Read Part 1, Part 2 (Abide in the Vine), Part3 (Love), Part 4 (Joy), Part 5 (Peace), Part 6 (Patience), Part 7 (Kindness)
Once again here are the fruits of the Spirit as defined in Galatians 5.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) {emphasis mine}
When going through the fruits of the Spirit, I like to always start with God’s Word, the Bible. In the case of faithfulness, I had a harder time finding verses that clearly defined faithfulness, so we are going to start with a dictionary definition and then fine tune it using the Bible.
Definition
From Dictionary.com
faithfulness
noun
lasting loyalty and trustworthiness in relationships, especially marriage and friendship:
the fact or quality of being true to one’s word or commitments, as to what one has pledged to do, professes to believe, etc.:
the fact or quality of being dedicated and steadfast in performing one’s duty, working for a cause, etc.:
the quality of adhering to fact, a standard, or an original; accuracy:
Now lets start tweaking this definition. Biblical faithfulness does include “loyalty and trustworthiness in relationships” (especially our relationship to God). It does include “being true to one’s word or commitments” (especially commitments to God). It does include being dedicated and steadfast performing one’s duty (especially to God) and working for a cause (God’s will). It does include “adhering to fact, a standard, or an original” (God’s standard as defined in the Bible and lived out by Jesus).
I've heard lots of Christians make the statement, “love is an action (or choice), not a feeling.” I’d argue that faithfulness is the same. It is an action. It is the living out of our faith in an active, purposeful, and consistent manner in accordance with God’s will.
Faithfulness Includes Works
Although James doesn’t actually use the word faithfulness, I think this passage does help with our understanding of faithfulness.
What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (James 2:14-26)
If we are saved, we should have the fruits of the Spirit. If we have the fruits of the Spirit, we should have faithfulness. If we have faithfulness, our words and actions should show our faith. “If someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” If we have saving faith, our works should show it and that is faithfulness. If our faith doesn’t change the way we live, it isn’t saving faith. “If someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” No it can’t. It is like the faith (belief) of the demons, and it does not lead to salvation.
A faith, without faithful works, is no faith at all. It is unfaithfulness. “Faith without works is useless.” Faithfulness is a sign that our faith is being perfected by God. “Faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected.”
I’d argue that Biblical faithfulness is faith working through the power of the Spirit.
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme. (1 Timothy 1:18-20)
“Fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience.” Our Spirit-filled faithfulness leads to never giving up despite the hardship, never losing our faith in God, His will, and His goodness, and obeying God’s law so we can have a good conscience. 1 Timothy says that those who are not faithful may be “handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.” We are called to be faithful always and we are enabled, by the Spirit, to be faithful.
Choose Faithfulness
We do have to chose to be faithful, not just sit around, following the easy path, waiting for the Spirit to enliven us. We need to seek God. We need to study His word. We need pray for wisdom and strength. We need to follow God’s leading. Faithfulness is an action.
My soul cleaves to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
So I will meditate on Your wonders.
My soul weeps because of grief;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
Remove the false way from me,
And graciously grant me Your law.
I have chosen the faithful way;
I have placed Your ordinances before me.
I cling to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!
I shall run the way of Your commandments,
For You will enlarge my heart. (Psalm 119:25-32)
Chose the faithful way. Actively choose to be faithful and He will enable you to be faithful.
God’s Example
One way we learn to be faithful is by seeing how God is faithful. We can look at how God was faithful with His promises to Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (Israel). We can see how He was faithful to the nation Israel, even when they were not faithful. We can see how He was faithful with his followers in the New Testament.
It is a trustworthy statement:
For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
God is faithfulness and we are made in His image. Sin has marred our Godly image, but faith in Jesus and the covering of His blood enables us to show that faithfulness again. When talking to Nicodemus, Jesus told him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) Part of being born again is being changed to become more like the image of God, and God is faithful. We must be faithful in the same way.
Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. Therefore, you shall keep the commandment and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them. (Deuteronomy 7:9-11)
Be faithful as God is faithful and keep His commandments as He keeps His promises.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’ (Revelation 2:10-11)
Our faithfulness should be dependent on His faithfulness and not on our circumstances. We are told up front that most of us will face difficult times, even more so as the end times approach (which I believe is true of this generation). We will be persecuted. We will be disciplined. We will be pruned. We will be tested. We will die (sooner or later). Despite this, He will bring us through to glory. Be faithful unto death, whether a natural death at an old age or as a martyr for Christ.
Blessings of Faithfulness
Luckily faithfulness is not all doom and gloom. God does promise blessings for those who are faithful. Some blessings may be in the present; some may be in the future; but we will be blessed.
He who tills his land will have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.
A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished. (Proverbs 28:19-20)
Lastly I leave with you two verses of encouragement relating to faithfulness:
And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. (Revelation 22:6)
and
I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,
In lovingkindness and in compassion,
And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.
Then you will know the Lord. (Hosea 2:19-20)
Trust Jesus.
your sister in Christ,
Christy
FYI, my following posts will continue going through each of the individual fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5
Bible verses are NASB (New American Standard Bible) 1995 edition unless otherwise stated
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