“FAITHFUL” (GAL. 5:22-23)

INTRODUCTION:

1. Two bank robbers made their way into a bank; they bound and gagged all of the employees and the

employer.

2. After the robbers took as much money as they could hold and prepared to escape, a cashier made

some obvious pleading noises.

3. One robber, motivated by curiosity, loosened the woman’s gag.

4. This woman said, and this is reported to be accurate, “Please take the books, too. I am $6,500 short.”

I. NOT EVERYONE IS RELIABLE AND HONEST. THERE ARE THIEVES AND ROBBERS, AND THERE ARE DISHONEST PEOPLE IN MOST WORK PLACES.

A. In the NT we have information about ethics.

B. God has told the world what is right and what is wrong.

C. Part of heaven’s ethical code for man is in Gal. 5.

D. The “works of the flesh” describe what is evil and wrong.

E. The “fruit of the Spirit” sets forth traits Christians are to demonstrate.

F. One of the traits God’s people must have is “faith”. (KJV)

G. The ASV uses the word “faithfulness”.

H. The word used by Paul is generally translated “faith” in the NT.

I. As nearly everyone here knows, “faith” is a common word.

J. In Gal. 5 the meaning of “faith” is different from most other verses.

K. Whereas “faith” most often is used to describe man’s faith in God, the “faith” in Gal. 5 involves our treatment of other people.

L. The word “faith”, when it describes the fruit of the Spirit, means “trustworthiness, loyalty, steadfastness, reliability”.

M. The “faith” of Gal. 5 describes honesty and integrity.

N. There are not many places in the NT where “faith” has this meaning.

O. Tonight we will look at some of the places where “faith” has this special meaning and we will start with some of the most important passages.

P. My first reference is 1 Cor. 1:9. I could have just as easily selected 1 Cor. 10:13 or 2 Cor. 1:18.

Q. All three of these verses use the word “faith” in the same way as Gal. 5.

R. If you have found 1 Cor. 1:9, let’s look at it together. READ.

(1) God is “faithful”.

(2) This “faithfulness” is identical to Gal. 5.

(3) The idea is that God is trustworthy, loyal, reliable.

(4) Nature itself attests to this fact.

(5) Our environment operates on a set cycle.

(6) The seasons come and go with regularity.

(7) The sun rises and sets.

(8) A certain cycle of events causes rain to come.

(9) God is faithful in maintaining man’s environment.

(10) God is also faithful in every other area.

(11) When God says something, it is always true.

(12) God cannot become disloyal; He cannot break His word.

S. Twenty years ago I was returning from a Boy Scout outing.

T. The man I was riding with was a camera enthusiast.

U. At the time I, too, had a great interest in photography.

V. This man said he would give me a used 35mm camera.

W. If someone received this camera as a gift, it was not me.

X. The man who made the promise was unreliable.

Y. Years later I found out that he had not been loyal to his wife.

Z. This man was untrustworthy in many areas.

A. We all know people who are not faithful.

B. Scores of people break their word and are untrustworthy.

C. Paul says God is not like that.

D. 1 Cor. 10:13 says, QUOTE.

E. How do we know that God will not allow us to be tempted above what we can bear?

F. God is faithful. God keeps His word. His reliability is flawless.

G. Another well-known verse is 1 Jno. 1:9.

H. Do you remember how this verse reads?

I. “If we confess our sins, He is … FAITHFUL … to forgive.”

(1) We may read or quote this verse and say, “That’s good.”

(2) If we understand the “faith” of Gal. 5, this is better than good.

(3) John said if we confess our sins, God is reliable. God is trustworthy. He is dependable.

(4) In what area is God dependable?

(5) He is dependable in the area of forgiveness.

(6) In other words, if we confess sin, God is bound to forgive.

(7) If we comply with the conditions for forgiveness, God has no choice but to forgive us.

(8) God is so reliable there is no other option.

(9) From time to time I find people who say, “I hope that God has forgiven me.”

(10) “I wonder if God has forgiven me.”

(11) We do not need to wonder, hope, or speculate.

(12) If God has promised something, it will happen.

(13) Knowing what “faith/faithful” means, and knowing this is used in verses like 1 Jno. 1:9 should bring great joy to people.

J. Since God is faithful, every single promise made by Him is true.

K. From what has been read we learn that God the Father is loyal.

II. WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS SPECIAL MEANING FOR “FAITH”?

A. Heb. 2:17 says that Jesus is a “high priest”.

B. Along with being a high priest, Jesus is “faithful”.

C. This “faithfulness” is:

(1) Identical to the meaning in 1 Cor. 1:9 and Gal. 5.

(2) Heb. 2:17 says that Jesus is reliable.

D. If we take a single promise made by the Lord, or take them all, Heb. 2:17 says we can stamp each

one with the word “reliable”.

E. Any promise from Jesus cannot be broken.

F. For those who are saved this is encouraging news.

G. Since loyalty describes the Father and the Son, and Christians are followers of Christ, we should

expect to find that we, too, are to be loyal/trustworthy.

H. This is true. I have already shown this from Gal. 5.

I. Gal. 5 is not the only passage that requires loyalty.

J. Most here are familiar with Rev. 2:10 – be faithful unto …

L. In light of what has been presented, this could be translated, “Be trustworthy until death. Be

reliable and loyal until death.”

M. Some use this verse to teach attendance at every service.

N. I urge against this and here is why:

(1) Imagine a woman who is not a Christian.

(2) She has no interest in Christianity and yet she is present every service so she can bring her children.

(3) She believes her children will benefit from the classes.

(4) Is the woman attending? Yes. Her attendance is flawless.

(5) Is this woman loyal to the Lord? No. She is not a Christian.

(6) Loyalty and attendance at services do not mean the same thing.

O. When we speak of loyalty and trustworthiness, Rev. 2:10 must mean more than attendance.

P. One way to prove this is to quote from Matt. 23.

Q. Jesus issued a scathing rebuke to scribes and Pharisees.

R. Time after time Jesus used the word “woe”.

S. The Lord repeatedly called these two groups “hypocrites”.

T. One of the charges against these religious people is in v. 23.

(1) Maybe we have never stopped to carefully consider this charge.

(2) READ v. 23.

(3) These religious people had left out “faith”.

(4) Didn’t these people have faith in God?

(5) They must have believed.

(6) They sat in Moses’ seat. (v. 2B)

(7) They were familiar with the temple. (v. 16)

(8) They knew about the altar and sacrifices. (v. 18-19)

(9) They even knew about the throne of God. (v. 22)

(10) Faith in God was not what these people lacked.

U. These people lacked “loyalty, reliability; they were not trustworthy.

V. How can we be certain about this? V. 16 is one indication. READ.

W. These people would weasel out of agreements.

X. They would say to someone, “I promise to … my promise is based upon the temple of God.”

Y. Later the promise would be broken.

Z. When asked about the broken promise, these religious professionals would say, “My promise was based upon the temple, not the gold.”

A. The lack of trustworthiness also comes through in v. 3 – READ.

B. These people could not be trusted for religious help.

C. They had one way for themselves and another way for the average Jew.

D. Tie in Matt. 23 with Rev. 2:10:

(1) We are to be “faithful”.

(2) The scribes and Pharisees were religious.

(3) They attended all the services.

(4) They offered sacrifices and even gave out religious instruction.

(5) Yet Jesus says they were not faithful.

(6) Faithfulness does not mean attending the services.

E. Faithfulness means we are loyal to God and His word.

F. We are people who are trustworthy.

III. PAUL WROTE IN 1 COR. 4:2 – QUOTE. STEWARDS ARE TO BE “FAITHFUL”.

A. The steward over the house in Matt. 24:45 was “faithful”.

B. In the parable of the pounds and talents (Matt. 25:21f, Lk. 19:17), the “faithful” servants were

commended.

C. The steward of the house was loyal.

D. The servants were reliable and dependable.

E. Gal. 5 says that Christians are to be reliable.

F. This trustworthiness is really in every area of life.

G. Paul said he was “faithful”. (1 Tim. 1:12)

(1) God had given him a ministry.

(2) Paul was loyal in his work for the Lord.

(3) This does not mean that he was perfect.

(4) Paul still made mistakes; he sinned. Only God is flawless.

(5) Nevertheless, Paul did his best to be faithful and dependable.

(6) 2 Tim. 2:2 says the gospel is to be given to “faithful” men.

(7) Paul knew that not everyone is trustworthy and reliable.

(8) Those who preach are to be trustworthy.

(9) Each Christian is also to be trustworthy and reliable.

(10) At your leisure you might look up some names of “faithful” brethren …

(11) 1 Cor. 4:17; Eph. 6:21; Col. 1:7; Col. 4:9

(12) These verses are written by Paul and they have the word used in Gal. 5.

(13) The word is also used by Peter in 1 Pet. 5:12 and by John in 3 Jno. 5.

H. Sometimes faithful people were described by name.

I. In other instances the description of faithfulness was general.

J. Wives are to be loyal and trustworthy – faithful. 1 Tim. 3:11

K. By implication the same is true for husbands and children.

CONCLUSION:

1. We live in a time when people lie, cheat, and steal.

2. It almost amuses me that employers want dependable people.

3. Companies want reliable workers.

4. Those who are dating want loyalty.

5. Those who get married want faithfulness.

6. The system that teaches these virtues (Christianity) is the same system many want to destroy.

7. This fruit of the Spirit makes people desirable.

8. Faithfulness is a quality that we must possess and it will greatly benefit us.

9. If you are not a Christian, faithfulness shows the value of Christianity.

10. Christians serve a God who is completely faithful.

11. Christians take on qualities that are desirable and good.

12. Tonight, if we can help you become a Christian, or make you stronger, please make your needs

known.