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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadR.A. Torrey Collection: Torrey, R.A. - What Bible Teaches (About God): 12 -The Faithfulness of God
TOPIC: Torrey, R.A. - What Bible Teaches (About God) (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 12 -The Faithfulness of God
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Ch 12 The Faithfulness of God
I. GOD IS FAITHFUL.
Deu_7:9 — "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love and keep his commandments to a thousand generations."
Deu_32:4 RV — "The rock, his work is perfect; For all his ways are judgment: A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is he."
Isa_49:7 — "Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee."
1Co_1:9 — "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord."
1Co_10:13 — "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
1Th_5:24 — "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."
2Th_3:3 — "But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and keep you from evil."
1Jn_1:9 — "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Proposition: God is faithful.
II. WHAT DOES FAITHFUL MEAN?
The Hebrew root of the words "faithful" and "faithfulness" means to prop, stay, or support. The intransitive use of the word signifies to stay oneself or be supported; so, the word faithful, applied to a person, means someone you may safely lean on. The Greek word used in the New Testament for "faithful" and "faithfulness" means trustworthy or to be relied upon. This Greek word is used in the Septuagint for the Hebrew word mentioned above.
Usage: Psa_119:86 — -"All thy commandments are faithful."
Pro_14:5 — "A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies."
Mat_24:45-46 — -"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing."
Mat_25:21; Mat_25:23 — "His Lord said unto him, 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."
1Ti_1:15 — "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."
Rev_21:5 — "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write, for these words are true and faithful."
The Biblical usage of the word faithful conforms to its etymology. This will become more clear when we consider how the faithfulness of God is manifested. Therefore, the proposition that God is faithful means God is a being upon whom we can absolutely rely or stay ourselves.
III. THE EXTENT OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS.
Lam_3:23 — "They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
First Proposition: God's faithfulness is great.
Psa_36:5 RV — "Thy loving kindness, O LORD, is in the heavens; thy faithfulness reacheth unto the skies."
Second Proposition: God's faithfulness reaches to the skies. (Note the context, verse 6. Compare to Psa_89:2 — "For I have said, Mercy shall be built up forever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.")
Psa_33:4, RV — "For the word of the LORD is right; and all His work is done in faithfulness."
Third Proposition: All God's work is done in faithfulness.
IV. HOW IS THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD MANIFESTED?
Heb_10:23; Heb_10:36-37 — "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised). For we have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry."
Deu_7:9 — "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations."
1Ki_8:23-24; 1Ki_8:56 — "And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart: Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou speakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses, his servant."
Psa_89:33-34 "Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."
Psa_119:89-90 — "Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in Heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth."
First Proposition: God's faithfulness is manifested in His keeping His promise and covenant — in His fulfilling every word that goes out of His mouth regardless of what man does.
1Pe_4:19 — "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."
Psa_89:20-26 — "I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: with whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him: nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation." Psalm 89 might well be called "The Faithfulness Psalm." (See verse 1, etc.)
Second Proposition: God's faithfulness is manifested in His unfailing defense and deliverance of His servants in times of trial, testing and conflict.
Lam_3:22-23 — "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."
Compare to Jer_51:5 — "For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor
Judah of his God, of the Logo of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel."
Third Proposition: God's faithfulness is manifested in His standing by His people and saving them even when they are unfaithful to him.
Compare to 2Ti_2:13 RV — "If we are faithless, he abideth faithful: for he cannot deny himself."
1 Samuel 12, 20-22 — "And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Logo, but serve the Logo with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. For the Logo will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it has pleased the Logo to make you his people."
Our security is in His faithfulness, not in our own.
1Co_10:13 — "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
Fourth Proposition: God's faithfulness is manifested in His not suffering His children to be tempted above that which they are able, but with the temptation making also a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it.
2Th_3:3 RV — "But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and guard you from the evil one."
1Co_1:8-9 — "Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord."
1Th_5:23-24 RV — "And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it."
Fifth Proposition: The faithfulness of God is manifested in confirming and establishing those He has called, guarding them from the evil one, sanctifying them wholly and preserving them — spirit, soul, and body — without blame at the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. The confidence of God's children with regard to their future is not in their faithfulness, but in God's.
Joh_10:28-29 — "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
Psa_119:75 — "I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me."
Heb_12:6 — "For whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."
Sixth Proposition: God's faithfulness is manifested in HIS chastening HIS children when they go astray.
1Jn_1:9 — "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Seventh Proposition: God's faithfulness is manifested in His forgiving His children when they confess their sins.
Our confidence that God will forgive our sins when confessed rests upon two known facts about God, viz: God is righteous and God is faithful. To doubt that your sin is forgiven when you have confessed it is to question His righteousness and His faithfulness as well as His veracity. It is not humility, but presumption Psa_143:1-2 — "Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications; in thy fatithfulness answer me... And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified."
Eighth Proposition: God's faithfulness is manifested in HIS answering the prayers of His children.
The righteousness, mercy and faithfulness of God run parallel, and they are all pledged to the deliverance, defense, and complete and eternal salvation of God's people.