2 Timothy 2:13 AMPC
“If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.”
The Spirit of God enabled the Apostle Paul to say many sacred things now scripted in the Bible. However, there are some of his sayings that the Apostle referred to as “trustworthy” (2 Tim 2:11 NIV), as if to attach a special significance to such sayings because of the depth of insight in them. One such trustworthy saying is in our reference text: “If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He [God] remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.” Pause and reflect on that for a moment. In Exodus 34:6, one of the first instances where the LORD spoke to Moses about His faithfulness, He declared:
“I, the LORD, am a God who is full of compassion and pity, who is not easily angered and who shows great love and faithfulness” (Exo 34:6 GNT). Hallelujah! The Hebrew word translated as “faithfulness” here also connotes stability, reliability, or truthfulness. Thus, where Paul presents God as One who remains faithful and cannot deny Himself, Moses would present Him as stable, reliable, and true to His Word and righteous character. Our reference text certainly suggests that we, God’s people in Christ Jesus, are meant to be faithful to God in our ways. The thought-provoking question, however, is, Why does God remain faithful (towards us) even when “we are faithless” at times?
Put in the broader Scriptural context, God’s relentless faithfulness towards us is not to give clearance for faithlessness on our part. Rather, it purely emphasizes His stable and reliable righteous character, which is completely independent of our beliefs, feelings, or mood. As such, we can always look to Him, resting assured that great is His faithfulness. God’s unwavering faithfulness is also clear evidence of the truth that “…the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame” (Psa 103:13-14). Oh, Hallelujah! In case you are in a place where your faith wants to give way over a matter, consider the LORD and you will testify: He is faithful at all times.
Pst. Emmanuel