Is faithfulness essential?

We live in a day of great unfaithfulness. People are unfaithful in almost every area of their lives. Every commitment is negotiable. It seems everything has its price. Recently, I had to sign a gigantic stack of papers to refinance our home. Why? Because many others were unfaithful in paying for their homes. Now, the banks put everyone through much more paper, hoping to minimize faithlessness. The sad thing is when faithlessness is also true of Christians. How can we expect the world to be faithful if we are not?

Faith is essential for salvation. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). This faith come through the Word of God – So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)

We then live by faith. The battle cry of the Reformation was “The just shall live by faith.” (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17). Repeatedly the Scriptures challenge us to walk by faith and live by faith. Our faithfulness is based on his faithfulness. Just as He will never forsake us, we must seek to never forsake Him.

Being faithful to God’s commands brings blessing. Again, the Bible mentions over and over how he will bless those who are faithful. In fact, that is how He will judge us when we stand before Him. The words we should all long to hear are the words every steward wants to hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Mt. 25:21) Also we know that His commandments are for our good and His glory. He always knows best.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus likened us to the salt of the earth. Salt does a couple of things: it brings flavor, it counteracts decay, and as I discovered in the Dead Sea, it causes you to float. People need flavor in their lives. We of all people have experienced the wonder of God that people desperately need. There is no debate about how our world is decaying. We need to have a faith that counteracts that decay. Faith will keep you afloat in the difficult situations in your life.

How are we going to be faithful?

1. Have a relationship with Him
2. Have your mind made up – no other options¹
3. Commit without wavering – James 1:6
4. Make being faithful a habit – keep at it until you don’t even have to think about it
5. Use every avenue to encourage it – It is both taught and caught

Most of all we need to be faithful to be an encouragement to one another. Hebrews 10:25 tells us, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is: but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” We don’t realize how many people are watching us and noticing our faithfulness: our neighbors, our friends, our family and our church family. May the Lord find us faithful!

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Dale Seaman is the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Porterville, CA.

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Photo by: Margaret Almon on flickr

1. Missionary William Borden wrote three statements in his Bible “No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.” He left his fortune, his future, and gave his life at 25. But he left behind a legacy of fellow students and others he had led to Christ. [↩]