Counted Faithful

In 1 Timothy 1:12, the apostle Paul said that he had been counted faithful. This must have been an accurate account because he said that the Lord Jesus had so counted him. When someone's name comes up in the conversation of religious people today, the response is likely to be: "he's a faithful Christian," or, "he isn't very faithful." 

We, as Christians, are counted faithful by the Lord if we obey Him as Paul did. We ask, "In what should Christians be faithful?" Of course, the New Testament plainly tells us. The overall requirement of faithfulness is set forth in Paul's words in 1 Timothy 3:11 in which he wrote concerning the wives of deacons: "Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things." 

Jesus taught that people should be faithful in watching. He said in Luke 12:37, "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching." His parable in Matthew 25 about the talents teaches that we should be faithful in using what we have. In Luke 16:10, He said, "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much." Much of what goes together to make up the Christian life are little things, and in these we must be faithful. 

The Lord expects us to be faithful in obeying His commands and complying with His wishes. He said in John 14:15, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." Hebrews 5:9 says, "...He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him..." 

Let us obey the Lord, keeping His commandments, so that we might be counted faithful by Him in the end (Revelation 2:10).