In Revelation 2: 10 Jesus said, be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. This implies that the reward for faithfulness is the crown of life. A faithful servant is therefore he or she who by his or her deed qualifies to wear a crown of life. What is faithfulness and to whom must we be faithful?
What does faithful mean?
It is written in Deuteronomy 32: 4… a faithful God, without deceit, just and upright is he. Being faithful means maintaining a relationship with God through Christ Jesus devoid of deceit but just and upright. In Joshua 24: 14 faithfulness means sincerity in worship. Joshua cautions; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Faithfulness abhors infidelity.
Faithfulness in 2 Chronicles 31: 18 also means keeping holy. It also means doing what is good and right before the Lord God in 2 Chronicles 31: 20. Faithfulness means fearing God in Nehemiah 7: 2. In today’s world as of old David prayed in Psalms 12: 1, help, O LORD, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; the faithful have disappeared from humankind. We have ceased to be faithful to God, sadly.
Scripture writes in Micah 7: 2 the faithful have disappeared from the land, and there is no one left who is upright; they all lie in wait for blood, and they hunt each other with nets. Micah says faithfulness means being upright, eschewing lies, wickedness or revenge. Today, we use faithfulness as a slogan without true biblical understanding or appreciation.
In summary, being faithful means remaining loyal and steadfast in all circumstances. It encapsulates being true to the facts or words of God. It implies unwavering adherence to God based on our promise to him. It also implies a steadfast affection or allegiance or loyalty to God. It means being reliable and consistent or trustworthy. It means being upright before God. Are we faithful?
To whom must we be faithful?
We must be faithful to the LORD God Almighty and to Christ Jesus our Lord based on God’s word through Christ Jesus the blessed one.
In Hebrews 3: 5 Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. God has a mission for each and every one of his creations and he expects us to discharge that mission as he intends or directs. Moses was to testify to God’s spoken words of prophecy and he did distinguish himself in that calling. We are also called upon to honour God’s intent for our lives as Moses did in order to qualify as faithful servants.
In Hebrews 3: 6 Christ was faithful over God’s house as a Son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope. Christ Jesus was equally faithful to God because he discharged his mission to save the world. We will be counted as faithful if we hold on to what Jesus did and taught us. If we are faithful to God, we will be faithful to our fellow men because in every person is the spirit of God.
Why must we be faithful to God?
The bible says in Deuteronomy 7: 9 know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandment, to a thousand generations, and who repays in their own person those who reject him. He does not delay but repays in their own person those who reject him. Faithfulness has blessings and curses. Those who are faithful to God are blessed and the unfaithful are rejected in the sight of God.
God is faithful to his promises and we must be faithful to him. We are assured in Deuteronomy 31:6 that he (God) will not fail you, nor or forsake you. God is sincere with his words. The master’s character must be exemplified in his servants. In Psalms 145: 13 the LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. Our deeds must reflect God’s faithfulness in all circumstances.
We are charged in Leviticus 25: 18, you shall observe my statutes and faithfully keep my ordinances, so that you may live on the land securely. Faithfulness is God’s command which we must keep in order to be safe anywhere. When we are unfaithful, we will be exposed to danger without God’s support. We can call him but he will not answer us as we expect.
We read from Psalms 37: 28 for the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones. The righteous shall be kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The faithful shall attract and enjoy God’s company and attention, says the Psalmist. However the wicked and his household shall be severed from God’s eternal peace and rest. Justice and faithfulness are counted as righteousness before God.
The faithful are still precious to God even in death. We read from Psalms 116: 15, precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones. God’s faithful servants do not lose their reward even in death for their deeds follow them in Christ Jesus. We also read from Proverbs 3: 3 do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Are we faithful to God? We read from Proverbs 12: 22 those who act faithfully are his (God) delight. God’s delight means God’s great pleasure or joy or satisfaction or peace. Is it not a great privilege to be counted as God’s delight? Why would we decline such a privilege? Jesus said in Revelation 2: 10, be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Jesus’ promise is sure and Amen!
Christ Jesus is coming soon for his faithful servants. He said in Revelation 22: 20, surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Will Christ find us as faithful servants when he returns? Be a faithful servant for Jesus Christ as he was to the Father in heaven.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, your faithfulness is unfailing. It led you to die on the cross for us, to save our wretched souls from eternal death. You have therefore called us to be faithful to you for you have been faithful to us. Thou faithful Jesus, wash our infidelity in your blood and save our souls today. Help us to be faithful to your calling every moment of our lives. We pray in your holy name, Amen!!
