"But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control; against such things, there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23 Faithfulness is a hard word in today's day and age, isn't it? It's sticking around when the feelings are gone. It's enduring the tough times, believing better are coming. It's believing for the best in people that you see at their worst. Faithfulness is remaining true. I've done some research on this word. Some call this word a "Work." They say that if faithfulness is something we must attain, it's no longer Jesus' sacrifice, but rather our faithfulness that saves us. I say that people who believe this do not know what Faithfulness is, or the Fruit of the Spirit is at all. The thing about bearing fruit is that it's not something a plant makes a conscious effort of doing. To bear fruit, a plant needs certain conditions. It needs soil, sunlight, other plants (for pollination) and water. To bear GOOD fruit (see John chapter 15), a plant needs all these things, and a gardener's attention. Faithfulness is not something we can produce on our own. Like the other spiritual fruits, it's a good fruit, but it's one that can only be cultivated by the careful hands of our loving Heavenly Father. The Spirit produces the fruit as the Father cuts our branches. The Father produces fruit within us that restore us to His image. And make no mistake about it: He is faithful, even when we prove not to be. Faithfulness is not a natural thing for us. We're prone to wander. Isaiah says "All we like sheep have gone astray, everyone to his own way." Our eyes look to other jobs, other homes, other relationships with envy, and should we leave one for the other, something else will eventually catch our eye. Faithfulness is an aspect of God, and we see throughout Scripture (We even have most of the New Testament because of this) that God's people keep wandering away from Him and need to be brought back to faithfulness. It is the Holy Spirit, and submitting to His will that produces this trueness, steadfastness that is faithfulness. It is only by the Holy Spirit, in submission to God's will that we can remain faithful. And we are assured that if we do stumble, " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness "(1 John 1:9). God remains faithful, and desires to restore us to His image, which is what we are designed to be. Seek His will, seek His desire, and you will stay focused on what He desires.
2 Timothy 2 English Standard Version (ESV)
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus
2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,[a] who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 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—
for he cannot deny himself.
A Worker Approved by God
14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God[b] not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[c] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,[d] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant[e] must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
Footnotes:
a. 2 Timothy 2:2 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women, depending on the context b.2 Timothy 2:14 Some manuscripts the Lord c. 2 Timothy 2:15 That is, one approved after being tested d. 2 Timothy 2:21 Greek from these things e. 2 Timothy 2:24 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
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