OceanSide church of Christ
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FAITHFULNESS
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
What are the steps in the
gospel plan of salvation?
1.
Hear the Word of God (Rom.
10:17).
2.
Believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God (John 8:24).
3.
Repent of sins (Luke
13:3).
4.
Confess the name of Jesus Christ (
5.
Be baptized for the
remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
B.
Sometimes after stating
these things someone will say: “You
left one out. One must also be
faithful unto death.”
C.
They are not wrong in making
this statement. Revelation 2:10
confirms this point.
…be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
D.
This morning we want to
spend some time discussing this component of the Christian
life.
I. GOD
DESIRES OUR FAITHFULNESS
A.
Three verses in the New
Testament
1.
Revelation
2:10
…be thou
faithful unto death…
2.
I
Corinthians 4:2
Moreover it is
required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3.
In Revelation 17, ten kings
are prophesied to make war with the Lamb of God. Those who are on the Lord’s side are
called “faithful” (Rev. 17:14).
These shall make
war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is the Lord of lords and King of
kings: and they that are with him
are called, and chosen, and faithful.
B.
We also know that God
desires our faithfulness because He rewards the faithful.
1.
Proverbs
29:20a.
A faithful man
shall abound with blessings…
2.
Matthew 25:21,
23.
His lord said
unto him, Well done, Thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy
lord.
II. WHAT IS
FAITHFULNESS?
A.
Literally: one who is “full” of
faith.
B.
Bible
words:
1.
OT – emunah
(530):
a.
Literally:
firmness.
b.
From a root that means established.
c.
Steadfast and trustworthy.
d.
The psalmist expresses the definition well in Psalm
57:7.
My heart is
fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I
will sing and give praise.
2.
NT – pistos
(4103):
a.
Trustworthy
b.
Thayer sets forth a threefold definition:
1)
Of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business,
the execution of commands, or the discharge of official
duties.
2)
One who keeps his plighted faith, worthy of trust.
30 One
that can be relied upon.
C.
From these definitions, we
learn:
1.
Faithfulness if not merely a
state of mind.
a.
Just because I believe in Jesus does not make me
faithful.
b.
Just because I think I’m faithful doesn’t mean I am
faithful.
2.
Thayer set forth three powerful words in his description of
faithfulness: execution, discharge,
and reliance.
a.
Execution of commands.
b.
Discharge of duties.
c.
One who can be relied upon.
d.
Matthew 24:44-45.
Who then is a
faithful and wise servant, who his lord hath made ruler over his household, to
give them meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so
doing.
D.
Faithfulness is not just a
“church” term; it is an all-encompassing term.
1.
Most of the time
faithfulness is connected to religious duty: church attendance, Bible study, prayer,
visiting, and godly living.
2.
Faithfulness involves my
home life.
3.
Faithfulness encompasses my
work life and social life.
4.
Faithfulness is displayed in
my recreational activities.
5.
Faithfulness is practiced in
my periods of rest and aloneness.
6.
Faithfulness is discharged
in my dealings with others.
7.
Faithfulness relates to my
inner thoughts, my true beliefs, and my motives.
E.
NOTE: Faithfulness doesn’t involve a portion
of my time. It is about one or two
actions. Faithfulness is a way of
life.
1.
Faithfulness allows God to
go into every nook and cranny of our lives.
2.
Our whole being is yielded
to His will for our lives.
3.
Thoughts, words, and actions
are completely in His control.
4.
The closing chapters of
books like Galatians, Ephesians, and Colossians make this point very
emphatically (See Galatians 5:13-6:10).
III. IS IT POSSIBLE TO CEASE
BEING FAITHFUL
A.
The warning (Heb.
3:12-14).
Take heed,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing
from the living God. But exhort one
another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin. For we
are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence
stedfast unto the end.
B.
Notable
examples:
1.
The one talent man (Matt.
25:24-30).
2.
Judas (Acts
1:25).
3.
Ananias and Sapphira (Acts
5:1-11).
4.
Hymenaeus and Alexander (I
Tim. 1:19-20).
Holding faith,
and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made
shipwreck: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan,
that they may learn not to blaspheme.
5.
Demas (II Tim.
4:10).
6.
Diotrephes (III John
9-10).
C.
I
Corinthians 10:12
Wherefore let
him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
CONCLUSION
A.
Proverbs
20:6
Most men will
proclaim every one his own goodness:
but a faithful man who can find?
B.
To develop and maintain
faithfulness, we must acquire three things:
1.
A
good heart (Ps. 78:37; Prov. 10:8).
a.
Free from evil.
b.
Free from self-deception.
c.
Free from comparisons with others.
d.
Abiding love for God.
2.
A
burning desire for the Word of God.
a.
The Word of God produces faith (Rom. 10:17).
b.
The Word effectually works in us (I Thess. 2:13).
3. A diligent exercise of the Word of God in one’s life (James 1:21, 25).