I had a really hard time getting this message just right. Not because God is not clear on the subject, but because He is so clear. Having come to understand and truly believe in the “Is’s,” God’s Faithfulness seems obvious and without need of explanation. Truth Is… God Is. God is Truth and, as Truth, He can be nothing else. He can be nothing less.
The Hebrew word for faithful is [H539 ‘âman aw-man’] A primitive root; properly to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent; morally to be true or certain; be faithful (of long continuance, steadfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified).
The Greek word we have seen before. It is the same word used for Faith in the New Testament. [G4103 pistos pis-tos’] From G3982; objectively trustworthy; subjectively trustful: – believe (-ing, -r), faithful (-ly), sure, true.
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold resolutely to the hope [G1680] we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”
[G1680 Elpis] el-pece’ (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence: – faith, hope.
Just a reminder from “Pursuit Is”: Hope is not a pipe dream or a wish for something seemingly out of reach; it is a “confident expectation.” Hope is to “anticipate” the fulfillment of something. In Biblical terms, that something is God, His promise and His plan. As the passage states, as believers, we profess the promises of God as Truth because it is God who made them, “for He who promised is Faithful.” Or, as the definitions show, He who promised is Trustworthy. He who promised is Steadfast. He who promised is Certain. He who promised is Firm and Permanent. In other words, it is True because He said it’s True. And because He is Trustworthy, Unchanging and Steadfast we can stand confidently that He will deliver.
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant with loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” A thousand generations! Again, Permanent and unchanging, because “God is God.” As David wrote, “Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. 90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations…” (Psalms 119:89,90)
…Again, I struggle to state the obvious. Let me borrow something from “The Omnipotence of Man.” God and only God has the power and authority to speak into existence. God said, “Let there be…” and it was. Once God says it, it is already True. Because of this “Truth” we can Trust in His promises made to us. This “Truth” is the very foundation of Christianity. This was the message repeated constantly to the Original “Church.” Paul told the Corinthians, “God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is Faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:9) Paul told the Thessalonians, “the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3) Peter wrote, “according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19) and “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
The Bible is chock-full of promises made by God as well as examples of how He was faithful to keep His promises. God promised Abraham (see Genesis 26:4), and history has documented His Faithfulness to that promise. God promised Isaiah (see Isaiah 49:6,7); again history shows the words He spoke were and would become “Truth.” These are only a couple of examples of God’s past Faithfulness, and, as God is “the same yesterday, today and forever,” they are also proof of His future Faithfulness.
Why make such an effort to communicate what I say is obvious? Because, as I said, it is the very foundation of the “believer.” Our Trust is not based in “the promise” but in the One who made the promise. It is not the words themselves that make them True but the Power, Authority and “Verified Trustworthiness” of the God who offers them. It is because of His proven Faithfulness that we have Hope. Because “God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant” that we can live the Is’s. Because “The One who calls you is Faithful” you can Live “In Truth,” “By Faith,” and “Through Grace.” Because we know that He is Faithful, we know He “created what is seen from what was not seen…” for us. We know that before this creation He planned to save us, and so we “according to God’s will should entrust (our) souls to (our) Faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:19) We know that this world is temporary, and He has “prepared for us a place” beyond this world. We know that He has “already crushed Satan under our feet.” We know “If we confess our sins, He is Faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) We know that His promise is not dependent on our faithfulness; “What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s Faithfulness? 4. Absolutely not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be justified in Your words, and prevail in Your judgments.” (Romans 3:3,4)
Because God is God you are never alone. You are not without hope. You have been given an offer that only requires your acceptance. Know that God does not want you to perish. Know God is patient with you. Know God wants you to come to repentance. Know God wants you to have Everlasting Life.
Know this:
“God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:17
Know this:
“God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Know this:
“Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:18
Know this:
“…whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.” John 3:21
Know this: “The One who calls you is Faithful” 1 Thessalonians 5:24
© 10/24/2018 Scott A Caughel