GOD IS FAITHFUL

 

7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

 

1.      Paul is writing to address several issues.  Paul had come to Corinth after leaving Athens.  When he first came, he met Aquila and Priscilla and stayed with them because they were fellow tentmakers.  When Silas and Timothy came, he devoted his time to full time preaching.

A.     He spoke for a while to the Jews and Greek in the Corinthian Synagogue, but they rejected him and gossiped about him.  He then rebukes them, shook the dust off his clothes.  Told them they were on their own.  He chose to preach exclusively to the gentiles and went next door to the synagogue and spent the next year and a half speaking to all who would listen.

B.     Paul also had a vision where God told him to not be fearful, speak on, for there were many people in the city who belong to Him, and God would be with him.

 

7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

 

1.      Our theme today is the faithfulness of God and Paul makes it clear it is God’s faithfulness that will make the following truths and reality. 

2.      Paul tells them they do not lack any spiritual gift which he would explain more fully later in the book.  He is saying you already have all you need because the Holy Spirit is living inside you.  When you came to Christ you got the whole package.  You have gifts, fruit, armor, weapons, the word, and prayer all in your tool belt to be effective in the work of the Lord.   God will be faithful to make sure this happens, and it is delivered into every aspect of your life as you open yourself to Him.

2.      As you wait with eager anticipation for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.  Paul has reminded them of the soon, immanent return of Jesus Christ.  Paul says Jesus is coming back soon.  This has been the blessed hope since Jesus went into heaven.  The angels said he would come back in the same manner.  God will be faithful to help you in this matter.

3.      Are you excited, anxious, wanting and anticipating the changes as Christ gets revealed in your life?  Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of him?  God is faithful to keep working in your life.  His love and grace are working to help you not just start well but also to finish well. 

 

8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ

 

1.      God is faithful that he will keep you firm to the end.  God is not going to let you go.  He is working on you daily.  He has given the word, prayer, the armor, the weapons, the power, the ability, desire, motives, and attitudes.  What we must do is allow of this to apply it into our lives.  What Paul is saying God will be faithful so what happens next is up to us.  God cannot be anything but faithful to do otherwise would be a violation of His nature, character, and essence.  If you abide in Him and He abides in, your keeping power is there.  God is going to do His part to get you through or He will provide a means of escape.

2.      God’s faithfulness has a goal to help you be without blame on the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.  No accusation, deception or temptation is going to overcome you.  The Holy Spirit will help you keep you on track.  God’s faithfulness is your compass towards blamelessness.  The three essentials in this process are the word which cleanses, prayer which keep the lines of communication open and church which uses the examples of others as a model for you to follow.

3.      Paul again uses the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as a motivation and promise you can look forward.  Remember every day you live you are one day closer to His coming and no weapon formed against you is going to prosper.  Satan has been defeated. 

 

9       God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

1.       God is going to be faithful or loyal, constant, true, devoted, true-blue, truehearted, unswerving, unwavering, staunch, steadfast, dedicated, committed and He never gives up on you. 

2.      He has called you into friendship.  You are now a friend of God, and He calls you friend.  You have mutual trust and respect.  God loves, trusts, and respects you.  He also wants you to have all the benefits of this friendship.  James reminds us that every perfect gift comes from the Lord who never changes.  Everything you need you will find in the Lord. 

3.      Our friendship is His Son.  Jesus is the Messiah, the second person of the Godhead, the King of King and Lord of Lord’s, the incarnation of God or God with a face.  He is our Lord, master, role model, and mentor.  As new believers they were just starting to discover what Paul had experience and this letter was a compass, guide, and instruction manual to make this happen.  That is why we are studying this book to learn what Paul had found and apply what we find here to our lives.  Our goal and aim should be to enjoy the full friendship and benefits connected in being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.