Faithfulness
Faithfulness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). This means that it is a work of God, manifesting in the Christian, who is indwelt by the Spirit of Christ (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11; 2 Cor 1:20–21; Jas 4:5).
Natural man follows the lead of his forefather, Adam. The first man became unfaithful to God, along with his wife (Gen 3). Their posterity has been unfaithful to God and to one another ever since (Rom 5:12–21).
In contrast, the Bible speaks of the faithfulness of God (Rom 3:3). In fact, God’s faithfulness is called “great” (Lam 3:23). Moses reported, “The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He (Dt 32:4).”
Not only is God faithful in His work, but His Word is, too (Ps 33:4). David sings of the scope of this attribute of God, “Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies (Ps 36:5).” It is right for the servants of Yahweh to laud Him, “…I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation (Ps 40:10).” This is to be declared to all generations, “To all generations I will make known, Your faithfulness with my mouth (Ps 89:1).”
The Word of God declares what is right. God has revealed what is required for fallen man to have right standing before Him in His holiness. The Bible teaches us that no man may stand in the presence of His holiness, on his own merit. Man’s attempt to attain communion with God, falls short of glory. The reason is that man is utterly unfaithful.
For this reason, the judgment is pending, “Before the Lord, for He is coming, for He is coming to judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness (Ps 96:13).” When the One who is faithful and true comes to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 17:31; 2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5), He will execute perfect justice. Knowing this, men are haters of God (Rom 1:30). They despise Him and His Laws. They reject the witness of the Holy Spirit, who declares the truth of God’s Word. Men do what they can to discredit the Bible.
God is good to Israel, however. The Israel of God is the church (Gal 6:16), whom Christ Jesus loved, in laying down His life for her (Jn 10:11, 15; Eph 5:25). In this, “He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God (Ps 98:3).” This was seen in the Exodus, in the conquest of Canaan, which foreshadowed the Cross.
God is immutable; He does not change (Heb 13:8). Therefore, even His affliction toward Christ and His body (Col 1:24) are done in faithfulness (Ps 119:75). Thus, God creates (119:75); He issues commandments (119:138); He answers prayer (Ps 143:1); He judges (Is 16:5), and He saves in faithfulness. He is true to Himself; and in Himself, He is true (Jn 14:6; Rom 3:4).
It is comforting to the Christian that God has a plan from eternity (Act 2:23), plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness (Is 25:1). He will not deviate from or alter what has been decreed. For this reason, fathers tell their sons of His faithfulness (Is 38:19), to all generations (Ps 100:13), in all generations.
When the next generation hears of God’s betrothal of Israel to Himself (Hos 2:20), there are some who rejoice and others who reject the heralded news of what Christ has done for His church. This knowledge of salvation exposes those who have turned to vain idols in unfaithfulness (Jon 2:8). When the truth is suppressed by unbelievers (Rom 1:18), the knowledge of God wanes in the church (Hos 4:1), as it is in the world.
Will the church join the unbelieving world in eternal punishment in fiery hell for eternity? Isaiah answers, “For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness (Is 38:18).” Here is the very reason why revival comes. When darkness gets prominent in the world, the Christian gets bold, “O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You. I will give thanks to Your name, for You have worked wonders (Is 25:1)!”
Despite the unworthiness (Gen 32:10) of God’s unprofitable servants (Lk 17:10), there is One who is faithful, as the Son of Man (Rev 3:14; 19:11). He is Jesus Christ, who has done what was necessary to gain right standing before God. He is the faithfulness of God in human flesh. What we could never do, He has done in our place and for our benefit (1 Cor 15:3). He has kept His Word, to do His Word because He is the Word of God enfleshed (Jn 1:14).
Christian, in your obvious unfaithfulness, today, remember Jesus Christ. Where you fail and fall short, He has succeeded in attaining perfect righteousness. In His mercy, God has chosen to place you in Christ’s position of right standing and recognize you with an alien imputed righteousness.
God was faithful to all His promises to save His chosen people. Christ was faithful in obedience to the Law, even becoming our Passover sacrifice (1 Cor 5:7). The Holy Spirit has faithfully come to be the living Pledge of God’s faithfulness (2 Cor 1:22; 5:5) — to finish what He started in us (Phil 1:6). He is the One who is producing every faithful response to God in you (Phil 2:13). In this, you have been incorporated into the faithfulness of our Triune God. Do you wish to be found faithful, today? Then, give thanks to God, and it will be sufficient for you. He is faithful and you know it. It is enough.
David Norczyk
Missoula, Montana
August 10, 2022
