As we begin a new month, we will continue looking at a Fruit of the Spirit. This month is Faithfulness. The ESV, NIV, and NASB all use the term faithfulness. The KJV uses the term faith. The Greek word is πίστις pistis which means faith, faithfulness. So I think either word can be used. I think both words have slightly different meanings in English. I will write a bit about faith in a later post.

 

What is faithfulness?

The Zondervan Compact Bible Dictionary defines faithfulness, “an attribute both of God and man, implying loyalty, constancy, and freedom from arbitrariness or fickleness.”

Each of the attributes and character qualities in the Fruit of the Spirit is an attribute of God. The same can be said for faithfulness. God is faithful. (2 Corinthians 1:18) God has demonstrated this to us and shown us how to display that in our lives. One way that God has shown his faithfulness to us by keeping his promises.

Pause and think about how God shows us his faithfulness. He displays it by keeping his promises. What promises has God made? How has he kept the promises? Can you see in the Bible how he is faithful?

God has made covenants with his people. God’s covenant with Noah was that he would not curse the ground again or strike down everything living creature. (Genesis 8:21) But keep reading God says that “seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) That is a promise that we see throughout the year with the seasons but also each day. God keeps his promises.

Characteristics of Faithfulness:

The characteristics of faithfulness include loyalty, constancy, and freedom from arbitrariness or fickleness.

Who or what are we to be loyal to? We are to be faithful to what God has called us to do. We are to be loyal in our relationships with others. If we are to be faithful to what God has called us to do, we must be certain that we know what it is that God has called us to do. It is going to be different for each of us and will be different at different times in our lives. God calls us to be faithful.

What does constancy have to do with faithfulness? We need to keep going what we are called to do no matter what happens around us. This is where faithfulness continues even when we don’t see the results that we want. Our goal should be to be faithful to what God has called us to do. 

Freedom from arbitrariness or fickleness means that it is not based on our feelings but on what we are to be doing. Now, I will admit that I looked up the word arbitrariness. Maybe you know the meaning but if you don’t I will save you have to look it up. Arbitrariness means “The quality of being based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system” from Oxford Dictionaries. This removes the exceptions that we want to put in. I will be faithful except fill in the blank. Faithfulness is not based on our feelings, but on what God has called us to do.

Faithfulness requires action. In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus tells the parable of the talents. In this parable, the manager gives talents to the servants. The talents are given according to the servant’s abilities. The servants then had to decide how they would faithfully serve the master. The ones that heard, “well done, good and faithful servant” were the ones who had action.

Are you ready to put action into your faithfulness?

Other posts about A Fruitful Year can be found here — love, joy, peace, patience, goodness,