God is….Faithful

I have completed the second word.  Faithful.  What does it mean to be faithful?

faithful

1. strict or thorough in the performance of duty:

a faithful worker.

2. true to one's word, promises, vows, etc.
3. steady in allegiance or affection; loyal; constant:

faithful friends.

4. reliable, trusted, or believed.
5. adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate:

a faithful account; a faithful copy.

6. Obsolete. full of faith; believing.

Now let's look at a few Scriptures that stood out to me.  There are 81 uses of the word Faithful in the Bible.

Deuteronomy 7:9-11(NKJV)

“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 

and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. 

Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.  

One of the things I am getting regarding faithful is that faithfulness is a two way street.  God will be faithful to us provided we are faithful to Him.  I also find it interesting that this Scripture makes the point that God will be just as faithful in dealing out punishment as He will be in dealing out mercy and reward.  God will be faithful in ALL of His promises.

Psalms 78:8(NKJV)

    And may not be like their fathers,     A stubborn and rebellious generation,     A generation that did not set its heart aright,     And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Psalms 78:37(NKJV)

    For their heart was not steadfast with Him,     Nor were they faithful in His covenant.

Psalms 101:6(NKJV)

    My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,      That they may dwell with me;     He who walks in a perfect way,     He shall serve me.

Isaiah 49:7(NKJV)

    Thus says the Lord,      The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,     To Him whom man despises,     To Him whom the nation abhors,     To the Servant of rulers:     “Kings shall see and arise,     Princes also shall worship,     Because of the Lord who is faithful,     The Holy One of Israel;     And He has chosen You.”

Hosea 11:12(NKJV)

    “Ephraim has encircled Me with lies,      And the house of Israel with deceit;     But Judah still walks with God,     Even with the Holy One who is faithful.

1 Corinthians 1:9(NKJV)

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13(NKJV)

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

2 Corinthians 1:18(NKJV)

But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. 

2 Thessalonians 3:3(NKJV)

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 

1 John 1:9(NKJV)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

So it seems to me that God will be faithful to the ends of the earth; to those who are faithful to Him in return.  Does that mean we have to be perfect?  I don't think so.  But as always it is a balance of the heart issue. 

Do you like that phrase?  Balance of the heart.  When you weigh all of the evidence, God knows where your heart is.  As Jesus makes very clear throughout the Gospels, it is a heart issue.