THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS FAITHFULNESS

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Faithfulness
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9, NKJV).


Faith and Faithfulness Tested
Alice Adhiambo, Homa Bay, Kenya
Sabbath Introduction
Exod. 14:14

The scene is a campsite in the desert near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the red Sea. The Israelites are escaping from slavery in egypt, and their masters are agitated. Pharaoh has been stubborn, and he has released his country’s army to charge after the fleeing slaves.

The Israelites, realizing the danger that is behind them, begin to blame Mo- ses for their predicament—the red Sea before them, Pharaoh’s army behind them. Moses has to swallow insults from his own people; but he turns to God, upon whom he has relied since the burning bush incident (exodus 3; 4). In his heart, Moses knows that yahweh is in control of this situation.

In his heart, Moses knows that Yahweh is in control of this situation.

The Israelites’ faith has vanished into thin air. They are incapable of de- feating their formidable enemies. Moses, however, though troubled by their restlessness, assures them that all will be well. about this very experience, we read that “Moses was greatly troubled that his people should manifest so little faith in God, notwithstanding they had repeatedly witnessed the manifestation of His power in their behalf. How could they charge upon him the dangers and difficulties of their situation, when he had followed the express command of God?”1

Faithfulness is a characteristic that makes people true to their promises and tasks. as Christians, we have entered into a union with Christ, and we have vowed to act according to His words. Though we live in a materialistic, self- centered world, our ability to exercise faithfulness in a steadfast, unchanging manner depends on how much we trust Christ.

This week we shall learn about faithfulness as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. We’ll learn about what faith is and what it isn’t. as you study each article of this lesson, remember that “we should by faith grasp the hand of Christ, and trust Him as fully in the darkness as in the light. . . .

“The Christian life must be a life of constant, living faith. an unyielding
trust, a firm reliance upon Christ, will bring peace and assurance to the soul.”2
____________
1. Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 284. 2. The Sanctified Life, p. 90.



Faith + Works = Faithfulness
Beatrice Akinyi, Ndhiwa, Kenya
Sunday Evidence
James 2:18

The Bible compares faith without action to a body without spirit (breath). a body without its spirit is, of course, dead (James 2:26). These actions, or works, are the result of one’s belief system. They are proof of one’s faith. For example, when we pray without faithfulness, our petitions will not yield positive results. However, when we have faith that God will answer our prayers, He will hear us and give us the answers that are best for us.

Our actions show whether our faith is genuine.

“As the sinner’s sincere, humble prayers ascend to the throne of God, Christ mingles with them the merits of His own life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense.”1

The Bible records many examples of people who revealed faithfulness against all odds and emerged victorious. One such person is Enoch, who “walked with God” (Gen. 5:24). His small acts of faithfulness qualified him to do so. “Enoch’s walk with God was not in a trance or vision, but in all the duties of his daily life. . . .

In the family and in his intercourse with men, as a husband and father, a friend, a citizen, he was the steadfast, unwavering servant of the lord.”2

Even the demons believe (James 2:19). So our actions show whether our faith is genuine. Before Elijah could succeed against Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18), he had to learn to depend wholly on God. He needed to demonstrate through his actions what his belief system consisted of. And like Elijah, all the other champions of faith in the Bible had to employ the virtue of faithfulness in their lives in order to overcome their trying moments.

“Walk by faith in the path He marks out. Trials will come, but go forward. This will strengthen your faith and fit you for service. The records of sacred history are written, not merely that we may read and wonder, but that the same faith which wrought in God’s servants of old may work in us. In no less marked manner will the lord work now, wherever there are hearts of faith to be channels of His power.”3

REACT
1. How does a faith that works help you to witness for Christ?
2. In what ways can you improve your faithfulness as an individual?
____________
1. Sons and Daughters of God, p. 22. 2. Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 85. 3. Prophets and Kings, p. 175.



The Oil of Faithfulness
Saline Khavetsa, Nairobi, Kenya
Monday Logos
Matt. 25:1–13; Luke 16:10; 1 Thess. 5:23, 24; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; Hebrews 11

In Matthew 25:1–13, Christ uses the illustration of the ten virgins to depict faithfulness in God’s people at the time of Christ’s return. Those who are ready for the Second Coming are those who faithfully prepared for it.

Salvation is just a concept until it is put into practice by deeds that are steadfast, dedicated, and worthy of trust.

Loyalty—Undeviating Allegiance (Matt. 25:1−13)
When we enter into union with Christ, we should do so with a sense of loyalty and dependability. These two characteristics not only will help us to grow in Him, they also will help us to have good relationships with our family, friends, and coworkers. If we are not loyal to our heavenly Father and our Savior, we will not be able to worship the way we should. Instead, we will be like the Pharisees and the scribes who failed to demonstrate undeviating allegiance to the God they claimed to serve (Matt. 15:1–20).

Constancy—Freedom From Uncertainty (Luke 16:10; 1 Thess. 5:23, 24)
As the early church grew, believers would at times sell some of their possessions in order to share with members who had little or nothing (acts 4:32–37). Such behavior exhibited great faithfulness to God’s cause and reflected the character of true believers. On the other hand, the character of Ananias and his wife Sapphira (acts 5:1–11) shows plainly what fruit Satan has desired to plant in the hearts of people since the beginning of time. Often, we are faced with the choice of whether to speak or act the truth or to turn away from the needs of those around us.
Christ desires that we show constant faithfulness, free from uncertainty, just the way He shows real faithfulness to us in times of happiness as well as in times of distress. If we are not faithful, we cannot count ourselves worthy of the blessings reserved for the saints. Faithfulness helps to purify our hearts, replacing evil with Christlike love, which is also part of the Holy Spirit’s fruit basket.

“As the Giver of every blessing, God claims a certain portion of all we possess. . . . But if we withhold from Him that which is His own, how can we claim His blessing? If we are unfaithful stewards of earthly things, how can we expect Him to entrust us with the things of heaven? It may be that here is the secret of an unanswered prayer.”*

Resoluteness—Unwavering Determination (Hebrews 11)
In the Old Testament, faith is regarded as a response to God’s revelation of Himself in human history and events (Gen. 15:6; 2 Chron. 20:20; Hab. 2:4). It is for this reason that the patriarchs and prophets kept their hope in God alive. They were determined, beyond any doubt, to rely on His will.

In the New Testament, faith is still based on God the Father, through Christ His Son (Matt. 9:22, 29; John 8:30; acts 3:16). even for the disciples, their faithfulness was due to unwavering determination to seek that which they “hoped for, the evidence of the things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).

To all who seek the Lord for salvation, faith accepts the gift of God’s grace (eph. 2:8). and it is through faith that we better understand His character and become like Him. like the times of the prophets and the apostles who stepped out in faith, our time also is marked with moral and spiritual decadence, and we, too, are called to show the type of faith that will help us to overcome our battle with sin.

Faithfulness—A Condition for Salvation (John 5:24)
Men and women from all walks of life say they are saved. However, before we go about saying that, we must do a Scripture-based self-examination of ourselves. Will we pass the test? Listening to the words of Christ, we receive the assurance that whoever has faith in His words, as well as in God the Father, has already “crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24, NIV).

As the second coming of Christ draws near, our faith must be exhibited in good works. Salvation is just a concept until it is put into practice by deeds that are steadfast, dedicated, and worthy of trust. This is what Paul proclaimed to the romans, saying, “everything that does not come from faith is sin” (rom. 14:23, NIV). and Hebrews 11:6 says that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Heb. 11:6, NIV). There is no genuine faith without acts of faithfulness; and where there is faithlessness, there is disloyalty, uncertainty, lack of determination, and condemnation.

REACT
1. How can we avoid unfaithfulness?
2. What are the requirements for faithfulness?
3. How can we witness in a faithful way to those outside our faith?
____________
*Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 144.



Unflinching Belief
Jackline Achieng, Nairobi, Kenya
Tuesday Testimony
James 5:17

“It was because Elijah was a man of large faith that God could use him in this grave crisis in the history of Israel. . . .

“Faith such as this is needed in the world today—faith that will lay hold on the promises of God’s word and refuse to let go until Heaven hears. Faith such as this connects us closely with Heaven, and brings us strength for coping with

“Faith is an essential element of prevailing prayer.”

The powers of darkness. . . . and through faith we today are to reach the heights of God’s purpose for us. ‘If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.’ Mark 9:23.

“Faith is an essential element of prevailing prayer. . . . With the persevering faith of Jacob, with the unyielding persistence of elijah, we may present our petitions to the Father, claiming all that He has promised. The honor of His throne is staked for the fulfillment of His word.”1

The above words penned by Ellen White teach us how important faithfulness is. They show that we cannot just study about faith. We must be faithful. In order for our faith to work and to achieve results, acts of faithfulness must form the bedrock of our life. Such acts demonstrate our faith. They are the mortar by which our beliefs and behavior are held together. If we are true to Christ by being faithful in small things, He will make our faith stand out like that of the Jewish nobleman.

“The nobleman had a degree of faith; for he had come to ask what seemed to him the most precious of all blessings. Jesus had a greater gift to bestow. He desired, not only to heal the child, but to make the officer and his household sharers in the blessings of salvation. . . .

“Not because we see or feel that God hears us are we to believe. We are to trust in His promises. When we come to Him in faith, every petition enters the heart of God. When we have asked for His blessing, we should believe that we receive it. . . . Then we are to go about our duties [in faithfulness], assured that the blessing will be realized when we need it most.”2

REACT
Define faith and faithfulness in your own words.
____________
1. Prophets and Kings, pp. 156–158. 2. The Desire of Ages, pp. 198, 200.



Faith in Its Fullness
Rose Oguttu, Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya
Wednesday How-to
Rom. 10:4

Faithfulness is needed for an unchanging, grounded relationship with God and with one another. In order to experience faithfulness that produces good works, we must trust God in good times and in bad. like a true Friend, He longs to be by our side in times of joy as well as in times of sadness. How do we obtain such faithfulness?

A heart that is used to saying “thank You” in both words and deeds is a blessed heart.

F—Follow God’s Word. The Bible is the best Guide we can have. We cannot experience faithfulness in our lives if we don’t follow God’s Word.

A—Acknowledge the Holy Spirit. as the Third Person in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is God’s presence in our lives. If we don’t welcome Him into our lives, we will not receive help in our day-to-day work. One of the Holy Spirit’s functions is to help us put our faith into practice.
I—Insist on truth. Christ Himself is the Truth (John 14:6). For us to develop faithfulness, we need to accept Him as our personal redeemer and allow Him to transform us with His truth. When this happens, our faith will flourish with acts of faithfulness.
T—Thank God for everything in your life. A heart that is used to saying “thank you” in both words and deeds is a blessed heart. We cannot be faithful and un- grateful at the same time. Our Father in heaven longs for us to appreciate all that He does for us.

H—Have faith in Christ. Faith in our Savior and faithfulness in our lives are closely linked. Neither can exist without the other. Faith in Christ will produce a faithful life. and as we learn to live faithfully, our faith in Christ will grow.

By following the above guidelines, we will be able to experience faith in its fullness, which is wisdom to live by, especially in the trying moments of our lives.

REACT
1. explain how you can become faithful, adding to what today’s lesson has already discussed.
2. What is the fruit of faithfulness?



A Life Full of Faith
Samson Oguttu, Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya
Thursday Opinion
Heb. 11:23−29

When I was a chap in high school, I signed my letters with the words, Yours faithfully. They were simply a normal ending to my letters, nothing more. How- ever, as my knowledge increased, I began to learn more about being faithful. One of the Bible stories that teaches me the most about faithfulness is that of Moses.

The events surrounding Moses’ life are, in essence, no different from ours.

A levite by birth, Moses’ life was full of faith and faithfulness right from the beginning. He was born at a time when Pharaoh’s decree to slaughter the male infants of the Hebrew slaves was in full force. During this time, the going was surely tough for the Hebrew women; but faith in God strengthened their hearts “and they were not afraid of the king’s command” (Heb. 11:23, NKJV). So it came to pass that Moses survived to deliver God’s people from bondage.

Through the faithfulness of his parents, Moses was born—and survived! Through faithfulness, he was adopted by the king’s daughter. By faith, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter when he grew up. Through faithfulness, he chose to suffer with God’s people rather than enjoy the short-lived pleasures of evil. Faithfully, he regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as worth more than all the treasures of egypt. By faith, he attempted the untried, forging ahead until the people of Israel were finally relieved from their bondage.

Through faith and faithfulness, Moses overcame daunting odds. How is it with us? The events surrounding Moses’ life are, in essence, no different from ours. We battle evil in several areas of our lives: family, education, finances, employment, and so on. even in the church we sometimes battle with Satan. We need the faith and faithfulness of Moses to help us cross our red Sea to the Promised land of heaven.

REACT
1. Is faith such as Moses’ possible in our time? If so, how can we develop such faith?
2. Why do you think that some people who say they are Christians indulge in unfaithfulness? How can you prevent this from happening to you?
3. explain how you would react to an unfaithful teacher, workmate, or pastor.



How Great Is My Faithfulness?
Allison Zollman, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, U.S.A.
Friday Exploration
James 2:18
CONCLUDE


Faithfulness is a gift given by the Holy Spirit to Christ’s followers. However, this gift is not one that Christians can just claim to have. They must exhibit faithfulness through their actions. Just as we studied in lesson 1 that “ ‘by their fruit you will recognize them’ ” (Matt. 7:16, NIV), so those who are true Chris- tians show their faithfulness through their lives. Faithfulness is simple when things are good. It is easy to maintain trust in the lord when life is going our way. It is when things begin to fall apart that our faithfulness is really tested.

CONSIDER
•Writing a journal entry of life experiences when you doubted the lord and how He came through for you. Focus on your emotions and reactions dur- ing all phases of the experiences.
•Creating a lesson for a children’s Sabbath School explaining the concept of faithfulness. Design a hands-on activity that teaches about trust or having faith in someone (for example, trust falls or walking with blindfold).
•Composing a short song explaining the idea of faithfulness or putting one of this week’s texts to music. Teach the song to your adult Sabbath School class or a group of children.
•Discussing with a close friend times when you find your faith weakening. Share ideas on how to keep your faith strong when you are tempted to doubt the lord’s plan.
•Creating a picture depicting a time when you showed your faithfulness to the lord during a difficult experience. you might choose to draw, paint, or perhaps use collage or photography.
•Computing the logical results of certain life experiences, then reflecting on the way the lord worked things out differently from what was logical. Spend some time thinking about your reactions to these events and how you think your faith factored in.
•Reading through the book of Job. Create a list of times where Job’s faithful- ness could have weakened but did not. Create another list of times when you have been tested. Compare your experiences and reactions with those of Job.

CONNECT
Steps to Christ, chapter 6, “Faith and acceptance.”
Max lucado, Facing Your Giants (Nashville, Tenn.: WOrD Publishing Group, 2006).

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