Saturday, October 24, 2009

Goodness/Faithfulness

Goodness:
NT:19 agathoosunee, agathoosunees, hee
a. uprightness of heart and life
b. (A.V., goodness): 2 Thess 1:11; Gal 5:22 (unless here it denotes kindness, beneficence); Rom 15:14; Eph 5:9.
(from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
The very meaning of goodness is self-explanatory and is interchangeable with kindness.

Faithfulness:
pistis
2. fidelity, faithfulness, i. e. the character of one who can be relied on: Matt 23:23; Gal 5:22; Philem 5 (? see above in b.
FAITH
pistis NT:4102, primarily, "firm persuasion," a conviction based upon hearing (akin to peitho, "to persuade"), is used in the NT always of "faith in God or Christ, or things spiritual."
The word is used of (a) trust, e. g., Rom 3:25 [see Note (4) below]; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14,17; 2 Cor 1:24; Gal 3:23 [see Note (5) below]; Phil 1:25; 2:17; 1 Thess 3:2; 2 Thess 1:3; 3:2; (b) trust-worthiness, e. g., Matt 23:23; Rom 3:3, RV, "the faithfulness of God"; Gal 5:22 (RV, "faithfulness"); Titus 2:10, "fidelity"; (c) by metonymy, what is believed, the contents of belief, the "faith," Acts 6:7; 14:22; Gal 1:23; 3:25 [contrast 3:23, under (a)]; 6:10; 1:27; 3:10; 1:3,20 (and perhaps 2 Thess 3:2); (d) a ground for "faith," an assurance, Acts 17:31 (not as in KJV, marg., "offered faith"); (e) a pledge of fidelity, plighted "faith," 1 Tim 5:12.
The main elements in "faith" in its relation to the invisible God, as distinct from "faith" in man, are especially brought out in the use of this noun and the corresponding verb, pisteuo; they are (1) a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation or truth, e. g., 2 Thess 2:11-12; (2) a personal surrender to Him, John 1:12; (3) a conduct inspired by such surrender, 2 Cor 5:7. Prominence is given to one or other of these elements according to the context. All this stands in contrast to belief in its purely natural exercise, which consists of an opinion held in good "faith" without necessary reference to its proof. The object of Abraham's "faith" was not God's promise (that was the occasion of its exercise); his "faith" rested on God Himself, Rom 4:17,20-21. See ASSURANCE, BELIEF, FAITHFULNESS, FIDELITY.
FAITHFULNESS
God's faithfulness should be so deeply reflected in the lives of His people (Gal 5:22) that they can be called simply "the faithful" (Ps 31:23). The New Testament speaks of the faithfulness of Paul (1 Cor 7:25), Abraham (Neh 9:8), and Moses (Heb 3:5).
Faithfulness is also expected in Christian believers. Faithfulness to one's fellowman is seen especially in relation to fulfilling an office. A steward must be found faithful (1 Cor 4:2), just as Daniel and other persons in the Bible exercised their faithfulness toward God (Dan 6:4; 2 Tim 2:2).
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Hebrews 11 the faith of the people in this chapter is the same faith we are to have as part of the fruit of the Spirit.

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