Faithfulness

August 4, 2018

"... for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land."(Hosea 4:1) In this passage we can see the prophet is bringing a legal case against the people from God. In the charge he mentions 3 things : no truth, no mercy, and no knowledge of God. All three of these are individual charges with one root cause ...there is no faith ! Without faith there can be no mercy, truth, or knowledge of God. Later in the next verse he goes on to list all of the infractions they have committed including breaking all of the commandments. This verse shows us what the result is of no faith in God. The same can be said of our relationships. Without faith and without God in any relationship there will always be no truth, mercy, or knowledge of God ! The result will always be harm to each other, the relationship, and to God !

The prophet Jeremiah says in verse 28 "...and he who has my word. let him speak My word faithfully." This is a direct warning to those who preach and teach God's word. You are held to a higher standard to give His word faithfully. This means to give the word accurately, and whenever called upon. God's word can only be effective when it is given ! That sounds simple yet it is not. If one little thing is wrong then the whole thing is wrong. That is why God's law was that whoever got one detail of His word wrong was to be stoned to death !! If you love God and His word you must deliver it as He says. Likewise for us. We must be there for each other with the truth AND whenever needed.

"Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Rev. 2-10) Here, God says that Satan is about to put some in prison for 10 days to test them. If they remain faithful they will receive the crown which is life. This is yet another way of stating a truth that is all through the bible. Without faith there is no life. It was that way in the garden when Eve believed the serpent and it is the same here in Revelation when Jesus is coming back ! Our faith must be in Jesus for our spiritual life no matter what happens to our physical life.  Eve thought God meant she would die physically because she listened to Satan. Here God is saying their physical life will be bad but for only a short time. Then they will have eternal life ! The message is the same for us ... Have faith in Jesus and you will have eternal life.