Faithfulness

The Greek word pistis means both faith and faithfulness. It’s used primarily in regard to having faith in God and Jesus, or about what we believe. Paul encouraged new believers “to remain true to the faith” (Acts 14:22) and that points us to the related sense of the word: faithfulness. Even in English we speak of keeping faith with a person, meaning being faithful to what we’ve promised them (cf. 1 Th.5:12, pledge is pistis).

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This is how pistis is used in the parable of the talents, with its commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt.24:21,23). Likewise, pistis can be translated reliable (2 Tim.2:2) and trustworthy – the message of Jesus is “a trustworthy (faithful) saying” (1 Tim.1:15). And “whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10-12).

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pistis is also used of God’s faithfulness to us (1 Th.5:24; 1 John 1:9). Jesus is described as “the faithful witness”, the one who is “Faithful and True” (Rev.1:5; 3:14; 19:11). In other words, God can trust Jesus; therefore so can we. And the person who trusts in Jesus should in turn be someone who is trustworthy – faithful in their following of Jesus and whose word can always be relied on.