Is Your Word
Your Bond?
God’s Is
By Phil Beals
Scripture Reading: - Judges 13:1-13
Text: Resp. Reading: Lamentations 3:22-26
Sept 15/13 – LCC
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Is Your Word Your Bond? God’s Is
I want to begin by making the statement that we are in an interesting predicament as a human race …
and not just today … but throughout history. I am not sure the word ‘interesting’ is the right word, but it
will do for now. So, to fit the title, I am going to go back and forth between our word and God’s word.
I am sure many of you have probably heard the phrase, ‘my word is my bond’. That statement actually
dates back to the mid 16 hundreds to an old book called English Proverbs, printed in 1670. The original
quote read – “An honest man's word is as good as his bond.” In the business world, a man’s word is,
with exceedingly rare exceptions, no longer his bond. In the world of church, thousands who have
solemnly given their word to preach the gospel make no scruples to attack and deny it.
Many years ago, deals were made through word of mouth. There was seldom a situation where a written
contract was constructed and both parties had to sign to make it a firm deal. It came down to the word of
each party. Mind you … today, if you have sufficient witnesses, your word is considered your bond. If you
agree to do something verbally, you are legally obligated to do it, at the risk of being dragged into court if
you do not.
Having said that, we are still confronted with the question whether our word is truly our bond. If you
commit to something, can we really take your word for it that you will carry it out as promised? We know
that people are famous for letting other people down. The sad thing is that many Christians are just as
bad as the rest of the world at this. I wonder how we would score if there were a test available that could
reveal just how faithful and devout we are. Would it be a true level of our spirituality? Perhaps.
Having said all that … we know that God is always faithful … no matter what. There are seasons in the
lives of all when it is not easy, not even for Christians, to believe that God is faithful. Here is what
happens … Our faith is tested, our eyes fill with tears, and we fail to see His love at work. The result is
that cherished plans are thwarted, friends fail us, a brother or sister in Christ betrays us. We stagger. We
try to be faithful but keep failing.
Here is something to consider. I don’t know about the Canadian military code of conduct, but the United
States Marine Corps has this motto, Semper Fi, which is short for Semper Fidelis. Those are two Latin
words that translate, “Always Faithful”. It defines their loyalty to each other and the corps. Always
Faithful. I believe that the language of scriptures says the same thing about God. If you check out the
actions and attitude of God, you would say our God is a God of unfailing faithfulness. Scripture upholds
that.
The book of Lamentations, from which our responsive reading came, heralds that fact about God. Look
at these words from our responsive reading – “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” He
loves us in spite of our condition. Sin deserves punishment, but in His merciful love, He withholds
punishment … for now … and that withholding of punishment is new each day … therefore … we can
shout … great is His faithfulness.
Let me come back to us for a moment. In our Scripture reading we read of the birth of Sampson and how
his mother was expected to live a holy life and how Sampson was to be raised. The angel of the Lord set
some specific expectations for the life of Sampson. His mother kept her word, but we know the story of
Sampson and how his arrogance got the better of him. He succumbed to the wiles of a woman and failed
in his commitment to God.
But … did God give up on Sampson? Did God go back on His word? Absolutely not. In His unwavering
faithfulness, as with the Israelite nation, He came to his rescue when he cried out for strength one last
time,, so that God might be glorified. In that story then we can see that our God is unfailing in His
faithfulness. We find that commitment throughout Scripture. Here are a few references to consider:
Paul tells Timothy in his second letter to him, chapter 2, that “if we are faithless, he (God) remains
faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”
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Or this from Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he
who promised is faithful.” Or Romans 3 verse 3 where Paul writes – “For what if some did not
believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not!”
Back to the human picture again. Before the account of Sampson, we find these words again – “again
the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.” They were not very good at keeping their word.
It was the same scenario in Jeremiah’s day, hence his weeping over Jerusalem, as documented in the
book of Lamentations. Jeremiah is grief stricken. he laments over Jerusalem being destroyed by the
Babylonians, he laments over the rebellious sins of Israel and the people of God being carried into
captivity. Israel has been once again reduced to nothing and bondage is their plight.
At the same time though, he is reminded of the faithfulness of God, in spite of their sorry state of affairs.
Right in the middle of his lamenting, he draws the reader’s attention to that fact. God’s unfailing
faithfulness means that everything He says and does is certain, and we can be certain that His word is
His bond. He will always be one hundred percent God, one hundred percent of the time.
Here are some additional examples of God’s inexhaustible faithfulness.
With Moses and the Israelites God maintained Israel and never had a shortage or crisis. The Babylonians
were forceful, but God was greater, they were not destroyed because God’s compassion was with them.
When the prophet Elisha was surrounded by the Assyrians, his servant was afraid. Elisha prayed that the
Lord would open his eyes so he could see the might of God. He looked up into the mountains and they
were filled with horses and chariots of fire. Jesus proclaimed when He was arrested that “there are
legions of angels ready to liberate Him if He just asked.”
We live in a world of broken promises. Contracts are broken daily. Debts go unpaid. Marriage vows are
broken. Politicians break their promises. As I have already alluded to, People will let you down, but God
never will. We have repeated difficulty with keeping our word, not only to each other, but also to God.
The expectations really are not that high. All He asks is that we believe Him; that we love Him; and that
we make an effort to be like His son.
Consider these points then as I bring this to a close.
When you are discouraged, remember God’s faithfulness. From Lamentations 3:23 - “Because of the
Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every
morning; great is your faithfulness”
If you are saved but sometimes doubt your salvation, remember God’s faithfulness. John 10:28 - “I give
them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand”
When you are tempted, remember God’s faithfulness. This is a big one … 2 Thessalonians 3:3 - “But
the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one”,
and … 1 Corinthians 10:13 – I love this passage - “No temptation has seized you except what is
common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
And finally … if you are unsure of your salvation or no you need a savior or when you feel you have made
an utter mess of things, to the point you feel there is no hope left … remember God’s faithfulness … and
this promise … from 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us
our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I also want you to think about this. The reason God’s faithfulness is at stake in our perseverance and
keeping us faithful is because His call is the outworking of His decision that we should be brought to
glory. Paul wrote in Romans 8 - "Those whom he predestined he called, and those whom he called
he justified, and those whom he justified he glorified"
I want to close then, by urging you to understand yourself in relation to God. When you look back, know
yourself as called by God. When you look forward, know yourself kept by God. What happened to make
you a Christian is the call of God. What will happen to keep you a Christian is the faithfulness of God.
Know who you are!! Called by God! Kept by God!
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I am convinced the greatest message of God’s faithfulness, guaranteeing that His word is His bond is this
verse, that I read to you a few moments ago from John 10:28 - “I give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand”
Finally, I love this hymn, written by Thomas Chisholm with the music composed by William M. Runyan,
which fits perfectly …It will be familiar to most of you …
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou
changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above Join
with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
The chorus goes like this …
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I
have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
(Pray)
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