To serve God one must have the character quality of faithfulness. God requires it. In I Corinthians 4:1-2 we read, "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." Faithfulness is what God requires of His servants, ministers, or stewards whether they are preachers, pastors, evangelists, missionaries, workers in the local church, teachers in the Christian school, moms, or dads. God does not require us to be famous, rich, successful (in man's estimation of success), smart, talented, or handsome. God does require that we be faithful. The requirement is that we are faithful with what He has entrusted to us.
The word faithful (Greek is Pistos) means to be reliable, true, trustworthy, dependable, devoted, unswerving, and constant. In our verses above the word required expresses the idea of accountability. Indeed we shall each give an account as to whether or not we were faithful according to II Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." I Corinthians 3:11-14 tells us, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." Faithfulness then honors God, secures good rewards, and provides the unsaved with examples and testimonies of God's power to save and keep.
We have a dearth of faithfulness across our land today. In both the secular world and in the Christian community we find a commonality of unfaithfulness. It is a tragic disgrace that it should be found among God's people, yet there it is. According to our text verses, we as God's people are responsible for being faithful with His revealed New Testament truth to a lost and dying world. God commands us and demands of us that we take His word to the world of sinners and saints alike. The question is, "Can God count on us, are we being faithful with what we have been given?" Just what has God given you? God has given you a command, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..." Matthew 28:19-20 God has given you a ministry, "And all things are of God, Who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation," II Corinthians 5:18. God has given you an ambassadorship representing Him to the world, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ..." II Corinthians 5:20 He has given you a treasure to be the administer of, speaking of the gospel of Christ, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels..." II Corinthians 4:7. God has given you opportunities to be faithful with these gifts by giving you a family, friends, fellow workers, acquaintances, the church, and a world full of people to reach and teach. He has given you talents, abilities, skills, and spiritual gifts as well as time, resources, and positions in life to be used in service to Him. With all of these we are to be faithful stewards for God.
Some reasons why we should be faithful are: Because God has been faithful to us. Because God requires us to be faithful. Because we will answer to the Lord Jesus Christ about our faithfulness. Because Christ was faithful in all that He accomplished for us. Because we have a debt. Because people are dying and going to hell to whom we have been sent. Because we love the Lord Jesus Christ. Because we want to please Him. Because we are thankful to Him. Because we just plain should want to. Now then, there are several areas in which we must be careful to be faithful, which include but are not limited to: Bible reading, prayer, tithing to the local Bible-believing church, worship, service, praise, witnessing, holiness of lifestyle, and family. Can God count on you to be faithful in these areas? Remember, your rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ will not be given according to your success but according to your faithfulness. You will not be rewarded for the bigness or the quantity of what you do but for the faithfulness with which you do it. The reward will come for faithfulness in what (right things) we did and how (diligently, thoroughly in attitude and motive) we did it.
Faithfulness is a basic requirement for the one who wishes to serve the Lord. Faithfulness with where you are for where you will be. Faithfulness with what you have for what you will be given. Faithfulness with what you are for what you will become. Faithfulness with now for tomorrow. When life is hectic, be faithful. When things go wrong, be faithful. When you have problems, be faithful. When people do not understand you, be faithful. When you want to quit, be faithful. When you want to cry, cry and be faithful. When temptations come, be faithful. When Satan tries to get you to doubt God, be faithful. When friends entice you, be faithful. When fears alarm you, be faithful. When sin allures you, be faithful. When the world calls you, be faithful. When friends forsake you, be faithful. When all else fails, be faithful.
