Proverbs 20:6
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
A faithful (EMUN) person is one who is trustworthy, reliable. People can be faithful in their relationships with each other, but the primary object of our faithfulness is God.
Faithfulness is one of the most important characteristics of God. It is because He is faithful that we can trust Him to do what He has said He would do.
Psalm 36:5
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens: and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Psalm 119:90a
Thy faithfulness is unto all generations...
We believe God's Word, and hold fast to it in spite of all "evidence" that seems contrary to it, because we judge God, who spoke it, to be faithful (Hebrews 10:23; 11:11). We commit ourselves to God in spite of unfair and evil circumstances, continuing to do His will, because we trust God, as the Faithful Creator, to set all things right in His time and in His way (I Peter 4:19). The basis of our faithfulness to God is God's faithfulness to us.
Faithfulness is one of the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the spirit are characteristics of God, manifested in Christ, which God desires to build into his children, so that they are conformed to the image of His son (Romans 8:29).
Galatians 5:22-23.
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
The word "faith", PISTIS, here means "trustworthiness", as in Matthew 23:23; Romans 3:3; and Titus 2:10. Each of the other fruit listed in Galatians 5 are aspects of Christ's character in us, and are manifest in our behavior. "Faith" as believing does not fit with this list; but "faith" as faithfulness or trustworthiness fits right in with the context, as a critical element in God's character.
Faithfulness, like each of the other fruit of the spirit, is built into our lives as we abide in Christ, the true vine (John 1:5), and as we walk in the spirit rather than in the flesh; that is, as we live our lives to please God in accordance with His Word and will, rather than living to please ourselves.
Faithfulness is not optional in our relationship with God, any more than it is in marriage. God is looking for men and women who will consistently carry out His will.
I Samuel 2:35a
And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind...
Faithfulness is inextricably tied up with obedience. A faithful person toward God is one who does according to God's heart, God's mind. One cannot "do your own thing" and be faithful to God.
Faithfulness is one of the key characteristics that God looks for in His servants. All may not have the same abilities, and all may not have been entrusted with the same things, but all have the capacity to be faithful (Matthew 25:14-30).
Faithfulness is one of the key categories in which the servants of God will be judged.
Matthew 25:21
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Faithfulness is especially important when it comes to the stewardship of that which belongs to God. God requires faithfulness from those whom he has entrusted with the responsibility of feeding and caring for His people.
Luke 12:42-44
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
I Corinthians 4:1-2.
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
God's Word abounds with examples of faithful men. We can learn much about faithfulness to God by looking at them.
Joseph, the son of Jacob, was faithful, even though faith-fulness seemed to be the cause of his troubles. His faithfulness in carrying out Jacob's orders got him sold as a slave. His faithfulness to his master, Potiphar, got him thrown into prison. His faithfulness to God got him seated at the right hand of Pharaoh in due time. From him we learn that faithfulness in other areas of our life train us for faithfulness with God.
Moses was "faithful in all his house" (Numbers 12:7), that is, faithful in all that God entrusted to him. While the Israelites with him were gung-ho for God one day, grumbling the next day, and idolatrous the day after that, Moses consistently and patiently did God's will. God cited Moses' faithfulness as the reason He spoke clearly to Moses, rather than in dreams and visions as He did with others (Numbers 12:6-8). From him we learn that faithfulness enables us to hear God's voice more clearly. God is not into small talk. When He speaks, he deserves and expects obedience.
Daniel was faithful to God when he had every sense-knowledge reason not to be. Snatched from his home, dragged to Babylon as a prisoner, castrated, and enrolled in the Royal School of the Occult, he stood like a rock for God, and God honored and exalted him. He was so faithful on his secular job that when his enemies sought to overthrow him, they were unable to find an honest reason to do so, and had to resort to using his obedience to God as a weapon against him (Daniel 6:1-5). From him we learn that God honors faithfulness even in the most ungodly circumstances.
But the supreme example of faithfulness is Jesus Christ. So thoroughly did he carry out God's will and speak God's words that he could say that he always did, not his own will, but his Father's, and that "he who has seen me has seen the Father."
Faithful obedience to God did not come naturally even to Jesus.
Hebrews 5:8
Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Faithfulness is a characteristic that can be learned.
Luke 16:10-12
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
Faithfulness developed in one area of your life carries over into the others. If you want to excel in faithfulness toward God, then, start by being faithful toward your family, on your job, in your financial dealings. Don't wait for someone to trust you with something big; be faithful now with what you've been entrusted with.
In your relationship with God, don't be quick to say or promise things; what you tell God you will do, be sure to do (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7).
Develop a habit of obeying God promptly. Don't wait to receive revelation before doing this; start doing it now with the revelation in God's written Word that you already have. Your ready obedience will set you apart as one who God can trust to carry out His will.
Psalm 101:6
Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
Let each of us strive with all our heart to become men and women whom God can trust to carry out what is on His heart with single-minded obedience. Let us not wait for the big challenges in life before starting to learn faithfulness; let us start learning now in the "unimportant battles" of life to be faithful to God and His Word, so that we will be ready when the "big fights" come.
And above all, let us abide in Christ, and allow his words to abide richly in us; and let us strive to please God in our words and deeds rather than our own hearts, so that we can manifest fully the fruit of the spirit, the character of God and of Christ, in our lives.