FAITHFUL, NOT PERFECT
There is a great difference between being perfect and being faithful, and every heart knows it. The Bible never asks for perfection in the flesh, but it does require faithfulness of the heart. We all understand that difference. A man may not be a perfect husband, but he can be a faithful one. He may speak too sharply, forget an anniversary, or fail in many small ways, yet he loves his wife and will not betray her. His heart is hers. Everyone knows that this is possible. Then why should it be thought impossible to remain faithful to Jesus Christ for the rest of our lives?
A man can choose to keep faith with his mate, his country, his calling, or his friends. He can decide to be loyal, and he can remain loyal. Every soldier who has stood under fire, every friend who has stood by another in hardship, proves that faithfulness is not beyond our reach. It is not perfection that God requires, but devotion. No one is a perfect mate, but some are faithful mates. No one is a perfect Christian, but some are faithful disciples. The Lord is not looking for flawless performance—He is seeking steadfast hearts. “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
The Bible is full of this balance. It speaks in stereo to both ears at once. In one ear, we hear the warnings: “Do not trifle with God. Do not play with your soul. Be serious and diligent.” The Bible warns us that “if we live according to the flesh, we will die; but if by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body, we will live” (Romans 8:13). That warning is not for the world but for the believer. Yet in the other ear, we hear the assurance: “Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ” (Romans 8:38–39). “He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand” (Psalm 37:23–24). Both messages are true, and both are needed. One keeps us humble, the other keeps us hopeful.
The security of the believer is not found in a man-made doctrine—it is found in a living Christ. When Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me, and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:27–28), He described a living, continual relationship. His sheep are not those who merely believed once, but those who keep following. The promise “they shall never perish” is given to those who continue to hear and follow. The security is not in a theological formula, but in the Shepherd Himself.
If you follow Him, you will never perish. If you walk in His Spirit, you are safe. When you stumble, He lifts you up. When you grow weary, He strengthens you. But if you turn away willfully and walk no more with Him, you step out of the light. The hand that holds you will never let go—but you must remain in that hand. God has not made faithfulness an impossibility. He has made it a choice. You can choose to love Christ. You can decide to be faithful to Him. Every day, your heart may say again, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Christ is the security of the believer. When you stop trying to rest in a doctrine of men and begin resting in the Lord Himself, you will find a deeper peace than any system can offer. Doctrines cannot hold you, but Christ can. The Savior who died for you will live in you, and the Spirit who sealed you will keep you. Your part is to keep your heart loyal. His part is to keep your soul safe. “He is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).
So do not fear that salvation will slip away in the night. The Lord does not cast away His people. But neither should you presume upon His grace. Stay close. Stay tender. Stay faithful. For faithfulness is not perfection—it is love that will not leave. Christ brings all the security your soul will ever need. Decide to love Him, and you will find that His love will hold you fast forever.
BDD
