Ephesians 1:1 “To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus”
When Paul addresses the church in Ephesus, he calls them “the faithful.” That’s quite the designation. But what does it mean to be faithful?
Maybe it’s believing in God even when it doesn’t make sense. Like when an angel appears and says you are favored by God and will bear His son. Rather than resisting with question after question, you respond with divine simplicity, “May it be to me as you say” (Luke 1:38). Or maybe it’s finding out your fiancé is pregnant. Because you are faithful to the law you plan to divorce her quietly so she won’t be disgraced. But then an angel comes to you in a dream and tells you to marry her because she has conceived by the Holy Spirit. Your original plan takes a back seat as you do what the angel of the Lord commands (Matthew 1:24). Neither Mary nor Joseph understood how, why or what was happening—but instead of resisting, doubting and refusing, they trusted in God. They are among the faithful.
Faithfulness gave birth to Christianity.
Maybe being faithful means choosing to please God more than ourselves. The early church certainly demonstrated that mindset. They faced torture, ridicule, imprisonment, even martyrdom (Hebrews 11:36-37). Those first believers knew it was impossible to please God without faith, so when it came down to a choice between comfortability and devotion to God, they went with God (Revelation 12:11). They are among the faithful.
Faithfulness sustains Christianity.
So where are you this Christmas? Are you struggling to keep the fire of your love for God burning? Wavering in your faith because things you hoped for turned out differently? Are you choosing to rely on yourself or other people to help you make decisions rather than waiting for answers from Him? Maybe sin is enticing you to be untrue to the One who will always be true to you (2 Timothy 2:3). Are you among the faithful?
God is calling us to faithfulness.
I pray for you, and for me, as we hear the strains of “O Come All Ye Faithful” this season, we’ll be able to say with abandon, “Count me in.” I pray we will be among the faithful who come. Who come and adore Him—Christ the King.