He Abides Faithful

“If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2Ti 2:13 AV)

 Does Jesus perform graces towards those who show no faith?  Certainly.  He sends rain on the just and the unjust.  He gives life to the just and the unjust.  The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin to bring them unto Christ.  The grace of God is not reserved only for those willing to trust.  The fact any of us are alive is a testimony to the enduring grace and faithfulness of God.  Paul is encouraging his young protegee there may come times when he is not the preacher he should be.  Perhaps his faith is tested to a level in which he falters.  Or, perhaps the preacher is confronted with some new twist on a doctrine that he has never heard before.  Perhaps he is discouraged and begins to doubt God’s willingness to meet his spiritual needs.  Whatever the cause, there are times the saint loses a little bit of confidence in the LORD.  Praise be to God that in those times, He remains who He always has been and He still loves us and cares for us.  No matter where we are in life, the LORD is always faithful.  Even in those times of deep questioning or discouragement, the LORD does not give up on us.  He never does!

Have you ever stopped to ask why the LORD puts up with any of us?  We are so far from what we should be.  We are so far from the perfection that is in Christ.  When it comes to exercising faith, we are children, tossed too and fro.  We cannot seem to trust Him for anything.  Why does He take the time and exercise patience toward any of us?  But He does.  More than we will ever realize.  What an encouraging thought.  Having raised three sons, I can tell you a parent has this special love and care for his children as it is described above.  We do not always base our grace and kindness on the faith our child puts in us.  As a matter of fact, most of the time our charity and kindness do not.  We supply their need because we love them regardless of the faith they happen to put in us.  Faith does help.  The more faith the more grace.  But lack of faith does not automatically turn off the spigot of grace.  We go off to work to earn a paycheck to put food in their tummies and clothes on their backs.  We pay the mortgage so they don’t have to survive in the cold.  We carry insurance so if anything were to happen, we can care for them.  We provide their education.  We correct them when they need it.  It matters less than they discern that they may not be the son or daughter they should be.  We still provide because we love.

The same is true of God.  This does not give us permission or a reason to be faithless.  We should not be presumptuous.  We should not expect the grace of God when we knowingly abuse it.  This is not to what Paul is referring.  He is referring to our human weaknesses.  He is encouraging the saint that even though he may not be all that God asks Him to be, the LORD is not going to turn His back on him and forget all His compassions.  He cannot.  That would be to deny who and what He is.  God is a loving and compassionate God.  He is full com mercies and they fail not.  Even when we fail, He abides faithful.  He is always there.  He is always loving His saints with love beyond our understanding.  He loves us as a perfect Father and not as humanly fathers do.  His love is always in full commitment.  No matter what, we can rest assured that He will be there for us even in those times we are not there for Him.  What a truly loving and merciful God we have!