The Bible frequently speaks of the faithfulness of God and the righteousness of God. Furthermore, it often speaks of them in relationship to each other (1 John 1:9; Psa. 143:1; Isa. 11:5; Rom. 3:3-5). The faithfulness of God is related to His word; the righteousness of God is related to His actions. Both the word of God and the actions of God are related to man. If we want to know God, we must know His word and His actions. If we want to know His word and His actions, we must know His faithfulness and His righteousness.
Many know only that God is loving and gracious. They have not seen that God is also faithful and righteous. Love and grace speak of God’s heart and God’s favor. God’s heart is love, and His favor is grace. God’s heart and favor toward man speak of love and grace. Although the love and grace of God are sweet, they do not contain an intrinsic guarantee that the love and grace of God must be provided. The love and grace of God do not place any responsibility or restrictions upon God in relation to a believer. If He wants to love us, He can love us. If He does not want to love us, He is not required to love us. If He wants to grace us, He can grace us. If He does not want to grace us, He is not required to grace us. In matters related to love and grace, God is under no obligation. His love and His grace come to us based only on His heart and His favor. Consequently, while He loves and gives grace willingly, He is under no obligation to do so. Even though His love and grace will not cease, God could, legally speaking, stop loving and gracing us. Legally speaking, He is not required to love and grace us. If He did not love and grace us, He would not be wrong as a matter of law. However, God’s faithfulness and righteousness are matters related to law. His faithfulness restricts Him, and His righteousness requires Him to act in a legal manner. His faithfulness requires Him to not go against His word, and His righteousness requires Him to not be unrighteous in His actions. His faithfulness requires Him to act according to His word, and His righteousness requires Him to do things according to a legal standard. We need to know not only His love and grace but also His faithfulness and righteousness. Those who know His faithfulness believe His word, and those who know His righteousness treasure His actions.
1. “In the heavens themselves You will establish Your faithfulness” (Psa. 89:2).
When Psalm 89 speaks of God making a covenant with David, it speaks of the love of God and the faithfulness of God (vv. 1-2, 24, 33, 49). God loved David, and because of His love, God was gracious to David. However, in order to give David and his seed the evidence and assurance that His love was reliable and unchangeable, God made a covenant with David based on His faithfulness. Therefore, the faithfulness of God is the guarantee of His love. The love of God is related to His heart; the faithfulness of God is related to His word. It is difficult for man to grasp with assurance the love that is in God’s heart, but he can grasp God’s faithfulness through His word. By His word God expresses His heart to man so that man can know it, and by His faithfulness God guarantees His love toward man so that man can believe it. His faithfulness is established in the heavens; nothing on earth can touch it or change it. Therefore, it is reliable.
1. “Nor will I be false to own My faithfulness. / I will not profane My covenant, / Nor will I change what has gone forth from My lips” (Psa. 89:33-34).
Since the faithfulness of God is established in the heavens, God will not be false to His faithfulness. God will not be unfaithful or break His covenant with man. He cannot alter the word that He has spoken to man.
2. “Shall their unbelief annul the faithfulness of God? Absolutely not!” (Rom. 3:3-4).
We cannot influence the faithfulness of God. Even if we do not believe, our unbelief cannot annul the faithfulness of God or cause God to be unfaithful. Our lack of faithfulness has no impact on God, who is eternally faithful.
3. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim. 2:13).
God’s faithfulness is established upon Himself. God Himself is the support for His faithfulness. The faithfulness of God can be established without change because God Himself does not change. Our faithfulness is determined by our person. If we are bankrupt, our faithfulness will be bankrupt. In contrast to us, however, God is never bankrupt and never changes; consequently, His faithfulness is eternally reliable. Even if we are faithless, He remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself.
4. “It was impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6:18).
Although this word is not very deep, it is very beautiful. God cannot lie! God cannot lie because He cannot be unfaithful. His faithfulness requires Him to bear responsibility for His word. He will accomplish what He speaks.
5. “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Num. 23:19).
Man is not faithful, and man lies. But God is not man. He is different from man; He is faithful. He would never lie or be unfaithful.
6. “God, who cannot lie” (Titus 1:2).
This description is very sweet! Since God is the God who cannot lie, He can never be unfaithful and will never be unfaithful.