7. fruit of the spirit faithfullness

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FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT “FAITHFULNESS”

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Page 1: 7. fruit of the spirit faithfullness

FRUIT OF THE SPIRITFRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

“FAITHFULNESS”

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Galatians 5:22, 23Galatians 5:22, 23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL. Against such there is no law.

relationship to God and word

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Galatians 5:22, 23Galatians 5:22, 23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL. Against such there is no law.

also be used within personal relationships

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Defining “Faithfulness”Defining “Faithfulness”

Gk. pistis (4102, Online Bible Greek Lexicon)

1) conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it

2) fidelity, faithfulness 2a) the character of one who can be relied on

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Defining “Faithfulness”Defining “Faithfulness”

• has the character of one who can be relied on

• can be trusted

The One Who is “Faithful”

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NKJV

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

did not like to retainGod causeeffect

ungodly fruit

Contrasting Romans 1Contrasting Romans 1

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Contrasting Romans 1Contrasting Romans 1

NKJV

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; ungodly

fruit

(to God and m

an)

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Contrasting Romans 1Contrasting Romans 131 “don’t have any sense, don’t keep promises, and don’t show love to their own families or mercy to others” (GWV)31 “Without knowledge, not true to their undertakings, unkind, having no mercy” (BBE) 31 “foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless” (ESV)31 “Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful” (KJV) ungodly

fruit

(to God and m

an)

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FaithfulnessFaithfulness

• is claimed by many but found in only a few– “Most men will proclaim each his own

goodness, But who can find a faithful man?” (Prov. 20:6, NKJV)

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FaithfulnessFaithfulness

• can easily vanish from men– “1 Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases!

For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. 2 They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak. 3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaks proud things” (Ps. 12:1-3, NKJV)

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FaithfulnessFaithfulness

• is a quality to be found in our relationships– with God– with our family– with our fellow man/brethren– all aspects of our lives

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Faithfulness Faithfulness To GodTo God

• Believe in Him and in His Word

despite what

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"But the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it"

Hebrews 4:2

Let those words sink in:

"Unless what you read and hear

preached is mixed with faith, it is of no

value to you!"

What you hear must be mingled with faith

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• Scripture says, "(Jesus) was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house"

Heb. 3:2

• In what way was their faithfulness measured?• How were they – Jesus & Moses- truly faithful

in all things?

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They were counted faithful because They were counted faithful because

• They never doubted the heavenly Father's word to them. • They knew that what God said He would do, He would indeed fulfill. You see,

faithfulness is simply believing that God will keep His Word. • In this sense, Jesus and Moses "held the beginning of (their) confidence

steadfast unto the end" (Hebrews 3:14). • They didn't have an up-and-down, hot-and-cold, here-today-and-gone-

tomorrow kind of faith. Their faith never wavered to the end!

• And just as Jesus was faithful in His confidence in the Father, our faithfulness will measured by the same standard: "But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" Heb. 3:6

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Faithfulness Faithfulness To GodTo GodR E Q U I R E D I NR E Q U I R E D I N

• Faithful Wives• Faithful Masters &

Bondservants• Faithful Men• Faithful Children• Faithful in death

(e.g., Martyr)

• 1 Tim. 3:11• 1 Tim. 6:1, 2; Titus

2:9, 10; Col. 3:22-41• 2 Tim. 2:2; Titus 2:2• Titus 1:6; 2:6-8• Rev. 2:10, 13

“. . .Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him. . .” (1 Pet. 5:12)

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• in what God has given us (Matt. 25:21)• in small things (Lk. 16:10-12)

– small things are for proving fidelity for greater things– “If you have run with the footmen, and they have

wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” (Jer. 12:5, NKJV)

Faithfulness Faithfulness To GodTo GodAREAS OF

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“God does not judge by the magnitude of an act, but by the spiritual principles and motives which lie back of the act. A small action may discover and lay bare these principles quite as well as a large one. In the administration of small properties entrusted to us on the earth we reveal our disposition and temper as stewards quite as well as if we owned half the universe” (J. W. McGarvey, The Fourfold Gospel)

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• assembling with the saints (Heb. 10:24, 25)– ask yourself. . .“If everyone were as faithful as I

am, what would the church here be like?”• be there for those in trouble

– discipline/admonishment– encouragement

Faithfulness Faithfulness To BrethrenTo BrethrenAREAS OF

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19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting;23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and

on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy”

JUDE (NASB)

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• assembling with the saints (Heb. 10:24, 25)– “If everyone were as faithful as I am, what would the

church here be like?”• be there for those in trouble

– discipline/admonishment– encouragement– “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth

and a foot out of joint” (Prov. 25:19, NKJV)

• Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21)

Faithfulness Faithfulness To BrethrenTo BrethrenAREAS OF

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• parents to children (Eph. 6:4; cf. 2 Tim. 1:5)– “do not provoke” (viz. by unreasonable severity,

unrighteous commandments, etc.)– “but bring them up” – or nourish them up to maturity– “in the training”

• i.e., translated as “chastening” (Heb. 12:5, 7, 8, 11) – “and admonition” (instruction)– “of the Lord”

Faithfulness Faithfulness To FamilyTo FamilyAREAS OF

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• children to parents (Eph. 6:1-3)– “But if any widow has children or grandchildren,

let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God” (1 Tim. 5:4, NKJV)

Faithfulness Faithfulness To FamilyTo FamilyAREAS OF

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• wife to husband– “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the

Lord” (Eph. 5:22, NKJV)– “. . .let the wife see that she respects her

husband” (Eph. 5:33, NKJV)– E.g., Bathsheba to David (1 Kin. 1:31); Sarah to

Abraham (1 Pet. 3:2-6); etc.

Faithfulness Faithfulness To FamilyTo FamilyAREAS OF

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• husband to wife– “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved

the church and gave Himself for her” (Eph. 5:25, NKJV)– “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their

own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church” (Eph. 5:28, 29, NKJV)

– Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself. . .” (Eph. 5:33, NKJV)

Faithfulness Faithfulness To FamilyTo FamilyAREAS OF

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1 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.2 But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.3 The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

1 Corinthians 7:1-4 (NASB)

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Realize the Faithfulness of GodRealize the Faithfulness of God

• 1 Corinthians 10:13 (In Temptation)• 2 Thessalonians 3:3

(In Protection from Satan)• 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

(In Sanctification/Salvation)• 1 John 1:9 (In Forgiveness)

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Faithfulness• describes one’s faithful service that may

be relied upon• describes one’s loyalty that may be

depended upon• describes one’s word that may be

accepted• describes one’s unwavering commitment

to Jesus Christ

DOES IT DESCRIBE YOU?

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take 3 things to heart:take 3 things to heart:

• I. Don't Listen to the Lies of the Devil

We must remind ourselves daily, "I have an enemy who is out to destroy me. He is a liar, a deceiver and a seducer." Jesus said, "The devil... was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44).

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• Satan doesn't waste his time lying to sinners; they're already captive, held prisoner by his deception. No, Satan lies to those believers whose hearts are set on the Lord. He plants lies in the minds of the true seekers, God's holy ones. In fact, we can narrow this down even further:

Satan Uses His Most Subtle, Convincing Lies Against Those Who Are Determined To Enter

God's Provided Rest!

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• II. Examine Yourself - See If YouHave Been Guilty of the Sin of Unbelief

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God" Heb. 3:12

This is addressed not to the sinner - but to believers. He's saying, "You - partakers of the heavenly calling. Take heed, beware, watch out. Make sure you don't have an evil heart of unbelief!"

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• The author of Hebrew ties it all together: 1) an evil heart of unbelief, 2) hardening of the heart, 3) departing from God.

Here is how the process of hardening occurs: First you allow Satan to lie to you. Second, a seed of unbelief is planted. Then your hardness causes all kinds of disruptions: dryness, emptiness, a reliance on feelings and emotions. Eventually, you end up departing from God in your heart.

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• III. Be Fully Persuaded That Your High Priest Is Touched by All Your Hurts - and That You Have Full Access to His Throne!

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Hebrews 4:14-16Hebrews 4:14-16

• "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet was without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need"

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• We have been invited into the throne room of the Potentate of the universe: "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:13).

• He knows what you have been through, what you are going through now and what you face ahead. And He is waiting for you to come boldly to Him!

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• You see, He Himself has experienced all that we are going through, at all points. And He is sympathetic, loving, full of mercy and anxious to help in our time of need. You don't have to explain anything to Him. You can just kneel before Him and say boldly, "Jesus, You know what I'm going through. I can't put it into words. But You've; been here, too - so please help me!"

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• Is this your time of need? Do you know He is available at any time? You don't have to say, "I've got to go home and get in my secret closet to enter God's throne room." No, the throne is available to you anytime and anywhere. And God invites you to come boldly and without reservation, with full confidence that He will answer - that He will always keep His Word!

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• Yet we are not to bring the abomination of unbelief into His presence. Instead, we are to "convince ourselves" and be "fully persuaded." "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jude 20).

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• Saints, we live by promises, not by what we see. And if we are to be faithful to God, we cannot sit around nursing our doubts. Instead, encourage yourself daily in the Lord, dealing with all unbelief, saying, "Lord, I'll not put up with it!" Reject the devil's lies, and build up your faith upon God's Word. Then you will be able to say in all your trials, "I will rejoice, because I have a place to go in my time of need." Hallelujah!