But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Spirit Fruit: Faithfulness

Faith is the foundational character of a man’s relationship with God. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Through faith, a man can see the hope of eternal life and the promises made by the Lord. Men like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses exemplify the power of faith to believe the impossible and accept the unknown. Paul writes that faith comes from hearing the word of God, showing all men the revealed pattern of divine love and grace. It is from this kind of faith that faithfulness comes. The first faith brings one to God, and faithfulness is the character that solidifies the spirit to fidelity.

As one of the fruits of the Spirit, faithfulness is more than believing in God. The Holy Spirit expresses the character of faithfulness in the child of God as one of action. Faith and faithfulness are like love when a man loves God and shows that love through his manner of life. There is more to love than saying it. To find the true value of love, it must be exercised. Faith follows the same path. Saying one has faith in God has little meaning with the expression of faith through faithfulness. Faith will lead a man to God, but faithfulness is the manner of life that springs forth from the word of God to be evidenced in the life of the man.

A faithful man is one of integrity and honesty. He is known as a man of his word because of his faithfulness. As a member of a community, people will see his character as one of truth. In the workplace, the faithful man exhibits honesty, productivity, reliability, and a willingness to help others. There is no place faithfulness is more important than in the home. A man and woman are faithful in their relationship with one another as husband and wife. Their children see faithfulness in their character as parents. The home is established with the fruits of the Spirit, including showing faithfulness.

As a fruit, faithfulness comes from the Holy Spirit. Speaking truth from the heart requires guidance and counsel. As strangers and pilgrims in a perverse generation, showing faith takes more courage, and the Holy Spirit will bear the fruit of faithfulness to concrete the soul into the image of the Father. Daniel and his friends showed their faithfulness by standing for truth and not allowing the world’s influences to change their character. Faith had them stand before the fiery furnace and the lion’s den, but faithfulness guided their hearts, minds, and souls to show their love for God. Christians must show faithfulness in their speech, manner of dress, behavior, disposition, and attitude.

Faithfulness is a vital ingredient in the work of the church. What the church needs more than ever are members who show their faithfulness in the integrity of their work in the kingdom. A man bearing fruit from the Holy Spirit will show faithfulness in his worship to keep the commands of the Father in the assembly. This is found in prayer, song, remembering the sacrifice of Christ, returning the Lord the bounties of life, and growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Faithfulness born of the Spirit will help give the courage to talk to others about eternal life. The fruit of the Spirit is a manifestation of the growth of the Christian. The Lord will bless those who are faithful.