“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
There are times in our lives when it is not easy, no not even for Christians, to believe that God is faithful. Our faith is assaulted, our eyes tearful, and God seems to be far away. Our ears are distracted with the noises of the world, overwhelmed by the constant barrage of god-less chatter, and we can no longer hear the His whisper. Whatever plans we had have been frustrated, friends on whom we relied have failed us, and loved ones have passed away.
One of the core characteristics of God is His faithfulness. God is faithful.
The people of God were reminded of this, again and again, “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands” (Deuteronomy 7:9).
When we affirm God’s faithfulness, we do actually affirm His sovereignty – all things are under His authority and control.
God’s faithfulness is a good thing – that is…good for us.
God’s faithfulness is not just a theological concept or empty idea, used by preachers or theologians. Our lives, Christian lives, rely heavily on God’s faithfulness: “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord…” (1 Corinthians 1:9). Also “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
As such, God’s faithfulness becomes the ground of our confidence that even “…if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself” (2 Tim 2:13); it becomes the substance of our faithfulness…faithful till the end. Then, there is the crown of life.