Most People are not Most People are not TrustworthyTrustworthy

In the 1991 book, In the 1991 book,

““The Day America Told the Truth” it reports:The Day America Told the Truth” it reports:

91% routinely lie about trivial matters.91% routinely lie about trivial matters.

86% habitually lie to their parents.86% habitually lie to their parents.

75% lie to their friends.75% lie to their friends.

73% lie to their brothers and sisters.73% lie to their brothers and sisters.

69% lie to their spouses.69% lie to their spouses.

Most People are not Most People are not TrustworthyTrustworthy

In National & International Religion report:In National & International Religion report:

These cheated on an exam in the past year:

61% of high school students 61% of high school students 32% of college students32% of college students

These lied on a resume or job application: 32% of college students 32% of college students

16% of high school students16% of high school students

Even among God’s people there were many Even among God’s people there were many liars liars (Jeremiah 9:3ff) and today also.and today also.

Many Think that Trust is a Many Think that Trust is a RightRight

Teenagers often say: “Don’t you trust me.”Teenagers often say: “Don’t you trust me.”

Have you demonstrated reliability in the Have you demonstrated reliability in the past?past?

Why should I expect the truth from Why should I expect the truth from someone who thinks they will benefit someone who thinks they will benefit

from a lie?from a lie?

Why should I expect someone to tell the Why should I expect someone to tell the truth when they don’t keep their truth when they don’t keep their

promises?promises?

Why should I expect someone to be on Why should I expect someone to be on time for an important meeting if they time for an important meeting if they

are habitually late?are habitually late?

But God is Worthy of TrustBut God is Worthy of Trust

““But the Lord is faithful, who will establish But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and protect you from the evil one.” you and protect you from the evil one.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:3)

Thankfully, we can be forgiven of all our Thankfully, we can be forgiven of all our sins through the precious blood of Christ sins through the precious blood of Christ (Acts 2:38) (Acts 2:38) and God has promised that and God has promised that He will not remember them any more. He will not remember them any more.

(Hebrews 8:12)

If you want people to trust you, submit If you want people to trust you, submit yourself to the Lord’s teaching so that yourself to the Lord’s teaching so that

you will be protected from evil and you will be protected from evil and worthy of trust. worthy of trust.

Christians are to be Christians are to be Trustworthy in All ThingsTrustworthy in All Things

""He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is ; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous in a very little thing is

unrighteous also in much.... No servant unrighteous also in much.... No servant can serve two masters; for either he will can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and the other. You cannot serve God and

wealth." wealth." (Luke 16:10, 13)

Christians are to be Christians are to be Trustworthy in All ThingsTrustworthy in All Things

Can others trust you to do the trivial things Can others trust you to do the trivial things in life?in life?

If not, you likely will not be trusted to do If not, you likely will not be trusted to do more important things.more important things.

Many are devoted to earthly gain and yet Many are devoted to earthly gain and yet deceive themselves into thinking they deceive themselves into thinking they

can still serve God. Jesus said you can’t can still serve God. Jesus said you can’t serve two masters.serve two masters.

A Christian will be faithful in all things.A Christian will be faithful in all things.

Be Trustworthy in Your Be Trustworthy in Your MarriageMarriage

God is a witness of the vows you have God is a witness of the vows you have made with your spouse. made with your spouse. (Malachi 2:14)

You vowed to God, your spouse, and many You vowed to God, your spouse, and many witnesses that you would be faithful to witnesses that you would be faithful to your mate, for better or for worse, for your mate, for better or for worse, for

richer or poorer, in sickness and in richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor and cherish until health, to love, honor and cherish until

death do you part. death do you part. (Romans 7:2-4)

God hates divorce and considers it violence God hates divorce and considers it violence being done to your mate.being done to your mate. (Malachi 2:16)

Be Trustworthy in Your Be Trustworthy in Your MarriageMarriage

If you deal deceitfully with your spouse by If you deal deceitfully with your spouse by unlawfully divorcing them, you also may unlawfully divorcing them, you also may deceive yourself into thinking that you deceive yourself into thinking that you

are right with God. are right with God. (Malachi 2:17)

Love does not rejoice in iniquity but Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in telling the truth.rejoices in telling the truth. (1

Corinthians 13:7)

Can your spouse trust you in what you tell Can your spouse trust you in what you tell them in trivial things as well as them in trivial things as well as

important matters?important matters?

Will you be faithful to your spouse? Will you be faithful to your spouse?

Be Trustworthy in Your SpeechBe Trustworthy in Your Speech

Be faithful in your words and in your Be faithful in your words and in your behavior. behavior. (1 Timothy 4:12)

Do you keep your promises? Do you keep your promises?

(Scheduled appointments, On your job, at (Scheduled appointments, On your job, at school, paying your debts, etc.)school, paying your debts, etc.)

Do you tell others that you have done Do you tell others that you have done something when you haven’t? something when you haven’t?

(Parents, teacher, boss, (Parents, teacher, boss, friend, etc.) friend, etc.)

Be Trustworthy in Your SpeechBe Trustworthy in Your Speech

We must mean what we say in We must mean what we say in conversation or we fall into conversation or we fall into

condemnation. condemnation. (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12)

Can others depend on you to tell the truth? Can others depend on you to tell the truth? (Ephesians 4:15; 25; Colossians 3:9)

Sometimes plans change, we might forget Sometimes plans change, we might forget what we promised, but if so, say “I’m what we promised, but if so, say “I’m

sorry.” sorry.”

Can the Lord depend on you to be Can the Lord depend on you to be trustworthy in your speech? trustworthy in your speech?

Be Trustworthy in Service to Be Trustworthy in Service to GodGod

Because God is faithful and Christ died for Because God is faithful and Christ died for our sins, we can be faithful in our our sins, we can be faithful in our

service to God. service to God. (1 Timothy 1:12-16)

Another name for Christian is the faithful. Another name for Christian is the faithful. (Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:2; 1

Cor. 4:17)

Are you faithful to God in your attendance, Are you faithful to God in your attendance, prayers, Bible study, teaching, and prayers, Bible study, teaching, and

helping others?helping others? (2 Timothy 2:2, 15, 21)

Be Trustworthy in Service to Be Trustworthy in Service to GodGod

If we are serving God with the wrong If we are serving God with the wrong motives God will know. motives God will know. (Acts 5:3ff)

We have been entrusted by God with the We have been entrusted by God with the unsearchable riches of Christ in the unsearchable riches of Christ in the

gospel. gospel. (2 Corinthians 4:7)

Let us be found worthy of His trust! Let us be found worthy of His trust! (1 Corinthians 4:2)

Can the Lord depend on you to be Can the Lord depend on you to be trustworthy in His service? trustworthy in His service?

ConclusionConclusion““Let God be found true, though every man Let God be found true, though every man

be a liar”. be a liar”. (Romans 3:4)

The character of a Christian is worthy of The character of a Christian is worthy of trust.trust.

So keep your marriage vows until death. So keep your marriage vows until death.

Keep your promises you make to others.Keep your promises you make to others.

Keep your promises you made to the Lord Keep your promises you made to the Lord when you became a Christian by being when you became a Christian by being

faithful in your service to God. faithful in your service to God. (Revelation 2:10)

ConclusionConclusionCan the Lord depend on you to be Can the Lord depend on you to be

trustworthy in His service? trustworthy in His service?

Will you the Lord tell you in the Judgment, Will you the Lord tell you in the Judgment, 'Well done, good and faithful servant;

you have been faithful over a few you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things, I will make you ruler over many things. things. Enter into the joy of your lord.‘.‘

(Matthew 25:23) or

“Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness”. (Matthew 7:23)