Faithfulness - Galatians 5

- we're studying the fruit of the spirit
- so far in our study of the fruit of the Spirit we've looked
at love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness and goodness

- tonight we're going to look at the last component that’s
mentioned in verse 22 - that is faithfulness

- let's start with a definition of this component:

I. Definition

- I'd like to go at the definition a bit differently than we
have with other definitions
- let's begin by looking at

A. an example of a faithful man

- please turn to Phil. 2:19-22 (read)

Input - How does Paul describe Timothy in these verses?

(will naturally care for you state, doesn't just seek his
own, seeks the things that are Jesus' Christ's, has
served with Paul as a son would serve with his Father)

INPUT - was there any doubt that Timothy would get the job
done when Paul sent him to minister to the
Philippians?
INPUT - why not? (because he was faithful)

- now let me just ask you to think about this question as
we get started tonight: "Could Paul have put your name
in there? In other words, could he have said, I trust
in the Lord Jesus to send (Andy, Phyllis ______)
shortly, because he is a faithful man, a faithful woman

- they have worked hard at developing the spirit's fruit
of faithfulness?

B. From the word meaning and usages

- when you think of the word faithful, what words
come to your mind? (consistent, steady, etc.)

- faithfulness literally means "loyalty, fidelity to
God and others"

- so we're talking about loyalty, fidelity,
consistency
- since this characteristic is also an attribute of
God, we can learn more about the definition by
thinking of God's faithfulness

- a great passage in the Bible is lamentations 3:22-
23 "It is because of the Lord's mercies that we are
not consumed, because his compassions fail not,
great is thy faithfulness

- its interesting that the words faith and
faithfulness are identical in the original language

- in other words, the only way you can tell the
difference is by the context (that’s why the KJV has
it translated as faith)

INPUT - why is that? (what is the relationship
between faith and faithfulness?)
- the greater a person's faith in God, the more
faithful he/she will be
- "faithfulness flows out of faith in Him"

- let's say that another way - show me a person who's
faithful, and I'll show you a person who ________
(has great faith in God)

- another definition I came across was "attachment to
truth, a determination to persevere in it, that will
not be shaken even when it is apparent that it will
hurt the pocketbook, or will interfere with one's
pleasure, or will mean a loss of opportunity for
advancement"

C. God wants this definition to "come alive" in you

1. I Cor. 4:2 - "Moreover, it is required in
stewards, that a man be found faithful"

2. Matt. 25:23 - "...well done, good and faithful
servant, thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many things:
enter thou into the joy of the Lord."

3. Rev. 2:10 - "...be thou faithful unto death, and I
will give thee a crown of life."