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Lazarus was very sick.  Mary and Martha, his sisters, were very concerned about him.  They sent word to Jesus, “he whom thou lovest is sick.” Jesus knew that this would be an opportunity to use His power to reveal God’s glory.  After two days, Jesus returned to Judea.  His disciples were concerned about His welfare because  previously He had been threatened with stoning in the same region.  In the meantime, Lazarus died.  Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus was dead and that they would go to him (John 11:15).  The death of a loved one is a crisis.  Death is a significant transition that is often thrust upon us when we least expect it.  How do we manage these moments of crisis?
A Christian never faces these moments alone.  A Christian has entered into spiritual union with Christ and spiritual fellowship with all of those of like precious faith.  In addition, a Christian has both faith and love to guard his/her heart.  Faith is taking God at His Word.  Love for God involves affection, adoration and attachment through covenant relationship with Him.  Love for others means that we seek their highest good.  The duo of faith and love are linked together seventeen times in the New Testament.  Let’s consider some aspects of what their combination means.
Faith and Love are Virtues of the Christian Life.
When Peter lists eight Christian virtues, he mentions faith first and love last (II Pet. 1:5-8: faith, virtue (moral vigor), knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity (love).  Faith and love are qualities of character that a Christian possesses from the very beginning of the Christian life.  They are connected in such a way that they cannot function alone.  “Faith worketh by love,” (Gal. 5:6).  Faith functions by love.  Faith is activated and energized by love.  Love adds value to faith. “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing” (I Cor. 13:2).  Without love, faith is nothing.  This is the reason why a dead faith cannot save. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).  The works that James refers to are “works of righteousness” given to us by God.  Christian character manifests itself in actions that are consistent with the character trait.  Faith and love can be seen in the words and works of an individual.  Consequently, faith and love in the heart manifest themselves in the conduct of the Christian.  They are essential elements of obedience to God and moral excellence.
Faith and Love for Jesus
Peter writes, “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 Pet. 1:8).  Faith in Jesus means that we believe that He is the Son of God and savior of the world.  It means that we trust Jesus and follow Him by being obedient to His commands (Matt. 28:18-20; John 8:24; Heb. 5:8-9).  Love for Jesus means that we will keep His commandments. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: an dry Faith will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23).  Our faith and love for Jesus is shown by obedience to His commandments.  Keeping covenant is an important aspect of fellowship with God and Christ.
Faith in Jesus and Love for The Saints
Paul writes, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints” (Eph. 1:15).  “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints” (Col. 1:4).  Faith in the Lord Jesus produces love for the saints.  When we follow the Lord, we will love one another.  “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35).  Faith and love function together to identify us as the children of God.
Faith and Love Protect
“But let us, who are of the daytime be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (I Thess. 5:8).  Faith and love are defensive weapons.  Satan tempts us to bring us to condemnation before God.  Faith and love guard the heart and help to quench these temptations and enable Christians to prevail.  Faith accepts God’s Word.  Love rejoices not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth (I Cor. 13:6).  Both faith and love are connected to God’s Word which is an offensive weapon against the wiles the devil (Eph. 6:17).  Faith and love help the Christian stand against all sin.  Faith and love function within the heart and protects the vulnerable area–the human heart.
Faith and Love are Dynamic
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith growth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth” (II Thess. 1:3).  Paul witnessed the spiritual growth of the Thessalonian brethren in both faith and love.  In John 11, in the midst of the crisis of death, Jesus challenged Martha’s faith to grow in the midst of the crisis. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die, Believest thou this?” (John 11:25-26).  While Martha believed (John 11:27), Jesus challenges her faith in His power to resurrect Lazarus from the dead.  Every crisis is a test of faith and love.  A Christian is ever learning and ever growing to advance in wisdom and spiritual strength.  Every crisis is an opportunity to grow spiritually.
Faith and Love Are Essential to Christian Living
To women, Paul writes, “Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety” (I Tim. 2:15).  The pronoun “she” refers to the unspecified godly woman.  The pronoun “they” refers to the entire class of godly women.  The Christian woman will be saved by adhering to her God-designed purpose and Christian character which includes faith and love.  To young people, Paul writes, “Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (I Tim. 4:12).  Christian young people can “set the pace” for others in godly character.  Faith and love are integral aspects of that excellent spirit.  To young preachers, Paul writes, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (I Tim. 6:11).  “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 1:13).  “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (II Tim. 2:22).  Every gospel preacher should be an example in faith and love.
Two Outstanding Examples of Faith and Love
The first example is found in the life of Paul.  Paul wrote to Timothy and reminded him of the example Paul provided to him. “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me” (II Tim. 3:10-11).  Paul desired that Timothy follow him as much as he followed Christ.  The second example is that of Philemon. Paul makes an appeal to Philemon to receive Onesimus back as a brother in Christ.  He bases that appeal on the character of Philemon.  “Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints” (Philemon 5).  Christian character in Philemon’s heart will function to restore relationship with Onesimus and crown it with an even greater bond, i. e. that of brotherhood.
Could anyone deny the power of faith and love in the Christian life?  Surely anyone can see that we are not saved by faith alone.  Faith without love is nothing (I Cor. 13:2).  The unbeatable duo is faith and love.