Theology Thursday - Faithfulness
Notes
Transcript
1 When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
6 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
7 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
8 But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
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;
Lesson Abstract
What Is Divine Faithfulness and Why It Matters:
God’s faithfulness is the moral attribute by which He keeps every promise, fulfills every covenant, and remains steadfast toward His creation. Unlike human faith, which falters, divine faithfulness flows from God’s immutable nature (Hebrews 6:18). Understanding God’s faithfulness anchors our hope, fuels our trust amid uncertainty, and equips the Church to persevere in mission, knowing that God’s purposes cannot fail.
[Opening—3:00]
“Welcome back to Theology Thursday—your thirty-minute journey into the heart of God’s character. I’m your host, and today we’re focusing on Theology Proper – the Moral Attribute of God: Faithfulness.
Illustration:
Imagine hiring a contractor to remodel your kitchen. He gives you a firm completion date, and every week he updates you on progress—never missing a deadline. When the job finishes exactly on schedule, you’re amazed: “He did exactly what he promised!” That reliability mirrors divine faithfulness—God always does what He says, on time and without fail.
Opening Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing Your unwavering faithfulness. As we study this attribute, grant us confidence in Your promises and inspire us to reflect Your steadfast character. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Word Study & Theological Definition
Hebrew Word Study
אֱמוּנָה (’emunah)
Transliteration: eh-moo-NAW
Basic Meaning: “Faithfulness,” “steadfastness,” “reliability.”
Key Text: Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV) – “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful(’emunah) God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”
Greek Word Study
πίστις (pistis)
Transliteration: PIS-tis
Basic Meaning: “Faith,” “trust,” “faithfulness.”
Key Text: 1 Corinthians 1:9 (KJV) – “God is faithful (pistos), by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Theological Definition
Divine Faithfulness is the moral perfection by which God reliably keeps His promises, fulfills His covenantal commitments, and remains unwavering in His purposes. It arises from His immutability—He cannot lie or change—ensuring that every divine declaration is sure.
Biblical Theology & Exegesis
A. Old Testament Examples (5:00)
Numbers 23:19 (KJV)
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
Exegesis: Balaam’s oracle underlines that God’s words are absolutely reliable. Divine faithfulness contrasts human broken promises.
1 Samuel 15:29 (KJV)
“And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
Exegesis: Samuel affirms that God’s commitment to His people is unshakable—He does not “change His mind” in the sense of abandoning His purposes.
Lamentations 3:22–23 (KJV)
“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 (’emunah).”
Exegesis: In the depths of Judah’s suffering, Jeremiah finds hope in God’s renewing faithfulness—His promises and mercies are perpetually reliable.
Transition: OT saints anchored their hope in God’s steadfast character—His “Yes” never becomes “No.”
B. New Testament Examples
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Exegesis: The apostles ground the Corinthians’ calling on divine faithfulness. Our relationship with Christ rests on God’s reliability, not our performance.
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Exegesis: Even when we fail in faith, God’s faithfulness remains intact—He cannot act contrary to His own nature.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Exegesis: Believers are exhorted to cling to hope, for God’s faithfulness secures every promise, including eternal life.
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Exegesis: Christ Himself bears the title “Faithful”—the perfect embodiment of divine reliability.
Transition: In the NT, faithfulness becomes both our foundation and our model—God’s fidelity invites our trust and shapes our witness.
Historical & Systematic Theology Insights
Augustine: Emphasized that God’s immutability is the ground of His faithfulness—He “abides in unchangeable perfection,” ensuring all divine promises stand.
Thomas Aquinas: In Summa I, Q. 21, Aquinas argues that faithfulness (fidelitas) is an essential divine perfection—God’s will is always consistent with His word.
John Calvin: Stressed that God’s faithfulness guarantees salvation; the believer’s perseverance rests on God’s unbreakable promise (Institutes II.16.2).
Relation to Other Attributes:
Immutability: Faithfulness flows from God’s unchanging essence.
Truth: Divine faithfulness is an expression of God’s absolute truthfulness.
Love & Mercy: Faithfulness manifests in covenantal mercy—God remains loyal even when we are unfaithful.
Apologetics Clarifications
Objection: “If God is faithful, why do we see unfulfilled prayers and apparent delays?”
Answer: God’s faithfulness guarantees His sovereign purposes, not every human desire. Sometimes “No” or “Wait” best serves His eternal plan (Isaiah 55:8–9). His faithfulness ensures ultimate good, even when immediate requests seem unanswered.
Objection: “Does divine faithfulness conflict with human free will?”
Answer: God’s faithfulness to promises and purposes coexists with genuine human responsibility. He sovereignly weaves human choices into His faithful plan (Ephesians 1:11).
Practical/Pastoral Application
For Pastors: Preach on God’s faithfulness in personal testimonies—encourage congregations by recalling how God kept His word in Scripture and in your own life.
For Laypeople:
Trust in Trials: When circumstances shake you, recite God’s promises—His faithfulness is your anchor (Psalm 119:90).
Be Faithful in Small Things: Reflect God’s attribute by keeping commitments—to family, work, and church—modeling His reliability.
Group Discussion/Reflection Questions
Recall a time when you experienced God’s faithfulness in an unexpected way. How did that shape your trust?
Where are you tempted to doubt God’s promises, and how can you reinforce your faith?
How can our small-group or church body testify to God’s faithfulness in our community this year?
Closing Prayer & Benediction
Closing Prayer:
“Faithful God, thank You for Your unwavering promises. Help us to trust You more deeply, even when we don’t yet see the fulfillment. May Your faithfulness shape our words and actions so that others see Your reliability in us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Benediction:
“May the God of peace—who called you into His eternal glory—perfect in you every good work, keeping your hearts steadfast in hope, because He is faithful. Go in peace.”
