NORTHERN ZAMBIA UNION CONFERENCE

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRIES

2024 July Month of Emphasis Materials

for the Churches

Title:
‘Faithfulness: A DNA (trait) of God’

Theme Text:
Exodus 34:6 (ESV)

Theme Songs:
Great Is Thy Faithfulness 100 SDAH
All to Jesus I Surrender 25 Local

Prepared By:

Pastor Mayboy Muchabwe

NZUC STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR
 Introduction

In the realm of living organisms, the characteristics and actions of their offspring are
not dictated by their own desires, but rather by the type of parent creature. This concept is
rooted in the book of Genesis, which posits that each kind gives birth to its own kind, such as
animals producing other animals, fish generating fish, plants yielding plants, birds yielding
birds, and humans producing humans (Genesis 1:11-12, 20-21, 24-25, 26-28). Just as a dog
cannot typically produce a cat under typical circumstances, or a mango tree yields apple fruits
owing to their distinct genes and DNA, one may contemplate whether this same principle
applies to spiritual realms. My answer to this question is unequivocal affirmative, Yes!
Humans were originally created to reflect the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).
However, the entrance of sin into the world resulted in each individual being shaped by the
spiritual DNA of their parent species, either God or the devil. The Bible identifies two parent
species that govern life on Earth, with God being the father of life (Matthew 6:9) and the
devil being the father of sin (John 8:44). Consequently, a person's spiritual actions are
determined by the underlying DNA of their father or parent. In this lesson, we explore the
heavenly DNA of God, which is faithfulness.
Today, numerous individuals consider themselves to be in good and regular standing
at church, even if they are not faithful to God or their fellow humans. In this lesson, we will
explore the meaning, source, or cause of faithfulness, as well as the evidence and outcomes of
faithfulness. The objective of this lesson is to explain the work of grace in enabling a believer
to live a faithful Christian life and clarify the relationship between stewardship and living a
faithful Christian life.
What is faithfulness?

Before we can expect faithfulness in our lives as we worship God, it is crucial to

explore and define the meaning of faithfulness. The word comes from a Hebrew noun
“‫ אֱ מֶ ת‬ʾemeṯ “faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness;”1 or “‫ ֱאמּונָה‬ʾemunāh faithfulness,
steadiness, trustworthiness.”2 The same word ʾemeṯ can be translated as “truth, faith, faithful,
honesty, right, security, true, truly.”3

1
Kohlenberger/Mounce Concise Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament, s.v. “‫”אֱמֶ ת‬
2
Ibid., s.v. “‫”אֱמּונָה‬
3
Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary of the New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance , s.v. “‫ ֱאמֶ ת‬.”

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The counterpart Greek word comes from πίστις which means “faith, belief, assurance,
doctrine, faithfulness, and trustworthiness.”4 This word has both subjective and objective
uses. It can be applied in an active sense taking on meanings like “faith, belief, trust, and
confidence in God or Christ or spiritual things”5 “In passive sense it means “fidelity and
faithfulness.”6 When God is the object in whom confidence can be placed, the word takes on
the meanings of faithfulness, and reliability.”7 This means God is reliable on what He has
promised to do to His children. When other objects are the focus of belief on the basis of the
reliability of the one trusted, the meanings are “belief, doctrine, teachings, trust, confidence,
faith.”8 Therefore, this study favours the passive meaning of faithfulness both from the Old
Testament and New Testament usage of the word when applied to the nature or character9 of
God, as He does not have any need to place confidence, trust, faith, or belief in someone else
or doctrine. Hence, the focus of this study is faithfulness as the character of God. The next
section addresses the source or cause of faithfulness in believers’ lives.

God the Source and Cause of Faithfulness

To cement our understanding that faithfulness is the character of God, the texts below
allude to this fact:
Exod 34:6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a
God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness,
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness,
Deut 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who
keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his
commandments, to a thousand generations,
1 Cor 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

The texts suggest that faithfulness is an inherent characteristic of God's nature. It is evident
that when an individual is born of God, this divine nature (faithfulness) should be ingrained
in their spiritual existence. This is demonstrated in the account of Genesis 1, where like
begets like.

4
CBL, s.v. “πίστις.”
5
A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, s.v. “πίστις.”
6
A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, s.v. “πίστις.”
7
BDAG, s.v. “πίστις.”
8
BDAG, s.v. “πίστις.”
9
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, s.v. “πίστις.”

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Therefore, it is logical to assume that one cannot live a faithful life to God and humanity
without being born of God or experiencing rebirth. The subsequent section delves into how
faithfulness is conveyed to the lives of believers.

Faithfulness is a by-Product of God’s Grace and Being in Relationship with God

To lead a life of devotion as a follower of Christ amidst a twisted and corrupt world,
as instructed in Philippians 2:15, requires strength that is not inherent in human nature but
rather divine in origin. This section elucidates the factors that enable certain individuals to
remain faithful, whereas others do not. The following passages provide an example of this
truth:

Hosea 11:12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with
deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.
Hebrews 3:2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was
faithful in all God’s house.
Acts 11:23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted
them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,

Drawing from the first text, it is apparent that when Ephraim turned away from God, their
spiritual lives were marked by falsehood and deception. Conversely, while Judah maintained
a good relationship with God, the nation succeeded in remaining faithful to God's commands.
The second text illustrates that both Jesus Christ and Moses were faithful to God because of
their relationships with Him. The third text reveals that faithfulness is only expected from
believers once they have been accepted in Christ. This indicates that humanity’s capacity to
live faithfully before God depends on their connection with Him through grace. The topic of
grace is explored in the following section.

Grace Is the Evidence of God’s Love for Humanity

To establish a connection with the divine, grace serves as a crucial precursor. Hence,
it is essential to comprehend the concept of grace comprehensively. To address this query, we
shall concentrate on the following texts:

Eph. 2:8 For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and this is not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God.
Rom. 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord, Jesus Christ.

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The texts suggest that grace is the means by which a sinner is saved through faith in Jesus
Christ’s death. Salvation and faith are considered gifts from God, and it is through faith that a
sinner is reconciled with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As a result, a person can
only establish a relationship with God through two factors: God's grace and an individual's
acceptance of it by faith.
Grace is commonly depicted as the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, who provided humanity
with the gift of salvation by taking on the sins of the world. This concept of grace is
encapsulated by the term "Charis," [grace] which encompasses God's "favour, goodwill, free
benevolence, gift, benefit"10 towards humanity. Essentially, grace is a reflection of God's
disposition towards humanity, a combination of goodwill and benevolence that is expressed
through generosity and love, while remaining absolutely free of any obligation.11 After
examining grace in its entirety, this study focuses on its attention towards the effects on those
who receive it.
Grace Draws a Sinner into A Relationship with God

Upon reception of grace through faith by human beings, it is expected that only one
response is elicited from its recipients, as evidenced by the following text:
2Cor. 8:1 Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which
has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
2Cor. 8:5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the
Lord and to us by the will of God.

The aforementioned texts indicate that grace emanates from God towards sinners, and upon
reception, sinners ought to dedicate their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and the requirements
of fellow human leaders in the church. As a result, the capacity to coexist harmoniously with
God and fellow church members is instigated by God's grace among believers. Consequently,
the spotlight is placed on the power of grace in believers’ lives.

Grace Enables Believers to Defeat Sin

To achieve victory over sinful habits, believers must rely on the power of grace
embodied in Jesus Christ. Only those who have Christ in their lives can overcome sin and
lead righteous lives:
Rom. 6:13 and do not go on presenting the parts of your body to sin as instruments of
unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead,
and your body’s parts as instruments of righteousness for God.

10
Strong's Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. “χάρις.”
11
TLNT, s.v. “χάρις.” 3:501

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The struggle against unfaithfulness among believers is not economic but spiritual. Believers’
unfaithfulness is due to the dominance of sin in their lives. By contrast, faithful believers are
under the rule of God's grace.
Living a righteous life before God is expected only once grace has been bestowed upon
believers. The following paragraph delves into the connection between grace and divine love
in the lives of believers.
Grace Brings God’s Love in Believers

Following the reception of grace through faith, the relationship between God and
humanity is established. Subsequently, grace nurtures love within the hearts of believers
through the agency of the Holy Spirit, who takes up residence within them:

Romans 5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured
out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

This passage illustrates that upon accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit
takes possession of the individual and commences bestowing the love of God within their
heart. This love, which is an inherent characteristic of God and was forfeited from the human
heart in Eden, is restored through the process of the new birth facilitated by the Spirit. The
following paragraph explains the consequences of the exercise of love:

Divine Love is Characterised by Giving

The sole evidence of God's affection for humankind is exemplified by the sacrifice of
His Son, prompted by His love for the world:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone
who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

Here, we observe that love is akin to providing the best for another person’s benefit. The
essence of such selflessness is rooted in the nature of our loving God. Consequently, all
believers who genuinely receive Christ and possess the Holy Spirit cannot lead a life devoid
of the hallmark of divine love, which is selfless giving. This indicates that the absence of a
giving disposition among believers signifies the absence of divine love and the Holy Spirit.
This is accurate because grace empowers beneficiaries to exhibit voluntary giving towards
God's causes:
2Cor. 8:3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they
gave voluntarily,

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 Acts 4:33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.
34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or
houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales.

Because grace is seen as the driving force behind selfless giving and voluntary giving, it can
be inferred that any form of giving that lacks motivation rooted in grace, love for, and from
God is not in keeping with biblical teachings; consequently, such giving is devoid of the
blessings that come from God, as He takes pleasure in the cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).
The following discussion considers the attitude grace (Jesus) creates in those who receive
him.

Grace Makes the Recipients Treat Giving as A Privilege

In the Macedonian church's spirituality, it is evident that grace fosters a voluntary

desire to contribute to God's cause, as giving was regarded as a privilege for believers to
demonstrate their love for God and His work:
2Cor. 8:4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support
of the saints,

When an individual views contributing to God's work as detrimental to their resources, as

demonstrated by Judas, it serves as a manifestation of the deficiency of divine grace and love.
Conversely, those who have witnessed and comprehended the grace and love of God will
consistently exhibit the behaviour of the woman who lavishly applied the costliest perfume to
Jesus Christ’s feet, without considering it as a loss:
John 12: 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one
of those reclining with him at table.
3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and
anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with
the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said,
5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the proceeds given
to poor people?”
6 Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief,
and as he kept the money box, he used to steal from what was put into it.

Drawing from the aforementioned texts, it can be posited that it is imperative for every
devout believer to perceive giving to God as a privilege. This perspective effectively negates
the practice of setting targets for donations by church boards, building committees, and
pastors and instead encourages believers to contribute voluntarily to divine causes. Following

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this discussion on the concept of giving as a privilege, this study examines grace as a
facilitator of faithfulness among believers.

Grace Produces Love, Revealed by Living a Life of Faithfulness to God

For someone to remain faithful to God's expectations, it is essential to recognise that

faithfulness is a consequence or outcome that arises from the presence of the Holy Spirit
within the individual:
Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness,

The absence of the Spirit implies the absence of faithfulness, as faithfulness is a

manifestation of divine love in a believer. Essentially, being faithful is the result of one's love
for God. It is important to note that faithfulness does not arise in believers because of the
length of time spent in the church, holding a church position, or possessing knowledge of
church doctrines or prophecies. Rather, it is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a
believer that brings about faithfulness. Furthermore, when the Holy Spirit cultivates love in
the hearts of believers, it enables them to overcome their human nature and weaknesses by
reflecting on God's grace and love, and its implications for their lives. Consequently, this
process fosters a spiritual attitude that aligns with heaven:

2Cor. 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died
for all; therefore, all died.
2Cor. 5:15 and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for
themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.

The presence of a life that mirrors the mindset of Jesus indicates control of the Holy Spirit.
This love for God and His work results in the grace of Jesus, empowering the believer to
continually reject ungodliness and worldly pursuits:

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people,
Titus 2:12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live
sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age,

When followers possess resources but concentrate solely on earthly investments, neglecting
the divine work, this signifies the absence of grace (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Furthermore, the aspiration to sacrifice for the sake of God's work and the redemption of

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sinners is fuelled by the understanding that any offering made for divine purposes is the result
of our earnest yearning to return home upon the arrival of Lord Jesus Christ:

Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great
God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

Conclusion

The study’s findings indicate that faithfulness is an integral aspect of God's character.
Consequently, it is essential for every devout follower of Christ Jesus to exhibit similar traits,
as like begets like. Prior to cultivating faithfulness towards God and humanity, a sinner must
first establish a connection with God through His grace. Upon accepting this grace, the sinner
demonstrates faith, which ultimately leads to salvation. Upon being saved, the Holy Spirit takes
hold of the believer's life, ultimately instils love that is evidenced by voluntary giving, sees
giving as a privilege, and sacrificial giving results, much like Jesus. The impetus for giving
arises from the believer's love for God, which governs their lives. If you are not faithful, then
you are not yet saved by grace; you lack the Holy Spirit, and the love that originates from
Heaven. Faithfulness is, essentially, God's inherent nature! Have you been a reliable or
dependable Christian as God has been to you?