The Fruit of the Faithfulness: Works from Faithfulness
by Daniel Burton
Understanding the nature of faithfulness is, assuredly, important. We must understand the underlying root of our faith, knowing that we are faithful because God first demonstrated faithfulness to us even though we were enemies and in rebellion against Him. But, as with most of the Fruit of the Spirit, knowledge must produce action of some sort. We cannot say that we embody an idea or characteristic if it never reveals itself through what we do. Faithfulness demonstrates this easiest among the Fruit of the Spirit. Faithfulness, because of its unknown nature, lends itself to people giving it lip service to demonstrate faithfulness but lack the drive to follow through. Faithfulness, without the corresponding action is not true faithfulness but only self-deceit. With our faithfulness having been rooted in the strength of God’s ability and character, we can live fully devoted lives where our actions clearly and accurately depict a life transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, in faithfulness, we will remain faithful to the biblical doctrines of truth as a public testimony to the world while still maintaining the grace and love of Jesus Christ.
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
A Fully Devoted Life
The question for the believer to ask, then, is whether or not we truly believe what we say we believe. 
This questions rests at the heart of faithfulness. C.S. Lewis famously stated “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” In keeping faith in Jesus Christ, as the Spirit moves inside of us, the drive to become more and more like God will increase (as it should). There is no half redemption or half faithfulness that a person may opt to express, only a constant state of relenting to the will of God and remaining faithful to Him even when it may be difficult to do so. Many inflammatory remarks will be made towards those in Christ who only look to stand firm on biblical truth. Remain faithful, even during persecution. Biblical faithfulness shows itself through our very actions proclaiming the Gospel in every facet of our life and putting the name of Jesus on full display for the world to take notice.
The expression of our faith is our works. Make no mistake, we are not saved by our own work or our own ability. Even our faith is not our own but comes from God and the Holy Spirit within us. Yet, if a Christian has no demonstrable qualities of Christ pouring from their faith, we are permitted to call into question their very salvation. We do not define our actions as good or wholesome based on what we want but rather what God wants. We pursue an honest God and live a life of integrity and purity. Furthermore, even when we fail, as we all will from time to time, we allow God to discipline us, restore us, and heal us.
Standing For The Things of God
Christians should be known for what they stand for and by the outpouring of love and grace in their actions. 
Too often, Christians have become known for what we stand against rather than what we stand for. We protest the way things have played out for Christians and angrily communicate our discomfort. Expressing our faithfulness goes beyond not sinning but to every aspect of our public declaration of the faith. Our time is better suited standing for the things of God and boldly standing firm in those convictions. When we disagree we do so with the grace and love for the world that Christ showed. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27, ESV Our Christianity goes beyond a specific political party but looks to care for the whole of the world in need of a Savior.
One of the most profoundly easy ways we can demonstrate our faithfulness to God comes through how we deal with sin and how we deal with sinners. There are two truths that must be balanced to be faithful to the will of God. For the sake of the people of the world, we must remain diligent and calling sin for the sin it is and not diminish its effects of the person, the community, and society as a whole. Yet, we must also simultaneously care for the sinners who needs the same grace we need. Call out sin as sinful and make no excuse or home for it in your life. Simultaneously, allow the grace of God to operate in you and through you to reach the world. Faithfulness means standing firm in the teachings and example of Christ based on our understanding of the depth of our depravity that Christ forgave. When we express the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit, our actions reflect the strength and goodness of our God and speaks to the glory of Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
For more in this series, check out The Fruit of the Spirit
