistance is to be given to one’s neighbors, but, on the contrary, all the pious employ themselves diligently in offices of love, and lay out their efforts in them, so that, intent upon the hope of the manifestation of Christ, they despise everything else, and, armed with patience, they rise superior to the wearisomeness of length of time, as well as to all the temptations of the world.”
– John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. Vol. 21 Translated by John Pringle. 1851 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009), 239.
