FAITHFULNESS

Definition

Faithfulness is defined as the concept of unfailingly remaining loyal to someone or something and putting that loyalty into consistent practice regardless of extenuating circumstances. It can also mean keeping one's promises no matter the prevailing circumstances, such as God's covenant to love his people. Literally, it is the state of being full of faith in the sense of steady devotion to a person, thing or concept.

Our faithfulness

Faithfulness is not only applicable to our faith but also to our daily living. When we speak of one another as faithful, we mean that we adhere to our word, that we keep faith with men and that we discharge the obligations of our office or position. Because of these things, we are trustworthy.

Alas, to be faithful is not something that comes naturally. In our daily life and our intervention with other people we are frequently disappointed, or things happen that we do not understand. We live in a world in which self-centeredness is being promoted to its greatest extent in human history. Appealing advertising hammers away at us to gratify ourselves: Why wait, why deny ourselves, why sacrifice, why not go along with everyone else? Constantly we hear, "Indulge yourself because you deserve it."

War, murder, lying, stealing, coveting, Sabbath-breaking and idolatry are acts that almost everyone in the world would claim as being wrong, yet most unwittingly commit them to some degree and promote them in our culture. They justify their sin because everybody else is doing it, and they see no good reason why they should not just go along. If they try to swim against the tide, they think they will be taken advantage of.

Not too long ago, a person's word was his bond, and mere handshakes sealed major business agreements. Today, one needs to enter into a contract as proof of the action and to be able to keep the other party to its word.

Faithlessness is playing a major role in this destruction. People are without natural affection. They are traitors to their marital contract. Child abuse is becoming ever more prevalent. Athletes seem to break contracts almost at will. Manufacturers lie about the quality of their products, and workers fudge in the quality of their work.

Faithlessness is rising to its peak because self-centeredness, the father of irresponsibility, is being promoted to its utmost. We are warned about this in II Timothy 3:1-5, “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” How can a person be faithful to God when he loves himself more than God? How can a person be faithful to God when his own gratification means more to him than pleasing God? How can a person be faithful if he is a headstrong, haughty slanderer and traitor who is disobedient to parents, greedy, unloving and without self-control?

By contrast, a war goes on in us. Contradictory impulses and thoughts flood our minds. "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh" (Galatians 5:17), and we frequently lose the battle because the divine nature does not completely fill our minds. We blow hot and cold and drop below our best selves.

The Fruit of the Spirit is the answer

God-centeredness in our lives is the answer to faithlessness and irresponsibility. But God-centeredness is not cheap, and few are willing to pay the price: their lives! We must love Christ supremely, or we do not love Him much if at all. If we are not willing to give up all earthly possessions, forsake all earthly friends, and obey Him above all others—including our own carnal desires—to be faithful to Him, our attachment to Him is tenuous at best.

Faithfulness is not based on what God can do for us. It is based on the fact that we keep our faith irrespective of whether we do not hear God’s voice, we do not understand when something terrible happens to us. It is the knowledge that we are in a personal relationship with God, that He is with us irrespective of what happens in our lives. Cerla Siiser said that God’s faithfulness is not something we need to discover; it is something we need to practice.

God said that we were not created to understand him. We have been created to trust him. Thus, faithfulness is hard work and requires that we give of ourselves to make space for God’s love.

When we celebrate Christmas lets keep in mind God’s faithfulness in his promise that if we believe we will live forever.

God, help me to life according to your will and to be faithful, as I cannot do it on my own.