Livestream

John 17:25-26
Living Faithfully for Christ in a World Opposed to Christ (Part 8)

Key Idea: We can remain faithful to God, because God is always faithful to us.

1. God is faithful because he always does what is perfectly right

God’s righteousness is the doctrine that he always acts in accordance with what is right and that he is himself the final standard of what is right (Wayne Grudem).

The fact that God is righteous doesn’t mean he always does what we think is right, but what is actually right.

The spread of the Gospel in Acts came about, not because they stopped government intrusion and persecution, but because of government intrusion and persecution.

Acts 1:8 — “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 8:1 — 1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Acts 8:4–5 — 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

The story of persecution and suffering would only make sense if the disciples knew the author, believed he was doing something bigger and greater.

A key facet of faith is humility.

2. God is faithful because he offers perfect truth

We cannot know truth truly, apart from Christ who is truth.

Knowing the ethics of God, the rules of God, and the morality of God isn’t the same as knowing God.

The knowledge of facts, and wisdom, are not the same thing.

Proverbs 9:10 — The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

God is faithful because he is perfectly loving

John 15:13 — Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Romans 5:8 — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The cross demonstrates to us that God continually acts towards us in love.