THE FORCE OF FAITHFULNESS – 1st Cor. 4: 1- 2.
Faithfulness is an essential spiritual substance for all round fruitfulness in life. Faithfulness is an attitude of life that to a large extent determines man’s altitude. It is a matter of the heart that is the heart of the matter of life. Unfaithfulness is therefore a heart disease.
How may one define faithfulness? It means in a sense; to firmly adhere to duty, having true allegiance. Faithfulness also means fidelity, loyalty, constancy, reliability, devotion. A faithful person dedicates to what is right even when it could be to his disadvantage. This is a tall call in our world today! Faithful persons are very scarce to come by. The world has lost it. It is only left with men who find excuses for their gross infidelity. The psalmist cried, “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men”. Psalm 12:1. The world, yes our world, is short on faithfulness; even the Church is not spared.
Yet, God is in dire need of faithful servants. Men and women who would be sold out to the purpose of the kingdom and fulfill the heartbeat of the Lord. God wants stewards who would forsake their pursuit of worldly pleasures to embrace faithful service in His kingdom. This is the hunger of God’s heart. Can you assuage the Lord’s hunger?
The Almighty God is faithful. Faithfulness is His nature. He is the only dependable, only reliable and only trustworthy God. God is ever true to His promises. Lamentations 3:22 – 23 says, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness”. 1st Cor. 1: 9 also says, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord”. Hence, this faithful God demands faithfulness from all His own. God diligently seeks for faithful persons. The level of our faithfulness determines to a large extent how much He will entrust to us. God cannot commit the work of the kingdom to men of wavering commitment. You don’t cast your treasures to those who will squander it.
The Holy Book says in 2nd Chronicles 16: 9, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars”. Perfect heart in this scripture refers to a faithful, committed and loyal heart. This is an invitation to you to deal with the issues of your heart that disqualify you. His verdict is that those whose hearts are not right toward Him shall have wars! You cannot afford such. Can you?
The call to faithfulness is not an Olympian height. It is not an impossible hill to climb either. There were men in Bible history that passed the test. You can also make it!
- Moses was faithful in all His house…Numbers 12:7, Heb. 3: 5
- Daniel too was faithful…Dan.6: 4.
- Paul was also faithful…1st Tim. 1:12.
These were men subject to same passions as we are. They had reasons to capitulate but never did. The circumstances were as polluted as ours but they never crashed. They scaled through; we are most inexcusable. We shall not fail.
Why we should be Faithful.
- God is faithful. 1st Thess. 5: 24, 2nd Thess. 3:3.
- God expects you to be faithful. 1st Cor. 4: 1- 2.
- God is seeking for faithful men. Pro. 20: 6, 2nd Tim. 2: 1- 2.
- God rewards faithfulness. The rewards include; a) The crown of life. Rev. 2: 10, b) Preservation…Psalm 21: 23, c) Blessings…Prov. 28: 20. d) Promotion…Matthew 24:45-47, 25: 21- 23.
Beloved, these are eternal reasons for which you are called to be faithful. We are to stand on the word inspite of trials. That is, locating the truth from the scripture and adhering to same as if all your life depends on it and with unwavering faith in its ability to deliver. You must be faithful to keep meditating on the word even when it seems not producing until it overtakes your life. Thus, you must deliberately stack your heart with the word knowing full well that it can never fail.
Faithfulness demands punctuality in every area of endeavour, loyalty to relationships, commitment to service, regular payment of tithes and giving of offerings cheerfully, honouring your leaders and living a decent Christian life; avoiding sin.
The Holy Spirit is your most authentic help in your quest to live a faithful life. Embrace Him. He infuses your heart with the fruit of faithfulness when you become born again and helps to nurture it to fullness when you open up to Him. Receive Grace today in Jesus Name.
IT IS WELL