While on vacation several people asked me about this word, what does it mean? I thought this would be something that we could do in the bulletin this year is to define words in our Bibles. There will be several helps, really dictionaries that will help us. One is Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Another is Thayer’s Greek – English Lexicon of the New Testament. Another is Strong’s Concordance, which has a dictionary in the back of it. Of course there will be the context of the word that will help us to know which meaning is being used. So let us begin the study of this word.
The word faithful is used 82 times in the King James Version of the Bible, 54 in the New Testament. The word translated “faithful” is used 66 times in the New Testament. It is sometimes translated, “believing” (John 20:29); also “believed” (Acts 10:45); and “true” (2 Cor 1:18). It is defined by Vine’s as, “trusted, reliable, and it is said of God, Christ, and the Words of God.” Strong defines it as, “objectively, trustworthy, subjectively, trustfully.” Thayer says, One who trusts in God’s promises (Gal. 3:9), is convinced that Jesus has been raised from the dead –; one who has become convinced that Jesus is the Messiah and the author of salvation.
The word is used in the context of, “who then is a faithful and wise steward” (Luke 12:42). We find that Paul by inspiration said, “it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). We find is several places that God is faithful (1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:18 “true” is used but it is the same word. 2 Thess. 3:3). Finally, in Ephesians 1:1 we find some who are “faithful in Christ Jesus.”
The most interesting places that this word is used is in Revelation 2:10, which says, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, (emphasis mine KED) and I will give thee a crown of life.” Here the meaning would be “an admonition to hold the faith and not deny the Lord, even to the point of dying for the faith. The Lord is not saying ‘until you die,’ though this is required; but He is saying accept death rather than recant.” [Revelation an Introduction and Commentary by Homer Hailey, copyright 1979, Baker Book House Company, page 128]. I really don’t think anyone would disagree with this assessment of this passage.
The one passage that is most interesting in this discussion is found in Titus 1:6, which says, “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused or riot or unruly.” What does faithful mean in this passage? If this man has two children and one of them attends only once a week is this man qualified to be an elder? Just what is our definition of faithful? What if this man has children who attend another congregation that is not what we call faithful? Are his children faithful? Is this man qualified to be an elder? Is attendance the flagship of the definition of the word “faithful?” One could attend all the service of the church and not be faithful! So what do we mean by faithful?
This really gets interesting. If my father were still alive could he dictate to me anything about my spiritual life? I have two sons who have homes of their own, can I tell them what they can and cannot do? Would you allow your father to tell you what to do? This is not asking advice and he tell you what you ought to do. This is a father that comes into your house and tells you what you are going to do. I am 72 years old, would it be right for my father tell me what to do like I was a child?
Do all of the children, of the man that is considered for an elder, have to be faithful? But what is our definition of “faithful?” Dose “having faithful children” (this is another study as to how many does a man have to have) mean all have to be attending all the services of the church? Again is this all we are going to use as a gauge for our definition of the word “faithful?” They might not be faithful in other areas of their life. Attending all the services may be a gauge of their faithfulness but it does not guarantee that these children are faithful.
While we are on attendance; does this mean that an elder can attend only one service a week? Is that faithful? Some would think so, and have said as much! Some here has said that all that is required of them is to attend one service a week. But if our definition of faithful is what Vine’s; Strong’s and others have said “faithful” to be, is this man trustworthy? Can he be depended upon? Does he really know what is going on with the congregation if he is not willing to attend all the service of the church? Is a man, who attends only once a week qualified to be an elder? If a man attends only one service a week is he faithful?
What does it mean to be “faithful?” What does it mean to have “faithful children?” How long is a father responsible for his children; all of his life or theirs? These are some interesting questions that need answers. I hope this will help you get your Bibles out and start studying.
Love Keith
