FAITHFUL by T. | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 18, 1899

FAITHFUL.

By T.

THE facts and memories that cling to the common English word "faithful" are an inspiration to any one who will properly consider them. He who is faithful is "true or trustworthy in the performance of duty." And one can not contemplate the thought of being true or trustworthy without feeling the uplifting and ennobling power of divine goodness.

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this Man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." Heb. 3:1-6.

In the foregoing text the apostle invites us to "consider" "Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him that appointed Him." In considering any one, we think about him deliberately; we reflect upon him; we give the closest attention to his every characteristic; we ponder over him from every view-point. Then when divine inspiration asks us to consider the faithfulness of Jesus, it is that we may see the perfection of that faithfulness in all its fulness and power.

And His faithfulness is "as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." His faithfulness, then, is not selfish,—it is not for Himself, but for us. He volunteered to come down to us to save us. And the Father "appointed Him" to this work. Our eternal existence and happiness hung in the balances. All depended upon the faithfulness of the Master. And, praise the Lord, He was faithful. The destiny of each one of the whole human family may be that of joy and goodness; for He was true, He was trustworthy.

Satan met Him with his great temptations. He brought every one of his cunning devices to bear upon our Lord, but to no purpose; for He was faithful. He stood the test. He was true to His beloved human family. The sorest temptations, the most arduous labors and hardships, the deepest and the bitterest sorrows, were His portion; yet He was ever the same.

The temptations that the Master endured were the same kind of temptations that we have to meet. "For we have not an High Priest which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. 4:15. How much was the Master tempted?—"In all points," is the inspired answer. How was He tempted?—"Like as we are." What a bond of sympathy is thus formed! In all our temptations we have the consolation that Jesus knows by experience just how we feel; for His temptations were like ours.

But, better than all, He was faithful; for, while He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet it was "without sin." The destinies of us all were hanging upon His faithfulness. Mankind had gone down under temptation, and Jesus had come to the rescue. But He could not rescue us on the field of carnal battle, by the aid of cruel sword and spear. The victory must be that of faithfulness. It must consist in a sorer trial than was ever faced by the bravest warrior on the bloodiest field of strife that this world has ever seen. The Master's work was to meet temptations just like ours; He had to meet them in the weakness of our human flesh; and under this trial He was to demonstrate that a perfectly-faithful dependence upon the Father's divine strength would keep Him from sin.

What a wonderful trial! And what a glorious victory! And this victory was not won by our Redeemer for Himself; it was won in our behalf. The victory was achieved by the Master only that it might be all for us. Then it is really our victory. And each one can now say with assurance, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil. 4:13.

There is a special reason why those who are living in these last days should know of this faithfulness of the Saviour, not as a theory, but as a constant experience. The prophecies are full of the evidence that the closing years of time will be fraught with perils. Satan makes a desperate effort to overthrow every one. "Wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Rev. 12:12.

Satan stirs up the powers of earth against the work of Christ. And "these shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Rev. 17:14.

The Lamb is victor in this last great contest. He was faithful while He was enduring His personal trial, and His faithfulness inspires fallen humanity to trust in the same power that kept the Saviour. And so the Lord says "they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful."

Then in this fierce contest against evil in these last days, the Lamb is to be victor, and there will be others "with Him." And they are with Him because they are "faithful." It always has and always will cost a great effort to thus be faithful to the Master, but no efforts are so worthy or so productive of such vast results.