What Does the Bible say About Faithfulness? & 5 Important Characteristics of Faithfulness
I love the word faithfulness. It is like comfort food for the soul. When someone is faithful it is affirming and validates our sense of belonging and worth.
Faithfulness is an unfailing loyalty that is repeatedly demonstrated.
When I study what does the Bible say about faithfulness, I become aware of how faithful God has been and continues to be. Faithfulness is based on trust and requires a deep abiding love. God is faithful to us 100% of the time which provides great comfort to me.
Understanding God’s faithfulness helps our trust in Him grow and leads to a sense of confidence and a willingness to share His love with others.
Faithfulness reminds me of my devotion to my children. From the day a nurse gently placed my newborn babies in my arms until today, I am devoted and faithful to my children. Although my love for them never diminishes, my trust and loyalty have been put to the test especially during the teenage years!
But God is always faithful and worthy of our faithfulness to Him. We can place our trust and loyalty in Him and He never disappoints.
On the contrary, God helps us feel secure in His love and in our identity so we can be faithful to others. When we stand on our new confidence in Him, our love for others is not based on their unblemished faithfulness.
What does the Bible say about faithfulness? Even when we are not faithful to God, He continues to show faithfulness to us, but when we trust God and are faithful, we experience a new transformed way of living.
“The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.” Hebrews 11:1-2 MSG
The Importance of Faithfulness
Many of us probably think of faithfulness as it relates to marriage and other relationships. A good relationship requires faithfulness. Our friends, family, children, and spouse teach us the importance of faithfulness.
But sometimes we experience fractured faithfulness because of our behavior or the choices of others.
True faithfulness is unfailing loyalty to someone regardless of the circumstances.
One day as my family and I left a basketball game, my daughter ran ahead of us in the parking lot. At that instant, a large truck began to back up not noticing my tiny 3-year-old. My faithfulness to her life took on actual meaning as I jumped behind the truck waving my arms and screaming.
This is an example of faithfulness; our adhesion to someone. But we are not always willing to jump behind trucks for someone and can’t always count on others to do the same.
Human connection is an extremely fulfilling part of life, but our relationships are where we experience the pain associated with fractured faithfulness.
We make mistakes and let each other down, but God demonstrates the importance of faithfulness by loving us despite what we have done. The ultimate proof of His faithfulness was sending Jesus as a sacrifice for each of us while we were still sinners.
What does the Bible say about faithfulness? God is always faithful to us and waits for us to trust and love Him.
“But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!” Romans 5:8 GNT
What are the Benefits of Faithfulness to God?
There are many benefits of faithfulness to God. My faithfulness to God has changed my life and brought hope where there was despair, growth where there was stagnancy, and love where there was hurt.
Because of the benefits of faithfulness to God in my life, I can share with others how my life has been impacted.
Our ability to demonstrate faithfulness is based on our faith in God. Faithful living is not easy and comes with tests, trials, and times of drought. But the greatest benefit of faithfulness to God is it leads to a new identity, an understanding of our gifts, and a meaningful deep relationship with Jesus.
“Somehow faith was what God valued and it soon became clear that faith was the best way for humans to express a love for God.” Philip Yancey
The wonderful old hymn “Great is thy Faithfulness” sums up what are the benefits of faithfulness to God:
“Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me”
What does the Bible say about faithfulness?
- We anticipate new mercies based on God’s faithfulness to us.
- Not all circumstances we face are good but God’s faithfulness is always good.
- The Holy Spirit guides and surrounds us with peace regardless of what we have done or what we are going through.
- Knowing God is faithful gives us the courage to press on and try new things.
What are the Characteristics of Faithfulness?
We often base our interpretation of faithfulness on our own experience with people who were faithful or those who were unfaithful.
But Jesus answered the question what does the Bible say about faithfulness by beautifully modeling its characteristics. When we live for Jesus we too can show others what are the characteristics of faithfulness.
So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He’s the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do. Hebrews 3:1 MSG
“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” Galatians 5:22 MSG
Here are five characteristics of faithfulness that reflect who God is; loyal, trustworthy, steadfast in love, patient, and committed. When we begin to embrace these characteristics of faithfulness, we learn to be faithful to God, ourselves, and others because Jesus is consistently faithful to us.
Loyalty is a Characteristic of Faithfulness
Jesus was loyal to His call, His people, and His mission of saving humanity. Even when He called out to God in His suffering, He never wavered in His loyalty to you and me.
“If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 TLB
Trustworthiness is a Characteristic of Faithfulness
Jesus is trustworthy. He did exactly what He said He would do before, during, and after His life and death. If you struggle trusting God, it will be difficult to be faithful to Him and understand His faithfulness to you. Pray specifically for God to strengthen your trust in Him.
“Then Jesus began to tell them about the terrible things he would suffer, and that he would be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the other Jewish leaders—and be killed, and that he would rise again three days afterwards.” Mark 8:31 TLB
Steadfast Love is a Characteristic of Faithfulness
How many people in your life show you steadfast love; firmly fixed and immovable? It’s great to reflect on who values you this much and how this type of constant love affects you. Steadfast love is extremely powerful, and human love is just a fraction of the steadfast love Christ has for you.
“Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.” Proverbs 3:3-4 MSG
Patience is a Characteristic of Faithfulness
Faithfulness requires patience and acceptance. Sometimes my lack of patience gets in the way of my faithfulness and leads to discouragement. But it helps to remember that God is very patient with us.
“Be constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength]” Romans 12:12 AMP
Commitment is a Characteristic of Faithfulness
God’s faithfulness requires commitment like a superglue adhesive. Sometimes our human faithfulness is like Velcro. We can detach it as needed or when it is convenient.
“He walked away, perhaps a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed this prayer: “Father, if you are willing, please take away this cup of horror from me. But I want your will, not mine.” Luke 22:42 TLB
Jesus is faithful to us and our salvation and died for each of us to live. He is the only person who is always loyal, trustworthy, steadfast in love, patient, and committed; guaranteed all the time despite our failures and doubt.
“Many men talk about their own loving-kindness and good ways but who can find a faithful man?” Proverbs 20:6 NIV
Examples of Faithfulness in the Bible
Of the many examples of faithfulness in the Bible, the story of Abraham’s family is laced with God’s repeated commitment despite their mistakes and seasons of unfaithfulness.
Their story in the book of Genesis is fascinating to read and full of examples of faith. And as recorded in Matthew 1, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were critical to the rest of us as the forefathers in the genealogy of Jesus.
What does the Bible say about faithfulness? Let’s take a look at 3 examples of faith in the Bible:
God was Faithful to Abraham
Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, was a faithful patriarch, endured hardship along the way, but also made some bad decisions. He did not always demonstrate faithfulness to God, but God always remained faithful to Abraham.
One of the great signs of God’s faithfulness was the long-anticipated birth of Abraham’s son Isaac to fulfill the promise and covenant God made with Abraham.
“Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.” Genesis 21:2 NIV
God was Faithful to Isaac
Abraham’s son Isaac is remembered as a righteous follower of God who served and loved faithfully. But Isaac had bouts of unfaithfulness, as we all do. He lied about his relationship with his wife Rebekah and there was that mess with his sons Jacob and Esau.
Although Isaac repeated some of the mistakes of his father Abraham, God proved faithful and confirmed the covenant he had made with Abraham. Isaac’s life was full of examples of faith.
“The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants, I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees, and my instructions.” Genesis 26:2-5 NLT
God was Faithful to Jacob
Jacob is remembered as a hero who overcomes challenges, pain, and deception to ultimately remain faithful to God. After Jacob deceives his brother Esau to get the valuable birthright and blessing from his father Isaac, he flees. Although he is a fugitive, God in His faithfulness appears and speaks to Jacob giving him a blessing and new name, Israel.
Jacob is an example of faith as he fulfilled an important role. He is the father of twelve sons who became the leaders of the tribes of Israel including the tribe from which Jesus is linked; the tribe of Judah.
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:15 NLT
If you would like to learn more about what does the Bible say about faithfulness, just start reading. The Bible is filled with stories of God and His unfailing love and faithfulness to humanity.
Bible Verses about Faithfulness
Here are 10 Bible verses about faithfulness that will sustain and encourage you when you struggle with faith in God’s timing and releasing control of a situation.
Reading and understanding these verses helps us understand what does the bible say about faithfulness so we can trust God and be faithful to others in our life.
- “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
- “Know this: God, your God, is God indeed, a God you can depend upon. He keeps his covenant of loyal love with those who love him and observe his commandments for a thousand generations.” Deuteronomy 7:9 MSG
- “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15 NLT
- “For all God’s words are right, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good; the earth is filled with his tender love.” Psalm 33:4-5 TLB
- “What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all!” Romans 3:3-4 NIV
- “God will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 NLT
- “We live with a daring passion and know that our time spent in this body is also time we are not present with the Lord. The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-7 VOICE
- “The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 MSG
- “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT
- “Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, he remains faithful to us and will help us, for he cannot disown us who are part of himself, and he will always carry out his promises to us.” 2 Timothy 2:13 TLB
What about you? Are you confident in God’s undeniable faithfulness to you? If not, pray and ask Him to reveal Himself to you and send His Holy Spirit to surround you with His love.
Before you go…I would love to hear your thoughts on what does the bible say about faithfulness or how the benefits of faithfulness to God have shown up in your life!
