Great Is Thy Faithfulness Series

Knowing God Series #19

“Our Faithful God”

Review

I. The nature of God

II. The Attributes of God

A. God is infinitely GREAT in His ability / capacity

B. God is infinitely and perfectly PURE in His morality and judgments

C. God is infinitely GOOD in His relationships

1. God’s infinite LOVE

2. God’s infinite GRACE

3. God’s infinite MERCY

4. God’s LONGSUFFERING & FOREBEARANCE

5. God’s GENTLENESS

6. God’s FORGIVENESS

7. God’s FAITHFULNESS

a. What is faithfulness? Description

Faithfulness is a characteristic that can be best understood by enlisting a number of other synonyms. We would describes someone as faithful, dependable, reliable, trustworthy, steadfast, a person of their word, true, loyal, committed, consistent, unfailing, unwavering.

The core concept has to do with dependability and trust to carry out what is promised.

b. What causes unfaithfulness?

Weakness and selfishness is generally the cause of unfaithfulness. God is neither, so there He always acts in faithfulness.

c. What makes God faithful?

He must be faithful; He can be nothing else.

He is faithful in all things at all times. Psa 33:1-5

He says what He means and does what He says. Deut 7:7-11

His faithfulness is forever. Psa 100:4-5

His faithfulness is immeasurable. Psalm 36:5-9

His faithfulness is GREAT! Lam 3:19

He is clothed in faithfulness. Psalm 89:1-8

d. How do we know God is faithful?

Creation declares God’s faithfulness

The Bible records continual accounts of God’s faithfulness

People tell stories of God’s faithfulness

We personally experience God’s faithfulness

Scripture declares God’s faithfulness in spite of circumstances

God always operates in faithfulness and truth in spite of the fact that it does always seem that way or feel that way. Many Biblical followers of God felt the same way in times of severe testing yet learned to rise above the painful circumstances with a clear perspective on the character of God. Even the writer of the great hymn concerning God’s faithfulness rose above circumstances. Many of those listed in the catalogue of the faithful in Hebrews 11 endured because of an unwavering trust in the promise of God.

e. What is God faithful to do?

God’s faithfulness applies to every promise He has ever made. God demonstrated faithfulness all through the Scripture. Every prophecy made and so far fulfilled to the letter demonstrates His absolute faithfulness. Every promise made and carried out points to the completion of every promise made and yet to come about. Today I want to focus on a number of passages that specifically mention the word faithful. There are plenty of other passages that deal with the concept of reliability and trustworthiness. What is God faithful to do? What can I trust God to do on my behalf? What can I count on God to do?

1. Faithful to keep His Word

Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. Deuteronomy 7:9-10

O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness. Isaiah 25:1

In a world of broken contracts and agreements, we serve a God who will not break His promise.

2. Faithful to care for His creatures.

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgments are like a great deep. O LORD, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. Psalms 36:5-9

3. Faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10

Is there something in your life you feel like God has not forgiven or can’t forgive? Will you trust your feelings or will you trust the unchangeable declaration of Scripture? God always forgives. God continually cleanses us from all of righteousness.

4. Faithful to finish the work He started