Commentary on "The Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 3: Monday, February 15, 2010

 

Overview

The theme of ‘Faithlessness’ is centered around this quote from Paul:

” while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (II Tim. 3:13 ESV)

 

Observations

In the Galatians we see that love of self is common to all mankind but, by faith, it is redirected into a love of others by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the lives of true born again Christians.

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. (Gal. 5:14-15 ESV)

The World’s idea of self love comes from a foundation of faithlessness and contains the idea that only ‘self’ matters.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, (II Tim. 3:1-4 ESV)

Then, we learn that in the End Times, there will be many who creep into our lives with this false message that is really nothing more than ‘faithlessness’. We are encouraged to have nothing to do with such people. Clearly, Paul is talking to Christians who are being influenced by those claiming to have a message from God. This is why it is so important to be a born again Christian who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and to base your faith solely on Biblical teachings. Outside of Scripture we would not have a foundation for knowing where “the appearance of godliness” is a false and deadly teaching.

…having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. (II Tim. 3:5-9 ESV)

Continuing on with II Tim. Chapter Three, this is why Paul encourages us to know scripture and follow his example of faith in God. Scripture, all scripture and nothing but scripture under the leading of the Holy Spirit is the only way to not become deceived by the faithless message of the world as we enter the end of the age.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (II Tim. 3:16-17 ESV)

 

Summary

1. True faith can only be expressed by the indwelling direction of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians.
2. Faithlessness is the natural result of subscribing to the ‘I deserve gratification’ false and deadly message of the World.
3. Paul councils us to avoid people who teach worldly concepts covered with a false ‘Christian’ coating. We must center our faith solely on the inspired Word of God, the Bible.
4. Faithlessness will become increasingly rampant as we approach the time when Christ will return to claim his Bride, the Body of Christ, the Church, those who are in the Kingdom of God.

 

GO TO DAY 4

 

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