Some More About Faith

Faith continues to be on my mind. I've recently read I and II Thessalonians. The topic of faith is fairly prominent:

• I Thess. 3:2-3 Paul sends Timothy to check up on the people in Thessalonica and to "help your faith, so that none of you should turn back." Apparently, they believed, but their faith was kind of shaky.
• Again, a few verses down, "I sent him to find out about your faith. Surely it could not be that the Devil had tempted you and all our work had been for nothing." The possibility of them dumping their faith and turning away from God was acknowledged.
• And, a few more verses down, "we as God ... to supply what is needed in your faith." Apparently, their faith was lacking somehow.
• Over to II Thessalonians 1:11 "May He fulfill by his power all your desire for goodness and complete your work of faith."

I also noticed two other things:

• The trio of faith, hope, and love recurs in I Thess. 1:3 and 5:8 (as well as other places in scripture). Somehow, these three things go together.
• II Thessalonians chapter 2 is kind of scary reading. I'm not sure I understand all that chapter is saying, but it is a warning to those who more or less intentionally turn from the truth.

Today I heard yet another story of a twenty-something who is seriously reconsidering her faith. She is filled with intellectual doubts about the Bible and feels like her parents have more or less crammed it down her throat. Of course, the parents don't see it that way. She asked them to not talk to her for a couple months.