Faithfulness - Fruit of the Spirit Study (Monday Morning Devotions)
faithfulness πίστις (243)
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. [3 John 2–5 (NIV84)]
These words are found in the Apostle John's 3rd letter, he specifically is writing to a man named Gaius. Our key word for today is faithfulness. Our key Bible verse is:
[T]he fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [Galatians 5:22–25 (NIV84)]
Faith is truly a gift from God. God is the source of faith and the spiritual gift of faithfulness can only originate from God. You and I might do our best to be faithful, however we have often failed. We have often not fulfilled our word and promises.
Listen to the Apostle Paul once again:
11 The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— [2 Timothy 2:11–13 (ESV)]
God calls you to remain faithful. To remain faithful one needs the Holy Spirit who not only brings one to faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit keeps us in this faith.
Listen to the words explaining the work of the Holy Spirit: I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
This has been Pastor Ricky Jacob of Jesus Our Savior Lutheran Church and preschool, of Winnebago. I close with these words from the Revelation of Jesus Christ: If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. [Revelation 13:10 (NIV84)]