Foundations of Faithfulness
The Western church, especially in the US, has become soft. We frequently get upset because someone makes fun of us or doesn’t include us in social activities because of our faith. We don’t understand what so many of our Christian brothers and sisters have experienced in order to stand faithful in horrific persecution. Now and in the past, many believers have risked starvation, having their children stolen or killed, losing jobs, torture, and murder in order to stand up for their faith and to share the gospel with others.
I don’t know how bad things could get, but I think some real persecution just might be heading for the Western church before too long. If we don’t get into the habit of faithfulness now, how can we stand up to real persecution when it comes? If we stand up for our faith when the persecution is small, we are more prepared to stand up for our faith when it becomes severe. If we share the gospel when the cost is small, it prepares us to share the gospel when the cost is greater. If we prepare for persecution and deception by studying the Bible now, then we will have the foundation we need when the deception gets worse, including infiltrating many churches.
A Habit of Faithfulness
Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (better known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego) were all brought up to know the word of God and to obey God’s commands. This teaching prepared them for when they were kidnapped and taken to a far away nation, whose culture was the antithesis of God’s commands. Being far away from family, friends, and culture, it would have been easy to blend into the new culture, but these four (of all those taken away to Babylon) chose to stay faithful in small and big things.
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. (Daniel 1:8) {emphasis mine}
If you notice, Daniel made a conscious choice to obey God and not compromise. He also chose to obey God in a respectful way, not acting rebelliously. He stood up for righteousness, but did not seek to aggressively fight authority.
But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” (Daniel 1:8) {emphasis mine}
Daniel and his friends trusted God to provide for them and to protect them. They gave up the meat appointed for them because it might have been from unclean animals and also might have been offered to Babylon’s false gods. It was safer to avoid all meat than to try to find clean meat. They sacrificed their comfort in order to be faithful to God.
They set a precedent for obeying God when it was easy. They weren’t told to eat the king’s food or die. They made the conscious decision to do what was right when it didn’t seem to be a big deal, and when the cost was small. This prepared them for the hard decisions when they risked their lives to obey the commandments not to worship idols and to have no other gods before the Lord.
You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.” (Daniel 3:10-12) {emphasis mine}
After being threatened to worship the idol or be burnt to death in the fiery furnace, they responded with one of my favorite, faith-filled responses in the Bible.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18) {emphasis mine}
These three young men had been faithful in little things, and that prepared them to be faithful in greater things. They had seen God protect and provide for them and trusted God to protect them from the flames. They had reached the point of faith that they could even say, “But even if He does not,” they would choose to be faithful to their God.
Prayer is Life
Daniel was known as a man of prayer. When Nebuchadnezzar threatened to kill all of his advisors for not being able to tell and explain his dream, Daniel and his three friends prayed God would show compassion and give them the answer. He prayed during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. He prayed during the reign of Darius. This was his habit, and he didn’t hide it from those around him.
Daniel was also known for his faithful service to both kings. He worked hard. He was not corrupt. He spoke the truth to the kings, even if the truth was likely to upset the king. Both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius knew Daniel was one man whom they could trust. They may not love what he said, but Daniel would always tell them the truth. Because of this, both kings raised him to one of the highest positions, making others jealous.
Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:4-5) {emphasis mine}
These men didn’t mean these comments as praise, but their statements were the greatest praise that can be given to a believer. Daniel always did what was right, and the only accusation anyone could make against him was due to him serving God above all else.
These jealous advisors to the king tricked Darius into signing a command that nobody could pray to anyone but Darius for thirty days. Anyone disobeying this order would be thrown to the lions.
Notice Daniel’s faithful response:
Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. (Daniel 6:10) {emphasis mine}
Daniel not only continued praying to God three times a day as he had always done, but he also didn’t hide it. He didn’t close his window. He publicly remained faithful to God.
It would have been easy to compromise and pray silently and privately, but Daniel knew that everyone watching knew he prayed on his knees, at the window, facing Jerusalem. If he had done anything else, he would have dishonored God. Daniel had been faithful in small things and didn’t hesitate to be faithful when it could cost him everything. God was also faithful and protected him from the lions.
Rejoicing in Suffering for Christ
Jesus spent three years training His disciples to preach and teach. He demonstrated faithfulness in prayer and in teaching. He sent His disciples out to preach in pairs, while He was still with Him. After His resurrection, He sent the Holy Spirit to them to aid them in continuing to preach the gospel to everyone around them. This faithful preaching (and miraculous healing) led many Jewish leaders to become jealous and to try to stop them, just as they had stopped Jesus by crucifixion.
But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. (Acts 5:17-21) {emphasis mine}
If you notice, after being jailed and after being released by an angel, who told them to go and speak to the people, they went immediately (“about daybreak”). Even though they had just been jailed by the same people who crucified Jesus, they didn’t hesitate. They immediately obeyed God and went to the temple to preach the gospel. This obedience to God and disobedience of the Jewish leaders led to them being arrested again.
When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:27-29) {emphasis mine}
We are told to obey authority, but ultimately, when God and human authority contradict each other, we must obey God. Peter knew these same men had recently crucified Jesus. They knew that disobeying Jewish leaders could lead to the same fate for them, but they obeyed “God rather than men.” They had practiced faithfulness. They had failed (after Jesus’s crucifixion) and run away. They had been encouraged by Jesus and then given the Holy Spirit. This time, they were faithful.
God was also faithful and guided Gamaliel to caution the Jewish leaders about being too harsh. If these men were acting on their own initiative, they would come to nothing, but if they were actually obeying God, the leaders didn’t want to wind up fighting against God.
They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they [Jewish leaders] flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they [apostles] went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:40-42) {emphasis mine}
The Jewish leaders’ hate would not let them do nothing, so they flogged them and then set them free. These men, who had previously run and hidden after Jesus’s crucifixion, now rejoiced in suffering for Christ. They “kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” They had learned faithfulness from He who is most faithful, Jesus Christ.
Faithful to the End
When the church began to grow exponentially, they started having problems meeting the needs of believers, since many were poor, and made more so by persecution for their faith.
So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. … The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. (Acts 6:2-3,5) {emphasis mine}
Who did they select for service? They chose “men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” The church had not existed for long, but these seven men had showed faithfulness. Most of all, Stephen was known as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”
Stephen was given the job of taking care of the poor and needy, but he was so faithful to God that he also shared the gospel, healed, and defended the faith.
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. (Acts 6:8-10) {emphasis mine}
Stephen knew the word of God. He knew the teaching of Jesus. He was guided by the Spirit to speak in wisdom and truth. Those who hated Jesus could not debate him. He declared the truth so well that nobody could argue against him. This caused much hatred and eventually, he was arrested by the Jewish leaders.
And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel. (Acts 6:15)
As much as the Jewish leaders hated Stephen, they could clearly see that he was speaking from God. Stephen spoke the truth. He trusted God’s providence. He didn’t debate to win a fight, but to show Jesus’s authority and salvation. Still, no matter how clearly he showed Jesus was the promised Messiah, their hard hearts would not accept it.
The high priest said, “Are these things so?” And he said, “Hear me, brethren and fathers! … “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.” (Acts 7:1-2a, 51-53)
Stephen knew these men had the earthly authority to kill him, but he stayed faithful. When questioned, he went through the Scriptures, telling the truth to these men and then honestly pointed out their hard hearts and how they resembled those who killed the prophets.
Like many people today, facts and the truth didn’t matter to the religious leaders. They “covered their ears and rushed at him.” They didn’t want to hear the truth. They disobeyed God’s law and Roman law, and in their anger stoned Stephen to death.
But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:57-60) {emphasis mine}
Stephen, however, was faithful to the end. He knew he was on death’s door. There was no complaint. There was no “Woe is me.” Stephen trusted God and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” He didn’t call out curses or beg God to punish his accusers, but prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”
Stephen was known for his faithfulness and remained faithful to the end. Faithfulness was lived when it was easy and when it was hard.
May God grow your faithfulness, whether through easy times or hard. May He guide you in longing for His Word and in understanding the Bible. May He teach you to stand on His Word even when it seems that nobody else is. May we all be faithful as Jesus is faithful.
Trust Jesus
All verses are NASB unless otherwise noted.