FIDELITY

I’m enjoying the book ‘Thirsting’ by Strahan Coleman.

One chapter was entitled Fidelity. It's an old English word which, to be honest, I never knew what it even meant, so I had to look it up. It’s one of those forgotten characteristics that is essential for the Christian to grow and mature in our walk with God. It means faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.

In this case, to Jesus Himself. Remember the great commandment is to love God with all our hearts, minds, and strength and holy life of fidelity.

It usually speaks of obedience as the outworking of our belovedness and not as a way of earning it. We seek to live as Jesus lives and teaches us, not to earn God's love to please Him. Because as we enter into this relationship with God, he becomes our identity. Living in opposition to our new nature in Christ jars our spirits and makes us feel as if we are out of kilter with ourselves. This is where a lot of internal conflict takes place. We have this new imparted nature of Christ, and it comes into conflict with our old nature and person. As Paul describes in Romans. For I have the desire to do good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do but the evil I do not want to do. It’s no longer I doing it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

That’s why it must begin with the experience of God's thirst for us and the energising of His Spirit. We cannot stir up that kind of zeal and strength on our own or by our own willpower. It will soon run out. Living in fidelity begins not with our own love but God's. John reminds us that we love because he first loved us. Fidelity is our yes to His love. We cannot earn His love and presence. Fear, guilt, and shame are terrible motivators. That will not bring transformation in our spiritual lives if they are centred on pleasing and earning love.