Ten Truths About the Faithfulness of God – Truth 1 – Part 1

The most common complaint I get about my Devotionals is that they are too long to be useful for a true Daily Devotional. I have a hard time arguing that point. I realize that realistically my Daily writing is more of a “Bible Lesson” than a Devotional. It’s just my natural style of writing.

Over the next several days, I am going to try to see if I can do a series of true devotional-length messages. Each day I will try to write about a 10-15 minute segment so that you can digest our subject a bite at a time. I have chosen a topic that I believe is one of the most important foundational concepts in the Bible: the faithfulness of God.

God’s faithfulness is the single most
important fact of Christianity.

It is my opinion, that God’s faithfulness is the single most important fact of Christianity. Why? If God were not faithful, then we have nothing to place our hope in. If God is not faithful, then we cannot trust what the Bible says about any subject, any person or any promise. We can’t trust in Jesus; we can’t hope for salvation; we can’t have peace; we can’t expect the promises to come true. If God is not faithful, we would have to live in constant fear of losing our salvation and being attacked by Satan. If God is not faithful, we would have to constantly be worried about what will happen the moment we die. If God is not faithful, then there truly is absolutely nothing to live for, nothing to hope in.

There is no middle ground. God is 100% faithful, or not at all. God can’t be “mostly” faithful. He cannot even be 99.9% faithful. If there is any unfaithfulness whatsoever in God, then He is a fraud by His own definition. God’s faithfulness is the foundation upon which everything about Christianity is built.

Truth 1: God is Faithful

Our lesson series will outline each of TEN truths about God’s faithfulness. Today I want you to give you a starting foundation that substantiates Truth 1:

• The Bible declares God’s faithfulness as a matter of fact
• The meaning and usage of the word faithfulness

The Bible Declares God’s Faithfulness

God is faithful according to the Bible. There is no ambiguity in the fact whatsoever. God’s faithfulness has no exceptions, it is not dependant on circumstances and it is not questioned in any way. It is stated as a matter of assumed fact without hesitation or question. Here are just a few examples (emphasis mine):

• Deuteronomy 7:9 Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; (NKJV)
• 1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (NKJV)
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (NKJV)
• 1 Thessalonians 5:24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. (NKJV)
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. (NKJV)
• 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJV)

The Bible declares unequivocally that God is faithful. Either it is true, or not. It is not sometimes true, or dependent on circumstances. God is faithful. Period. He is the standard of faithfulness, the definition of faithfulness. Without God’s example of faithfulness, there would be no way to measure or understand what faithfulness is.

The Bible declares with absolute certainty that God is faithful.

The Meaning and Usage of “Faithfulness”

The Hebrew root (“aman”) which the Old Testament translates as “faithful” and “faithfulness” means “to prop” or “stay” or “support.” The word signifies “to steady or secure oneself” or “to be supported”. So the word “faithful,” when applied to a person, means “one upon whom you can lean on, steady or support yourself”. The Greek word used in the New Testament means “trustworthy” or “to be relied upon,” and is the same Hebrew word mentioned above, and gets its meaning from this usage.

The Bible consistently uses this common definition for “faithful”:

• A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies (Prov. 14:5).
• Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing (Matt. 24:45 46).
• This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief (1 Tim. 1:15).

The biblical usage of the word “faithful” conforms to its common definition. We will see this more clearly as we look at how God’s faithfulness is manifested in His creation.

Therefore, Truth 1 – “God is faithful” – means God is a Person upon whom we can absolutely rely on, find security in, and lean upon.

Tomorrow we will look at Truth 2 & 3 which declares the extent of God’s faithfulness.

Lord, Help us to understand the importance of knowing, understanding and believing in how faithful you are. Help us to realize that if only we could grasp and apply this truth, nothing in this life would shake us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.