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VIII.     THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS FAITHFULNESS

Read Proverbs 20:6.  Faith = Gr. "pistis" = the living, divinely implanted, acquired, and created principle of inward and wholehearted confidence, assurance, trust, and reliance in God and all that He says.

A.        Review Galatians 5:13, 24-26

1.         We have been liberated not to serve the flesh, but through love to serve one another.

2.         Our flesh must be dealt with decisively and mercilessly.

B.        Walk in the Spirit

Since we live in the Spirit (are born again), let us walk in the Spirit (act like a Christian).

C.        Definition of Faithfulness

1.         Faithfulness is the God likeness that enables others to have faith in you.

2.         It is the consistent, trustworthy, loyal, reliable, steadfast, and sincere actions in our lives prompted by the knowledge of our stewardship. It is faithfulness over all that has been given to us. It is to be accountable before God.

3.         Common misconception:  We judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions.

4.         The truth:

a.         We are judged by our actions, and not our intentions.  James 2:18

b.         If we find ourselves having to justify our actions by our intentions, we are deceived.  James 1:22-24; Luke 19:21

D.        Understanding Faithfulness, Luke 16:10-13

1.         Faithfulness is shown in the small things we do, not the big things.

2.         We must prove faithful in our handling of the things of this world in order for God to commit to our trust true riches.

3.         We must be faithful with that which is another man's before I will receive that which is ours.

4.         The grass is always greener on the other side.

a.         Be faithful where you are and what you have will increase.

E.        Faithfulness Brings Increase and Inheritance, Luke 19:11-27

1.         The kingdom of God does not appear immediately.

a.         Common misconception: We think things of God happen immediately; they don't. They happen gradually.

b.         The principle of gradualism says, that it is little by little that we increase and inherit, Exodus 23:29-30; Isaiah 28:9-10; Mark 4:26-29; Luke 19:26.

c.         What you do increases; what you don't decreases, Luke 19:26.

2.         Do business till I come

a.         Jesus has delivered to us talents that he expects us to use and increase in the work of the kingdom.

b.         Principle of stewardship:

-we owe Christ our lives; therefore, all we have is Christ's, Galatians 2:20; Acts 4:32.

-we will have to give an account to Christ for ourselves and everything done in our body, Romans 14:10-12; II Corinthians 5:9-11.

-as a steward, we are to be faithful in what treasure Christ has entrusted to us.  I Corinthians 4:1-2; I Timothy 1:12

-our job then is to use what Christ has given us and do what we have been given to do, unto Christ and His kingdom, not for our own.

3.         Jesus will want to know how much has been gained by trading.

a.         According to our faithfulness, which will be evidence in our fruitfulness, we will receive an inheritance.

b.         You cannot be faithful without becoming fruitful.

c.         The slothful man:

-hid what had been given him.

-accused God of being the reason he didn't increase.

-justified himself by saying that God could have it back.

4.         To everyone who has, more will be given.

a.         Principle of increase: The ability to increase will guarantee things given, and the inability to increase guarantees things will be taken away.

b.         As I am faithful in little, I increase and can receive more.

c.         If I consider what I have as not important or neglect the things given, I will lose what I have.

F.         Add to Your Faith

1.         Giving all diligence.

a.         Diligence comes from the Latin word " diligentia", to love earnestly. "Di" and "lego", means to choose. It is steady application in business of any kind; constant effort to accomplish what is undertaken; exertion of body or mind without unnecessary delay or sloth; due attention, industry, and assiduity.

b.         We are to give all diligence to add to our faith.

c.         This command to give diligence proves that if we do not apply ourselves, these seven things will not be added.

d.         Many of us suffer shipwreck for we have never fortified our faith.

                        2.         Add to your faith, Romans 12:3, Ephesians 2:8.

a.         Each of us has been given faith.  We believe Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for our sins, that He sent the Holy Spirit and that my friends, is faith.

3.         Add to faith virtue (excellence).

Virtue is superiority in every respect. In a moral sense, it is that which gives man his worth, his efficiency, his moral Excellency; hence, good quality, excellence of any kind.

a.         Having believed on Jesus, our life is now hid in Christ, our Father is God, and the Holy Spirit dwells in us. How then can we think of doing anything without it being our best, and for the glory of God!

b.         Excellence in speech, conduct, commitment, faithfulness, work, skill, marriage, parenting. In all things we are to do it unto God.

4.         Add to virtue knowledge

a.         With faith in Christ and excellence in our lives, we must increase in learning.

b.         Increase in our knowledge of God.  Remember the key to all things is wrapped up in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

5.         Add to knowledge self-control

a.         Knowledge without the ability to practice it, will lead to the dulling of our hearts.

b.         With knowledge, there comes a challenge, to apply it to our lives.

c.         Self-control is to accompany knowledge, so that we can practice what we know.

6.         Add to self-control perseverance

a.         We can begin with high hopes of a new life, but meet frustration, as we encounter obstacle after obstacle.

b.         Perseverance is necessary, for all new ideas, habits, and goals become ours only after persistent application.  Remember anything that is worth having doesn't come easy.

7.         Add to perseverance godliness.

Godliness is opposite of religion.  Godliness relates to real, true, vital and spiritual relations with God. Religion relates to the outward acts of religious observances or ceremonies, which can be performed by the flesh.

a.         Godliness is that genuine relationship with God that is as true on the inside as it is on the outside.

b.         The opposite is religion which can be done on the outside but not be so on the inside, thus it is hypocrisy.

c.         So godliness added to perseverance denotes a continued, genuine, sincerity, and simplicity in our faith, as opposed to duplicity and an appearance-oriented faith, II Corinthians 1:12, 2:17, 11:3.

8.         Add to godliness brotherly kindness.

a.         As we mature, it is easy to become cynical for we are constantly affronted with hypocrisy.  We must, however, add to our genuineness of faith, a kindness to all who call themselves our brothers.

b.         Kindness are acts of benefice to the undeserving and ungrateful, Ephesians 4:32.

c.         Instead of cynicism and withdrawal (a holier than thou attitude), we understand and come to the aid of our brothers and sisters, Galatians 6:1.

9.         Add to brotherly kindness love, I Corinthians 13:3-7.

a.         Brotherly kindness will mature, so that we might add Christian love, the giving of self to benefit others.

b.         Living to give is more than a catchy phrase; it is a goal that is possible as we give all diligence to add to my faith.

G.        Neither Barren nor Unfruitful

1.         "If these things be yours" (this again implies that they are our responsibility to add and keep).

2.         Neither barren nor unfruitful.

a.         Barren - unable to conceive

b.         Unfruitful - unable to complete

3.         The knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

a.         Here again we see that our goal is reached by adding these things.

4.         If you lack these things, then we're shortsighted even to blindness.

5.         The lacking of these things will cause a forgetting of our cleansing from sin.

a.         The outcome will be the inability to master sin.

H.        An Entrance into the Kingdom

1.         Make your calling and election sure.

a.         If you do these things you will never stumble.

-to stumble implies falling and backsliding, which we'll not do.

b.         An entrance will be supplied into the everlasting kingdom.

-entrance into implies that grace will always be available to serve the Lord.

I.          Conclusion

Faithfulness has to be the single most important factor in success and advancement in our lives.  In fact, we all want to hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant", and none of us want to be called a wicked and lazy servant, Proverbs 20:6.  Faithfulness is demonstrated in our treatment of the smallest and most insignificant matters in our lives.  For there, true faithfulness is shown.  Most of us long for the day when we will be increased in possessions, responsibility, and have authority to help many people.

But this" grass is greener" and" someday I will" thinking will only lead to ruin, for God is watching how we handle the unimportant and mundane affairs of life and godliness. He is watching to determine if we are faithful for those things most important.

He observes our conduct in the natural to determine how much He can give us in the spiritual.  He watches how we handle other men's things to see if He can give us our own.

The truth about the kingdom of God is that it happens gradually.  Little by little, we increase and inherit. The Bible says, "An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed at the end."  Proverbs 20:21

We must regard not the things that we possess as being our own, but consider ourselves stewards.  We must see ourselves as one who has been entrusted from his master with talents, opportunity, a family, children, etc., and one who will have to give an account of themselves and all that they do. It will not be hard to be faithful in the little things then, for we will view even the smallest of things a service unto our King and continually rejoice in what He has given us to do. Then we know that if He comes today, we will be found doing what He has given us to do, Matthew 24:45-47.

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