People often thank God for faith and love, but it is important to understand why faith and love are so important in our walk with God. Faith and love stem from hope, and not just any hope: the hope that a Christian has because of his or her heavenly home. Because we have such an untaintable hope, faith and love should automatically flow into our lives, making us examples to the world. This passage says that, "All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing." It is important that we understand that faith and love are not qualities to serve us alone. These two qualities are what set us apart as Christians; they help determine our spiritual growth. I want to be like Epaphras because he obviously was very good at sharing the gospel and showing the qualities of faith and love.

However, faith, hope, and love are not only exemplarary. They are necessary for our salvation. "If you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel" ..... then "he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation"

Colossians 1:1