Apokalypsis Iesou Christou (The Revelation of Jesus Christ) records one of the names of the rider on the white horse, referring to Jesus, as Faithful (Revelation 19:11). Come to think of this statement, it is not only a testament to the character of Jesus that He is indeed faithful, but that He is personified as Faithful, epitomizing faithfulness. Great is indeed His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23). Merriam-Webster’s states that the word ‘faithful’, implies an unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.
The Sunday before I left for the USA in 1998, the pastor at the Anna Nagar Methodist Church youth meeting was sharing on a passage that has been etched in my mind since . It was the passage from 2 Timothy 2:11-13, which reads as follows – “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” The phrase that caught my attention then was the last part of this trustworthy saying – He will remain faithful for he cannot disown himself, even if we are faithless. I must admit that I had solely understood this saying to mean that God (Jesus) will remain faithful even if we are unfaithful. Only while preparing for this article did it dawn on me that there is a clear cut distinction between being ‘faithless’ and being ‘unfaithful’. To be faithless is to not believe. To be unfaithful is believing but not living as if we do. Let me try and explain. To be faithless is to reject the one who wants to marry you, not believing that he/she is the one. To be unfaithful is to be married to one and living promiscuously as if you are not married at all. Furthermore, it dawned on me that God will remain faithful in judging those who do not believe in Him (faithless), just as much as He will remain faithful in saving those who are ‘faithful’ and exacting justice on those ‘unfaithful’.
Member of the OWASP Board of Directors and my good friend, Tom Brennan, an ex-Marine completes his emails by using the motto of the United States Marine Corp, Semper Fi, the shortened form of Semper Fidelis, which is Latin for ‘Always Faithful‘. As much as I have my highest respect to all those in service and a special place for the few, the proud, the Marines, I realize that the only ONE that is truly Semper Fi is none other than Jesus, the rider on the white horse whose name is Faithful. Jesus has an unswerving adherence to (love for) you and me and to the oath or promise of restoring us to God by which a new covenant (tie) was contracted because of His faithfulness to endure the suffering of the Cross, the rejection of men, death and because of His resurrection. He is truly Semper Fi, He cannot disown (deny) Himself. The Name is Faithful.
Revelation 19:11 (KJV)
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Suresh Chandra Bose
Like the way you brought the distinction between faithless and unfaithful
Tom Brennan
A college professor, an avowed Atheist, was teaching his class. He shocked several of his students when he flatly stated he was going to prove there was no God. Addressing the ceiling he shouted: “God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I’ll give you 15 minutes!” The lecture room fell silent. You could have heard a pin fall. Ten minutes went by. Again he taunted God, saying, “Here I am, God. I’m still waiting.” His count-down got down to the last couple of minutes when a Marine – just released from active duty and newly registered in the class – walked up to the professor, hit him full force in the face, and sent him tumbling from his lofty platform. The professor was out cold! At first, the students were shocked and babbled in confusion. The young Marine took a seat in the front row and sat silent. The class fell silent…waiting. Eventually, the professor came to, shaken he looked at the young Marine in the front row. When the professor regained his senses and could speak he asked: “What’s the matter with you? Why did you do that?” “God was busy. He sent the Marines.” Semper Fi 😉