Faithfulness is a necessary characteristic in the life of one who is preparing to go to Heaven. Writing through the Apostle John to the persecuted disciples in Smyrna, the Lord said, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10) Paul also stated shortly before his own martyrdom how he had led a life of faithfulness, saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8) One who does not remain faithful does not have the Lord's promise of the crown of life. Thus, it is extremely important for us to understand as much as humanly possible what is involved in the biblical doctrine of faithfulness to God.
The best and most important examples we have of faithfulness is that of God Himself, for God is faithful, and His Son, Jesus Christ. At least eleven New Testament verses declare the fact of God's faithfulness. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9) He also states in Romans 3:3, “What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” We could provide many, many more passages, but these should suffice to demonstrate that God is undeniably faithful Himself. After all, He did fulfill His promise first given in the Garden of Eden to provide a Savior for mankind by sending us Jesus Christ when He said in Genesis 3:15, “ . . . and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed: He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Yes, we have the assurance that God is always dependable and He acts consistently and faithfully within His nature.
He is faithful in that He is always holy. Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:15-16, “ . . . but like as He Who called you is holy, be yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy; for I am holy.’”
He is faithful in that He is always a loving God. The Apostle John says in 1 John 4:8-11, “He that does not love does not know God; for God is love. Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
God is faithful in that His word is always truthful. Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:17, saying, “Sanctify them in the truth: Your word is truth.” We can depend on God to do what He has said He would do.
He is faithful in that He has promised to help us overcome temptation. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There has no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
God is also faithful in that He has promised to cleanse us and forgive us [of all of our sins. John writes in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God has never given a promise that He failed to honor. His word is completely trustworthy. But do we truly believe it?
The best and most important examples we have of faithfulness is that of God Himself, for God is faithful, and His Son, Jesus Christ. At least eleven New Testament verses declare the fact of God's faithfulness. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9) He also states in Romans 3:3, “What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” We could provide many, many more passages, but these should suffice to demonstrate that God is undeniably faithful Himself. After all, He did fulfill His promise first given in the Garden of Eden to provide a Savior for mankind by sending us Jesus Christ when He said in Genesis 3:15, “ . . . and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed: He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Yes, we have the assurance that God is always dependable and He acts consistently and faithfully within His nature.
He is faithful in that He is always holy. Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:15-16, “ . . . but like as He Who called you is holy, be yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy; for I am holy.’”
He is faithful in that He is always a loving God. The Apostle John says in 1 John 4:8-11, “He that does not love does not know God; for God is love. Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
God is faithful in that His word is always truthful. Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:17, saying, “Sanctify them in the truth: Your word is truth.” We can depend on God to do what He has said He would do.
He is faithful in that He has promised to help us overcome temptation. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There has no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
God is also faithful in that He has promised to cleanse us and forgive us [of all of our sins. John writes in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God has never given a promise that He failed to honor. His word is completely trustworthy. But do we truly believe it?
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