Faithfulness
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Synonyms: faith, trustworthiness, loyalty,
dependability, commitment, responsibility.
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Definition: “Fulfilling what I consented to do even
if it means unexpected sacrifice.” Psalm
15:4-5 puts it this way: He who swears to his own heart and does not change.
… He who does these things shall never be moved.
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Underlying principle: Our faithfulness rests on God’s
faithfulness. For one thing, having been
created in God’s image we are called to be “godly.” But more than that, we can be faithful
through personal attacks and trials that are not of our own making, because God
will be faithful in keeping His word to us.
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Wisdom Literature: Proverbs has a lot to say on
this subject.
o
Whoever falsely boasts of giving is like
clouds and wind without rain (25:14).
o
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of
trouble is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint (25:19).
o
It is a snare for a man to devote rashly
something as holy, and afterward to reconsider his vows (20:25). The OT issue of “vows” comes up often. Eccles. 5 warns, when you make a vow to
God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed (v4). Then it advises, Better not to vow than to
vow and not pay (v5).
o
A faithful man will abound with blessings,
but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished (28:20). Note that one who hastens to be rich is not a
faithful man. By “hastening” the Bible
means he cuts corners, being willing to take advantage of others in order to
increase wealth.
o
Faithfulness in marriage is huge, of
course. Marriage is considered a “vow,”
or using the OT term, a “covenant” relationship. Malachi 2:14 speaks of your companion and
your wife by covenant. Prov. 2:17
uses the same terms, where a husband is the companion of her youth and
the marriage covenant is made with God.
It assumes faithfulness, to a relationship that began in her youth.
§
“Covenant” is the Heb. beriyth. It is used many times in the OT, including in
God’s covenants with Abraham, Israel at Sinai, David and so forth. It is used of business and international
agreements also. The root meaning of the
term seems to refer to “eating together.”
In other words, the faithfulness of covenant-keeping is more than
staying together; it includes the “fellowship” of staying together. In the end times God’s faithfulness will be
most profound in His faithfulness to Abraham through the restoration of Israel,
§ We
see God’s faithfulness in the New Covenant in a powerful way. He has been faithful in that His love for His
creation has not ceased. And what He
provided in Christ was not just an eternal home; He provided a covenant
relationship of peace, joy and righteousness.
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