God’s attribute: The Faithfulness of God Part 2

This is a series on the attributes of God.

The Faithfulness of God Part 2: New Testament

Purpose: In this session we shall explore the attribute of the loving-kindness of God as taught in the New Testament and also draw implication for the Christian life as a result of our study.

Reminder: What is the faithfulness of God?

1. Millard Erickson: “His faithfulness means that he proves true.”[1]
2. Wayne Grudem: “God’s faithfulness means that God will always do what he has said and fulfill what he has promised.”[2]
3. Millard Erickson put it another way: “He always fulfills what he has said he will do.”[3]
4. My own simple definition: God is trustworthy.

 

What does the Bible in the New Testament teach about the faithfulness of God?

1. The Bible’s plain statement that God is faithful
   1. “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)
   2. “But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no.” (2 Corinthians 1:18)
2. God is faithful despite human unfaithfulness
   1. “What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?” (Romans 3:3)
      1. This is the first verse in the New Testament that mentioned that God is faithful.
      2. In context Paul is asking a rhetorical question of whether or not people’s unbelief will nullify God’s faithfulness. The answer of course is no.
      3. God is truly faithful; His faithfulness is not contingent upon us.
   2. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)
      1. Notice again the contrast with human who are unfaithful: “If we are faithless”
      2. Yet for God, “He remains faithful”
      3. The reason? “for He cannot deny Himself”
         1. God’s faithfulness isn’t just a “thing” about Him.
         2. Rather God’s faithfulness is Himself in light of God’s Divine Simplicity we studied earlier.
         3. Yet God cannot deny Himself so God cannot be unfaithful if His attribute is faithfulness.
3. Faithfulness is an attribute of Jesus the Son of God
   1. Since Jesus Christ is God, and the Trinity is biblical, we should not be surprised that Jesus Himself is taught in the Bible as being faithful.
   2. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.” (Revelation 19:11)
      1. In the context Revelation 19 is a chapter that focuses on Christ’s second coming.
      2. There are many titles given to Jesus in chapter 19 such as “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (16) bu here in v.11 Christ “is called Faithful.”
   3. “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this” (Revelation 3:14)
      1. Here Jesus is called by many titles including “”
      2. This is a titled referring to Jesus in a letter to Laodicea.
   4. Since Jesus is faithful we are not surprised to find Jesus being called faithful witness: “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—” (Revelation 1:5)
   5. Since Jesus is faithful we are not surprised to find Jesus is a faithful high priest: “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17)

 

What does God’s faithfulness means for believers?

1. Note: Most of the New Testament teaching on God’s faithfulness takes place in the epistles. The epistles were written to address specific church situations so we can learn something about how God’s faithfulness can be applied by Christians from examining in its context.
2. God’s faithfulness means Christians will preserve in their salvation and faith: “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
   1. Who is the one who calls you?   We see it is God who called the believers into His Kingdom according to 1 Thessalonians 2:12, and in sanctification according to 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
   2. What is it that “He also will bring it to pass?”
      1. The previous verse answers that: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
      2. Notice verse 23 talks about sanctification.
   3. The reason believers will be sanctified and whole being will be preserved has to do with the fact that “faithful is He who calls you.”
3. God’s faithfulness means Christians can confess their sins to God: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
   1. Notice it says of God that “He is faithful”
   2. Since God is faithful we can “confess our sins”
   3. Then after our confession God would:
      1. “forgive us our sins”
      2. “and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
4. God’s faithfulness means there’s always a way to escape sin: “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
   1. 1. Notice it says “God is faithful”
      2. Since God is faithful there is always a way for God to escape from sins.
5. God’s faithfulness means we need not anxiously fear the devil: “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
   1. Here “the evil one” is likely the devil in view.
   2. We need not anxiously fear Satan because “the Lord is faithful.”
   3. God’s faithfulness means He will do two things:
      1. “He will strengthen…you”
      2. “He will… protect you”
6. God’s faithfulness means persecuted Christians can entrust their souls to God: “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 4:19)
   1. Peter in 1 Peter is writing to persecuted Christians.
   2. His encouragement to them in this verse is towards “those also who suffer according to the will”
   3. Note: it is not suffering in general but those that result from following God’s will.
   4. Peter says in such a situation the persecuted Christian can “entrust their souls to a faithful Creator”
   5. The trust is concerning how God can do “what is right.”
7. God’s faithfulness means persecuted Christians can entrust their souls to God: “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 4:19)
8. God’s faithfulness means Christians can hold onto His word which is also faithful
   1. “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” (Titus 1:9)
      1. Notice the Word is described as “the faithful word”
      2. Of course if God is faithful we should expect His Word to be faithful.
      3. Thus as believers we can hold fast to God’s Word because it is faithful.
   2. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;” (Hebrews 10:23)
      1. His promises is found in His Word.
      2. Noticed this verse teaches that “He who promised is faithful”
      3. Since God is faithful in His promise this passage can say “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering”

 

[1] Millard Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003), 317.

[2] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan), 160.

[3] Millard Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003), 317.