1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. I. RESULTS FROM, OR STANDS CONNECTED WITH, ALL HIS OTHER PERFECTIONS. 1. His power (Psalm 146:6). This enables Him, without the possibility of failure, to accomplish all His promises and threatenings. Honest men may be prevented keeping their word by unexpected difficulties; but the designs of the Almighty cannot be frustrated (Matthew 19:26; Genesis 18:14; Romans 4:20, 21; 2 Timothy 1:12). 2. His holiness; without it, indeed, He could not be holy (Psalm 92:15; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18; Numbers 23:19). Well might the Psalmist say, "God hath spoken in His holiness: I will rejoice" (Psalm 60:6), for the holiness of God is a pledge of His faithfulness. 3. His unchangeableness. Angels have changed, and become devils; man is changed, and become a rebel; but God changes not (Malachi 3:6). Men frequently change their minds, sometimes from good to evil, at other times from evil to good; their second thoughts are best: but God's thoughts can neither be improved nor depraved (James 1:17). The promises and vows of men (like Jephthah's and Herod's) are sometimes unlawful or incautiously made, so that "there may be more honour in the breach than in the observance of them." Not so the engagements of Heaven (Job 23. 13, 14). 4. His wisdom. Among men, the non-performance of promises is frequently occasioned by circumstances which human prudence could not foresee; and therefore good men should not make promises hastily, and never without reference to St. James's caution (James 4:15). But no provisions are necessary when God makes a promise. No difficulties, no disappointments, can occur to Him; His instruments are always at hand, and shall all subserve His holy designs. 5. His mercy, love, and goodness (Psalm 138:2). His love inclines Him to make the promise, and His veracity induces Him to fulfil it. II. OUR CONFIDENCE IN IT IS CONFIRMED by the following facts. 1. The promises are made in and to Christ, as the Head of His Church; and faithfulness to Him, as well as to us, insures their fulfilment (2 Corinthians 1:20; Titus 1:2; Ephesians 1:6). 2. God has confirmed His promise by an oath (Genesis 22:16; Hebrews 6:13, 17, 18). 3. The experience of the people of God in all ages. (1) The first promise (Genesis 3:15) has bees fulfilled (1 John 3:8; Galatians 4:5). Remember that there is nothing like distance of time in the mind of God between the promise and the fulfilment (2 Peter 3:8), and hence some events are spoken of in the prophets as present, or even as past, which are yet to come. (2) Was the universal flood threatened, and Noah with his family to be secured? The event corresponded with the threatening, though one hundred and twenty years intervened. (3) Was Abraham, when one hundred, and childless, to have a vast posterity? Every Jew we see is a witness that the promise has been fulfilled. (4) So with the deliverance of Israel, &c. Conclusion: 1. Learn the unreasonableness and sinfulness of unbelief (1 John 5:10). 2. Let God be honoured in His faithfulness by a suitable confidence in it. 3. Let us, in our humble measure, try to imitate God in this His glorious attribute (Ephesians 5:1). (G. Burder.) Parallel Verses KJV: God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. |
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