The immense significance of this threefold work of God on behalf of humanity makes it imperative that people understand it. For the more they do so, the greater their ability will be to live and grow in their new relationship with God and each other. Therefore (“for this reason”), Paul prays for his readers, whose faith he has heard about, that they may increase in understanding. Their two-dimensional faith encapsulates the sort of life the epistle promotes. It consists of faith in the Lord Jesus and love toward all the saints. In other words, it involves a confidence in God’s work through Christ, which then issues in loving concern for fellow members of the new family, no matter who they may be, acted out in attitudes and concrete deeds (1:15). The epistle in fact divides in half, treati…