“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11
What is true faith based upon? Is it not the faithfulness of God? What then is faithfulness, and in particular, that which we see lived and demonstrated in the life of Christ on earth, now in heaven, still the same?
When we look at the Lord Jesus, as He walked on this earth as the only begotten Son of God, the Servant of God, and the perfect offering for sin who was faithful in his obedience and faith, we see a man who was at all times absolutely dependent, and obedient, to His Father. That faith-filled life was based upon, and lived, because of the faithful character of the father. In order to grasp something of what “faithful” means, and this from a heavenly standpoint, we need to look at how God has chosen to reveal His faithfulness to the individual heart. What does He do? The first thing that He always does is to bring the believer to a true understanding of WHO He is. This knowledge is not a complete knowledge, but enough for faith to lay hold upon God, and act accordingly. The second thing that He does is to give instruction, or a command, a word of authority upon which to act and respond. This is the call of God to engage Him by what He says, and to become aligned with Him in such a way that He can reveal Himself increasingly to the heart. But there is in the third manner, or aspect of faith, that He also reveals Himself to us. It has to do with the promise of God. For Sara, the wife of Abraham, God gave her a promise which would require a miracle for its fulfillment. We find with the promise, which was not just a word naturally spoken, but one of spiritual authority and power, Sara’s faith was enabled to lay hold upon God according to that promise. As Scripture puts it: “…she judged Him faithful who had promised.”
Abraham, Sarah’s husband, was also faced with the same issue in regard to the faithfulness of God. Isaac had been born to Sara according to the promise of God given to her. Now that Isaac was older, there came a day when God would tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Mt. Moriah. How could Abraham ever overcome all that logic and sentiment would oppose? It was because of a promise. Isaac was the son, and symbol, of a promise that God had made to Abraham. Abraham did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but, “…being fully persuaded that, what He (God) had promised, He was able also to perform,” (Rom. 4:21) he went forth in faith.
What is it about the faithfulness of God that is the bedrock of the Christian faith? It is His immutable, absolute commitment and ability to accomplish exactly what He has declared. God alone can do this, for He cannot fail. That which He has promised, it is just as sure and true as His person and nature are in complete conformity to it. Indeed, the word of God, in the form of a promise, is the expression of the nature of God. It is the manifested extension of Himself, His working and accomplishing perfectly His will. Of course, the greatest example of this is Christ dying on the cross, declaring at that last terrible, yet victorious moment, “It is finished.” How could the Lord Jesus endure such suffering to overcome all the power of the enemy, and accomplish perfectly His Father’s will? By the Eternal Spirit, He was strengthened, remaining totally committed to believing His Father according to the promise that He would rise again from the dead.
The faithfulness of God clearly touches the matter of communion with God, cleansing from sin, deliverance in temptation, even sanctification, and much more. The Christian’s duty is to know the promises, believe and obey.
Dear Father, Make us increasingly faithful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.