Faithfulness

What can you stake for your beliefs? Faithfulness is often times translated in the bible from the Hebrew word 'emeth' as firmness, faithfulness, truth, sureness, reliability, stability, continuance, faithfulness, reliableness, truth... ok, you get the drift...

It means the quality of being steadfast in affection or allegiance: i.e loyal.

Faith and faithfulness are two different things. One can have faith (i.e. trust) in a person or thing but not be faithful (i.e loyal or steadfast) to it.

Faithfulness is a total commitment. To be faithful to God is to be totally 'sold out' to him and his word irrespective of the circumstances or consequence. You stand loyal to his wishes no matter what.

One of the greatest examples are Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

Some of us know the story of these three young men who defied the command of one of the greatest kings of the ancient world - King Nebuchadnezzar - in Daniel 3. It is a compelling story but nothing in that account 'gets' me as much as the reply the young men gave when questioned about their rebellion to the command to bow to the King's image.

Their reply was this:

“King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16‭-‬18 NIV What audacity! Really there are not many replies as out rightly damning, insanely bold and brazenly candid as this one by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

This was not just faith speaking, this was settled steadfastness (Faithfulness) speaking!

Notice their choice of words:

'we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.'

'even if he (God) does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods'

..And those were their choice of words to the King of Babylon whose reign was the longest and most powerful of any monarch in the second Babylonian Empire. A man who lived as a God among his subjects!

No wonder he was enraged!

Let's get one thing straight, this young men had everything to lose and nothing to stand on that could explain their response except radical faithfulness and devotion to Yahweh (God).

For one they were Israeli captives of Babylon; Two, they were facing one of the most ruthless rulers of that empire.

From the very choice of words, it is obvious they believed God could work any miracle, but their commitment to God was not tied to his miracle or deliverance. They were sold out to the very person of God without conditions or apology.

Their words made it so clear that their commitment was to God; not to his power, ability, protection or sovereignty. Jehovah was their chosen God - end of story; Full stop.

Other Jews were in that same city and place and they had bowed, afterall (they might have reasoned), God knows that "in their hearts that they love him". To those, they might just have been "applying wisdom" and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were just being 'foolish'.

However, for these loyal young believers, there was no question or room for compromise: God's word was God's heart and he had said: “‘Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God'" (Leviticus 26:1)

... THEY were not going to compromise God's word for anything or anyone even if everyone else did.

THIS is commitment. THIS is faithfulness (loyalty) to God. How about you? How far will you go in your loyalty and love for Jesus Christ? Jesus has said in John14:23 “Anyone who loves me WILL obey my teaching." Are you settled in your mind that Jesus' word is Jesus expressing his heart and wishes? Do you know see a compromise of his word as it really is - a compromise of commitment to God?

This sounds harsh but that's just what it is. Decisions to be faithful don't get made in the fire, they are made long before any trying times come. If they are not made in peacetime i.e. now, loyalty to him will be near impossible when the 'furnace' stares us in the face.

You see, today's idols might not be images and cast statues but we are still faced with idols that call for compromise: idols of Self, greed, lust, societal permissiveness are just examples.

Jesus himself said:

"Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10: 38‭-‬39 NIV As Jesus-followers, God is still calling his children to a strength of devotion that makes us look compromise in the eye and say boldly:

"King (money, job, relationship, reputation, life, self) we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, But even if he does not, we will not serve your gods!"

This seems hard but rest assured friends, if those boys could do it (without Jesus in them), we have what it takes to do much more - The Holy Spirit of God! Amen.

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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Philemon 1:25 KJV