Galatians 5:22h – Bride & Groom

But the fruit of the Spirit is … faithfulness …

Summary: Faithfulness is a word best understood by looking at its opposite, unfaithfulness.

The definition of the Greek word for “faithfulness” (pístis) is defined by words and phrases like “moral conviction,” “reliance upon Christ for salvation,” and “assurance, belief, believe, faith, [and] fidelity” (Strong’s G4102). The picture painted by these words is that of a person who is faithful to what they believe in.

What does that mean?

Let’s begin with the opposite of faithfulness. What does it mean to be unfaithful?

Perhaps the most common use of the word “unfaithful” deals with people who cheat on their spouse. I once knew a man who came to work one day bruised and bandaged. His best friend worked at the same place, and he, too, was bruised, had a black eye, and sported some new bandages. I wondered if they had been in a car wreck.

When I asked what had happened, I learned that the first man had come home the day before to find his best friend in bed with his wife. A fight ensued, and both ended up badly beaten. Sadly, the physical damage was not the worst of it. How does one live with the pain of betrayal by wife and friend?

Faithfulness is keeping faith.

There is a reason why the Bible refers to marriage bonds as the picture of faith. Isaiah writes:

“As a young man marries a young woman,
    so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
    so will your God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:5)

God has feelings, too!

God’s love for us, his creation, is like the love of a father or mother for their child. He cares for us as a child and when we come to Jesus, we come as a child (Matthew 18:3). Yet the relationship, when mature, is like that between a bride and groom.

That love can only exist within the embrace of faithfulness.

In human relationships, unfaithfulness is like taking a sledgehammer to a ceramic vase. We can’t undo what unfaithfulness does. When God is involved, the impossible becomes possible. In him, all things are made new (Revelation 21:5, Mark 10:27, Romans 8:28, Colossians 1:17).

This is why God sent his Son, Jesus, to walk on this earth. Unlike us, he was never separated from this Father, he never rebelled against God’s will, and he never fell short of doing what God asked. The love between Father and Son is perfect. When Jesus allowed us (mankind) to kill him, he demonstrated something the world had never seen before. By forgiving those who put their faith in him he demonstrates perfect faithfulness.

Application: Keep faith with Jesus.

Food for Thought: How does God’s Spirit make us more faithful?