THE GOAL OF FAITHFULNESS

Charles Ivie

"...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev. 2:10b).

These words of Jesus to the church at Ephesus were written at a time when many Christians were being forced to make a choice -- "Renounce Christ, or be killed!" To be faithful unto or until death would mean we are to be faithful, even if it costs us our life.

The Greek adjective translated "faithful" is defined by Thayer as: "trusty, faithful; of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of official duties."

There are many reasons for being faithful to the Lord. One reason would be for our own happiness and peace. Paul, by inspiration, wrote in Rom. 14:22, "Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth." This would show that one cannot have happiness and peace with himself when he is doing what he knows to be wrong.

Another reason for being faithful is found in the good example we are commanded to be. That is certainly a correct motive. Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Tim. 4:12, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." Jesus taught in Mat. 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

A person who is faithful will be trusted by most people. Life is more pleasant when others trust us. It seems we all have an inner need to be trusted and appreciated by others. Think of the statement concerning the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:11-12, "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." Wouldn’t the same be true of a husband who is faithful to his wife?

While all of these reasons for being faithful are right and good, there is another, more important reason for being faithful. We desire the "crown of life" that will be given when Jesus comes again in judgment. God’s word teaches that remaining faithful will cause us to obtain that goal: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing"  (2 Tim. 4:7, 8).

Today in our country, we are not often called upon to choose between life or faithfulness. However, we can be tempted to renounce Christ by the ridicule of others or by a desire for the forbidden. Let’s all strive to remain faithful, whatever the situation, so that we might win the crown of life! 

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