Articles
Features of Faithfulness
Features of Faithfulness
In the latter part of chapter 24, after concluding His warnings about His inevitable coming in judgment upon Jerusalem, Jesus speaks about His second coming in the last day. That second coming will be preceded by no signs and will come as a thief, quickly and unexpectedly and with an element of surprise. So Jesus teaches the necessity of faithfulness. “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 24:45-51).
In Matthew 25, Jesus continues His discourse, teaching disciples the necessity of three aspects of faithfulness.
First, in verses 1-13 in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, Jesus teaches that faithfulness includes diligence in living a life of readiness. Expecting to meet the bridegroom, the five foolish virgins went out with their lamps but brought no extra oil, so when their lamp’s reservoir of oil ran out, they went to buy more. During their absence, the bridegroom came and the door was shut. They were not ready for his promised and inevitable coming. There will be Christians when the Lord returns who have not been diligent to walk faithfully with the Lord, and at Jesus’ second coming, they will be unready and shut out of heaven. But faithful Christians are living soberly, righteously, and godly, growing in grace and knowledge and adding the virtues of 2 Peter 1 in their lives; living this way, they are prepared. They know that the Lord may return at any time, in the twinkling of an eye. Readiness that comes by living upright and holy lives is part of faithfulness.
Second, in verses 14-30 in the parable of the talents, Jesus teaches that faithfulness includes using and growing the abilities God has given us to serve in the kingdom. Those abilities are unique to the individual. The one-talent man was condemned not because he had less, but because of his laziness; he neglected to use and to grow his God-given ability. The two and the five talent men were commended not because of the quantity they were given but because they used and enlarged those abilities. Using our God-given abilities in the service of Jesus Christ, instead of neglecting them, glorifies God and is a key element in faithfulness.
Finally, in verses 31-46, Jesus teaches that faithfulness includes serving brethren. Those who are sent away from Jesus Christ eternally into everlasting fire are those who had demonstrated no compassion, no care, and no love for their brethren. Those who served their brethren with care and love were invited into the eternal kingdom of heaven, for “inasmuch as you did it to one of the last of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (vs. 40). Serving your brethren is part of faithfulness.
Here then are three strands in the cord of faithfulness that Jesus stressed in one of His final discourses in His last week in Jerusalem before His crucifixion: readiness through godly living, using and growing God-given abilities in His service, and serving brethren. While we continue to read throughout the New Testament, including Jesus’ words and the words of His apostles, other elements of faithfulness, these must not go unheeded. It is the faithful who will be welcomed into heaven. Jesus asked, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant?” We ought to ask ourselves: Is that me?
