Zion will be redeemed by justice, those who repent, by righteousness. Isaiah 1:27
One by one, each step a stretch, she daringly sinks into the soft footprints that line the ocean's shore. Left, right, left, right, steadying each forward footing, her fascinated eyes measure her small feet to the large ones underneath. She could follow many other footprints, but these ones are uniquely special. A couple of strides ahead walks her Daddy - valiant and steadfast - as he marks out the path among the shells and pebbles. She delights in walking in his footsteps and, without hesitation, trusts he is leading her home.
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. (Heb 11:1)
Reading Hebrews 11, the writer recalls the faithful lives of great people in the Old Testament, and it inspires me! What we believe is the foundation of who we are and how we live (Pro 23:7). Throughout scripture, we see that faith is a big deal and it holds eternal value in the sight of God. It is impossible to please God without faith (Heb 11:6). After spending some time in the Word, the Holy Spirit revealed to me something beautiful about faithfulness that I'm so excited to share with you today!
Turning to Isaiah 1:21 (CSB). The context of this passage is about Jerusalem who have rebelled against God. Today, we can liken this to the world and all who do not follow Him:
The faithful town - what an adulteress she has become! She was once full of justice. Righteousness once dwelt within her, but now, murderers! (Is 1:21)
Here we can see that the opposite of faithfulness is adultery. I've never read faithfulness in this way, but if you had to consider marriage - when a husband and wife stay faithful to each other, they do not have sexual relations with other people. But if one commits adultery, that person betrays the marriage union and covenant of it. Thus, God has likened faithfulness to resemble a marriage - and in essence - a covenant, which is spoken about in the book of Romans and throughout the rest of the New Testament. Thus, faithfulness is very important!
Moving up a few verses:
"Come, let us settle this," says the Lord. "Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Is 1:18-20).
If you are willing and obedient: can you see that God has given us a choice? But He has also shown us that an action always supports a choice. Willing = choice and Obedient = action. Refuse = choice and Rebel = action. In a relationship, faithfulness is two-sided, meaning both parties are required to be faithful to each other. In this verse, we see that God is faithful by honouring the Israelites' willingness and obedience by blessing the crop of their land. He has also said that if they refuse and rebel, they will be devoured by the sword, which in the New Testament, is likened to sin waging death (Rom 6:23).
Similarly, 2 Corinthians 1:20 says:
For every one of God's promises is "Yes" in Him. Therefore, through Him we also say "Amen" to the glory of God.
Yes = choice and Amen (so be it; obedience) = action. So what am I saying here?
I'm saying that faithfulness is an act of your will even if you can't see. Willingness and obedience are the fruits of faithfulness! It is about living out a Yes and Amen to God! Our faithfulness to Him is not one-sided because God is first faithful to us, and He established this once and for all in Jesus Christ's obedience to God's will on the cross (Hebrews 10:8-10).
He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”
8 “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” John 13:6-10
In Isaiah 1:16, God exclaims:
Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil.
And as we have witnessed, without Christ, we cannot be fully clean in God's sight. By just trying to obey the law, we are proven again and again that we are sinners unable to be made righteous by our efforts. We need Christ to wash us clean.
If I were in Simon Peter's shoes, I also would have not wanted Jesus to wash my feet. In fact, I would have told Him to sit down and I'd wash His feet! But, Jesus wanted, actually needed, to make a profound point, and it was something Simon Peter wouldn't realise until after Christ's death.
Remember this verse from earlier? (Isaiah 1:18):
"Come, let us settle this," says the Lord. "Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Is 1:18-20).
God was prophesying what He would do for us, and He completed it through Christ's shed blood on the cross. Jesus was making a point by washing feet that without His complete work on the cross, without His atoning sacrifice, without His poured blood, we will never be clean.
"But, Lord, why feet? You could have chosen hands or heads, like Simon Peter said, to prove that we are clean. Why did you choose feet?"
When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.
16 “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John 13:12-17
A servant and a master. A messenger and a sender. A servant obeys his master. A messenger does the will of his sender. "You are blessed if you do them". Both parties show a need for willingness and obedience. Thus, both parties require faithfulness.
Therefore, because Jesus washed our feet, we are to wash each other's feet. Because Jesus was willing and obedient to the will of God, are we not also supposed to be willing and obedient to the will of God? Because Christ was faithful, are we not also supposed to be faithful?
I suppose then the question is: why faith?
In the Old Testament, sin was atoned for through animal sacrifice and righteousness was established through obeying the commandments. Once the blood of the animals was shed on the altar and the sins were forgiven on behalf of the priest, righteousness was established and justice was given through the sacrifice.
But in the New Testament - all glory to God - Jesus fulfilled the law and became the atoning sacrifice for all sin forever, and it is only by faith in Him that we receive righteousness and justice. Romans 3:22-25
The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood, received through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.
Can you see? Faithfulness is the foundation of justice and righteousness. Righteousness is right-standing with God. Justice is fulfilling the law of God. Sin is forgiven only by Christ's blood as He washes us clean. None are possible without faith! And faith means nothing without Christ!
And, as prophesied in Isaiah 1:27
Zion will be redeemed by justice, those who repent, by righteousness. Isaiah 1:27
So, why feet?
Well, just like we need feet to stand, we need faith to stand in Christ. Just like feet take us places, faith keeps us on the narrow path of Christ. Just like feet take the burden of our weight, faith is tested and proven to develop endurance and character when affliction comes. Just like feet are protected from harsh surfaces, faith in Christ is sealed by the Holy Spirit no matter the circumstances. Just like feet are the most difficult to clean when dirty, we need faith in Christ to know that in Him we are cleaned forever. Just like feet win races, start new beginnings, pick up strange objects, and dance graceful sequences, no step is taken without faith.
And, just like feet leave footprints in the sand, we need faith to walk in the footsteps of Christ.
His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness! Matt. 25:23
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings - and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers. Rev. 17:14
God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Cor. 1:9
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