One of the greatest attributes of the Lord is that he is faithful. Jeremiah wrote these words in a book, the book of Lamentations, that hi-lighted the “unfaithfulness of Israel”; Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness”
The word “faithfulness” comes from the Hebrew word, אֱמוּנָה, “emunah” which is used 3 different ways in the scripture; firmness, steadfastness, fidelity. Fidelity has to do with moral purity and integrity. That is very interesting usage as Israel is often compared in scripture as an unfaithful wife. Read this portion from Hosea 2:1-3 (ESV).
Say to your brothers, “You are my people, and to your sisters, “You have received mercy.”
2 “Plead with your mother, plead— for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband—
that she put away her whoring from her face and her adultery from between her breasts;
3 lest I strip her naked and make her as in the day she was born and make her like a wilderness, and make her like a parched land, and kill her with thirst.
There is a parallel passage in Jeremiah 2:23-5:19. I will highlight Jeremiah 2:23-25 (ESV).
How can you say, ‘I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’?
Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done—
a restless young camel running here and there,
24 a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind!
Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves;
in her month they will find her. 25 Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them I will go.’
The amazing thing about the Lord as that he never forgoes His faithfulness to His people. He maintained His faithfulness all the way to the cross. When Jesus approached Jerusalem on His way to be crucified, he wept over Jerusalem as He said these words; Matthew 23:37 (ESV).
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
Even in sacrifice, the Lord demonstrates His faithfulness. Its only later in the book of Romans that we realize the Israel’s heart was hardened for our sake. This makes our faithfulness to the Lord in this age even more paramount.
However, this idea of faithfulness continues to be a problem in the New Testament church. The Apostle Paul expresses concerns to his spiritual son Timothy concerning the apostate church of the last days; 2 Timothy 4:1-9 (ESV)
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”
And in 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV)
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared”
The Apostle John shares the same concern of the Laodicean church as being “lukewarm” in their relationship with the Lord. John exhorts church to return to its “first love”. As in the Old Testament, the promise of the Lord’s faithfulness continues regardless of our own. Paul writes this Timothy 2:13 (ESV)
“if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.”
The key to God’s faithfulness has nothing to do with His love toward us. It has everything to do with His righteousness and His commitment to His Word. “He simply cannot deny Himself”. Faithfulness is part of the favor He extends to us through grace. However, just as in the history of Israel, our unfaithfulness will not go unpunished. We are expected to be faithful and full of integrity because our God is. Paul says to the church of Ephesus to be “imitators” of God. In fact, the most important quality of a believer in this age is to be “faithful”; 1 Corinthians 4:2 (ESV).
“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
In Jesus’ teaching at the Temple regarding faithfulness, He says this in Matthew 25:21 (ESV)
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
The context of this passage is the last days. As many fall away to doctrines of demons, the pressure to be unfaithful to the Lord will be great. Let me encourage all the more to be faithful to what He has called you to regardless of how small and insignificant your task might be. We can demonstrate our faithfulness to Him through our faithfulness to one another. I close with this exhortation from the Book of Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”