Faithfulness
“A faithful man shall abound with blessings…” - Proverbs 28:20
Genuine Christianity commands faithfulness. The Bible addresses directly and indirectly the principle of faithfulness in work and financial ethics, friendships, the family, church attendance, and the list could go on. The Bible promises rewards for faithfulness and in several Gospel passages, Jesus addressed faithfulness. In Matthew 24:45-47, Jesus spoke of the servant that worked while his master was gone and when he arrived the servant was still working. This servant was rewarded for his faithfulness. In Luke 19:12-26, Jesus spoke of a business man who gave 3 individuals a financial provision to build his worth by. Two of the three took their means and made a 50% gain; but one of them wasted his opportunity and gained nothing. The two were rewarded for their faithfulness and the unconcerned, unfaithful servant was condemned. Jesus also said in Luke 16:10:
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
How true those words are! If you can count on someone for things that seem insignificant and they not let you down; you know you can depend on them for the important stuff. There’s nothing like having someone in your life that no matter what, they are faithful and you can take them at their word. And then there are those folks that you couldn’t rely on to return an ink pen. They will say and act according to whatever is right at that moment, but nothing further than that moment. A person who struggles with being faithful will remain diminutive in their spiritual growth as a Christian.
Psalm 12:1-2 records David's complaint to God for the dearth of those counted faithful. One Bible version worded his statements in language you might relate to:
“Lord! Help! Godly men are fast disappearing. Where in all the world can dependable men be found? Everyone deceives and flatters and lies. There is no sincerity left.”
Unconcern and selfish preoccupation precede unfaithfulness. When one is unfaithful to church attendance, their spiritual well-being has lost priority and there is something they have chosen to be more important. Unfaithfulness in finances is a result of mixed up priorities; it’s amazing what some people spend their money on. When someone you call a friend behaves unfaithfully; you can’t help but wonder why they quit caring about you. Marital infidelity most always happens when preoccupation is placed on someone other than their husband or wife. It is to be expected that those of the world would display instability in these things; but God is displeased with folks that call themselves Christians and manifest unfaithfulness. Proverbs 25:19 says having confidence in someone unfaithful is like chewing with a broken tooth or running with a dislocated foot; there’s no way around the pain.
Thankfully, we serve a faithful God. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. When we are unfaithful, He still offers a hand of friendship to us when we come back home. He doesn’t waver from day to day in ability or availability to answer our prayers. There has never been a time that God’s faithfulness has not been evident in His dealing with mankind. How beautiful were Jeremiah’s words:
“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23
Genuine Christianity commands faithfulness. The Bible addresses directly and indirectly the principle of faithfulness in work and financial ethics, friendships, the family, church attendance, and the list could go on. The Bible promises rewards for faithfulness and in several Gospel passages, Jesus addressed faithfulness. In Matthew 24:45-47, Jesus spoke of the servant that worked while his master was gone and when he arrived the servant was still working. This servant was rewarded for his faithfulness. In Luke 19:12-26, Jesus spoke of a business man who gave 3 individuals a financial provision to build his worth by. Two of the three took their means and made a 50% gain; but one of them wasted his opportunity and gained nothing. The two were rewarded for their faithfulness and the unconcerned, unfaithful servant was condemned. Jesus also said in Luke 16:10:
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
How true those words are! If you can count on someone for things that seem insignificant and they not let you down; you know you can depend on them for the important stuff. There’s nothing like having someone in your life that no matter what, they are faithful and you can take them at their word. And then there are those folks that you couldn’t rely on to return an ink pen. They will say and act according to whatever is right at that moment, but nothing further than that moment. A person who struggles with being faithful will remain diminutive in their spiritual growth as a Christian.
Psalm 12:1-2 records David's complaint to God for the dearth of those counted faithful. One Bible version worded his statements in language you might relate to:
“Lord! Help! Godly men are fast disappearing. Where in all the world can dependable men be found? Everyone deceives and flatters and lies. There is no sincerity left.”
Unconcern and selfish preoccupation precede unfaithfulness. When one is unfaithful to church attendance, their spiritual well-being has lost priority and there is something they have chosen to be more important. Unfaithfulness in finances is a result of mixed up priorities; it’s amazing what some people spend their money on. When someone you call a friend behaves unfaithfully; you can’t help but wonder why they quit caring about you. Marital infidelity most always happens when preoccupation is placed on someone other than their husband or wife. It is to be expected that those of the world would display instability in these things; but God is displeased with folks that call themselves Christians and manifest unfaithfulness. Proverbs 25:19 says having confidence in someone unfaithful is like chewing with a broken tooth or running with a dislocated foot; there’s no way around the pain.
Thankfully, we serve a faithful God. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. When we are unfaithful, He still offers a hand of friendship to us when we come back home. He doesn’t waver from day to day in ability or availability to answer our prayers. There has never been a time that God’s faithfulness has not been evident in His dealing with mankind. How beautiful were Jeremiah’s words:
“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23
posted by Pastor Cortes at 10:33 AM
2 Comments:
That is some good Preaching! I'm going to link to it on my blog.
Faithfulness is needed in the Apostolic Church today. Great article!
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