I hope this post finds everyone doing well and prospering in the things of God.
I want to spend my time today sharing scriptural insight on one of the most dangerous thought processes that I have seen since my time of being a born-again believer. Recently, I was in a service where a guest speaker praised a member of her church for being “faithful” for years. She pointed out that the members “faithfulness” (showing up to church each week, but doing nothing else) to her and her husband’s church services over the years, was a sign of their “faithfulness” to our Lord and savior, Jesus. She said that that (showing up) was the only thing that young man did, but he was faithful. The speaker even went so far as to say that if you are a child of God, you don’t have to do anything except to be born again, and all is good. These statements were shocking for my wife and I to hear, as we sat there to hear what else she had to say. Those remarks make me wonder if this person has ever read the bible? My wife and I were stunned. This thought process usually goes with another scary belief that I hear quite frequently. That is, “I’m under Grace, not the law.” These are some very scary and troubling statements made by mostly well-meaning people. I am going to try and address these thoughts the best I can. The 2nd one, “I’m under Grace, not law”, I will address in more detail in a separate blog one day soon, God willing, because it is a message all to itself. But for now, let’s cover true faithfulness.
The best way that I know to begin to address this issue of faithfulness, is to start with using Jesus own words. Let’s open the bible to Matt. 25:15. It says, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise, he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time, the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
“So, he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So, you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So, take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Wow! That should make us all stop and think. There is a lot here, but I am not going to try and unpack everything in these verses. That would take a full book. But, I do want to draw your attention to a few things. 1st, notice that the Master only called his own servants. He did not call his neighbors servants, his friend’s servants, or anyone else’s servants. He only called his own. Now we know Jesus is talking about God calling His servants, because Jesus says, “The Kingdom of heaven is like…”. So, these are born again believers, not unbelievers.
He, the master, then proceeds to give each servant some money (a talent was money in that day). But the money here in this parable, represents the gifts and talents that God has given to each one of us. There are no exceptions to being given gifts and talents, except maybe (because scripture does not elaborate on this) the mentally handy caped, who cannot function in this society. The rest of us for sure, have been given something in both gifts & talents (Abilities & the potential for Holy Spirit empowerment) 1Peter 4:10. However, not everyone is given the same amount of gifts and talents. As in the parable, Jesus said “to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability. God gives according to His purpose (Ephesians 2:10) and your ability to carry out YOUR assignment, until the day comes that you can handle more.
Now, Eph. 2:10 states, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” It say’s should, not would.
I want to stop for a moment and be clear. When I say, your abilities and the potential for Holy Spirit empowerment, I am referring to your God given abilities that coincide with God’s purpose for your life. There is no empowerment for you when you are doing your own thing. And furthermore, there is no empowerment without 1st having action. The red sea did not part until Moses put the rod in the water. The walls of Jericho did not fall until the people walked around the city 7 times. Peter did not walk on water until he stepped out of the boat. Nothing happens until YOU act first, and there is no empowerment from the Holy Spirit unless you are advancing, on earth, what God has prepared beforehand, that you should walk in. You need to act and then God empowers you to do more than you are able to do on your own.
One of my favorite verses is when Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” John 5:19. But Paul follows it up by saying, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13. So step out and watch God work.
Now, back to our parable. I want to direct your attention to what God calls a faithful servant. What was it that the first 2 guys did that the 3rd one did not do? They MULTIPLIED their money. They were productive. They produced results. They took what the master gave them, large or small, and gained more. They were active and participated in doing something to get results. They were not just sitting around enjoying the benefits of what the master gave them. They were busy making things happen.
So, in God’s mind, faithfulness is multiplying, producing and gaining results. That means, not multiplying, not producing and not gaining results makes you a unfaithful servant, or as Jesus say’s in the parable, “a wicked and lazy servant.” Wow! Not what I want to ever hear and not what I ever want you to hear. That is why I am writing this blog. I want you to hear, “Well done thou good and Faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” I know that is what you want also.
Jesus called that 3rd servant wicked, lazy and unprofitable. That is the meaning of an unfaithful servant and according to Jesus, that servant is to be cast out into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. I don’t want that for you and neither does God. Now remember, before you say that this 3rd servant is referring to the lost, think again. Remember, the Master only called HIS servants. He didn’t call anyone else’s savants. What does James say? “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? James 2:18-20
You can’t just show up for church on Sunday and consider yourself a faithful solder in God’s army. You need to be doing what God has called you to do, and do it to the best you know how. True faithfulness is a productive, multiplying born again believer. So, step out, try different things and see what God will do. I have said many times over the years,” you can’t get a parked car over the finish line.” Take a step of faith and let God help you with the rest.
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