Faithfulness in human relationships

Faithfulness within society

It is important in the life of God’s people

Ho 12:6 The word translated “love” is the Hebrew word “hesed”, which here expresses the loyalty and faithfulness that should characterise the life of God’s people.

See also Mic 6:8; Mt 23:23

It is a reflection of God’s faithfulness to his people

Psalm 89:14 LEB

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loyal love and faithfulness come before your face.

See also Dt 32:4; Is 11:4–5

Faithfulness in marriage

Hebrews 13:4 LEB

4 Marriage must be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed be undefiled, because God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers.

See also Mal 2:11; Mal 2:14–15; Mt 5:27–28; Ex 20:14; Eph 5:33; 1 Ti 5:9

Faithfulness in family relationships

1 Timothy 5:4 LEB

4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to show profound respect for their own household first, and to pay back recompense to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

See also Ge 24:47–51 fulfilling family obligations in marriage arrangements; Ge 47:28–31 fulfilling family obligations regarding burial

Ruth’s faithfulness to Naomi:

Ru 1:16–18; Ru 2:11–12

1 Sa 2:19 Hannah visits Samuel regularly.

The wife of noble character provides for her family:

Pr 31:15; Pr 31:21; Pr 31:27–28

Jn 19:25–27 Jesus Christ provides for his mother.

Faithfulness to vows and covenants

Numbers 30:2 LEB

2 if a man makes a vow for Yahweh or swears an oath with a binding pledge on himself, he must not render his word invalid; he must do all that went out from his mouth.

Jacob and Laban:

Ge 29:18; Ge 29:30

The sons of Israel and Joseph:

Ge 50:25; Ex 13:19

The Israelites and Rahab:

Jos 2:14; Jos 6:25

Jos 9:15–20 Joshua and the Gibeonites

David and Jonathan:

1 Sa 18:3; 1 Sa 20:8; 1 Sa 20:42; 1 Sa 23:16

1 Ki 20:34 Ben-Hadad and Ahab

Faithfulness in speech

In carrying messages

Proverbs 13:17 LEB

17 A messenger of wickedness will fall into trouble, but an envoy of the faithful brings healing.

See also Pr 25:13

In telling the truth

Pr 12:17; Pr 14:5

In bringing God’s word

Jeremiah 23:28 LEB

28 The prophet who has with him a dream, let him tell the dream. But the prophet who has my word with him, let him speak my word faithfully. What is straw compared to wheat?” declares Yahweh.

See also 2 Co 2:17; 2 Co 4:2; 2 Ti 2:15

Faithfulness in conduct

In serving others

3 John 5 LEB

5 Dear friend, you act faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers, even though they are strangers.

See also Ro 16:1–2; Ga 6:10; 1 Pe 4:10

In intercession

Ro 1:9–10; Eph 6:18; Col 4:2–4

In giving

2 Corinthians 8:7–11 LEB

7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith and in speaking and in knowledge and with all diligence and in the love from us that is in you—so may you excel in this grace also. 8 I am not saying this as a command, but proving the genuineness of your love by means of the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, for your sake he became poor, in order that you, by his poverty, may become rich. 10 And I am giving an opinion in this matter, because this is profitable for you who not only began previously, a year ago, to do something, but also to want to do it. 11 So now also complete the doing of it, in order that just as you have the eagerness to want to do it, thus also you may complete it from what you have.

See also 2 Ch 31:5–10; Php 4:15–18

In handling money

2 Kings 12:13–15 LEB

13 Only, for the temple of Yahweh, there were not any silver basins, snuffers, bowls for drinking wine, trumpets, or any vessel of gold or silver from the money being brought to the temple of Yahweh. 14 For they gave that to all the workers, and they repaired the temple of Yahweh with it. 15 They did not have to settle accounts with the men into whose hands they placed the money to give to the workers, for they were dealing honestly.

See also 2 Ki 22:7; 2 Ch 31:12–15; Mt 25:21; Lk 16:10; Lk 19:17

The rarity of true faithfulness

Proverbs 20:6 LEB

6 Many a person will proclaim his loyalty for himself, but a man who is trustworthy, who can find?

See also Ps 12:1–2; Is 57:1; Je 17:9