To Be "Faithful Unto Death" Just Be Faithful Today

“Be faithful unto death,” the LORD God revealed to Apostle John, “and I will give you a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10 KJV). This is also applicable and true to all believers of Jesus Christ.

When we think about trying to be faithful for the rest of our life, that is perhaps too long a time and seems impossible. What if we live up to the scriptural age of three score and ten (70 years) or even more than that like Capt. Remegio Celeste, Emmanuel Go, Engr. Bon Merced and Engr. Rudy Junsay, to name some in FGBMFI, Davao City Chapter. But what about today? We may have had our trials and tests, or we may have gotten discouraged and failed; or we may have made mistakes or have sinned, but have we still got our faith today? If so, then we might say we have full faith today.

In the King James version of the canonized Bible, it appropriately says, “NOW” (capital letters which emphasizes a present tense), “faith is the substance (something we can see, touch or read) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by it the elders obtained a good report” (Heb. 11:1-2). Then, the Bible enumerates the names of men chosen by God (so-called Elders) with proven faith, although some of them have not really seen actually in their lifetime the things promised to, and hoped for, by them.

We can only love one day at a time, so also we can only be faithful one day at a time. We should not worry about when we were not faithful yesterday because yesterday is past and shall no longer return. We should not also worry whether we are going to be faithful tomorrow for tomorrow may not come to us anymore, but do our best to be faithful at least today. That is to say, we just be faithful one day at a time.

The only faith we need is what we have got right now. Just have faith for this moment, right now, one moment at a time. Just be faithful for one moment, one hour, one day at a time, until we will finally inherit an eternal crown of life (Rev. 2:10), and will reign with Him (Jesus Christ) for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6), and “forever and ever” (Rev. 22:5).

One by one. Step by step as when we climb the stairs. Slow by slow until we finally reach the end of time on earth or the end of our life.

History tells us that the ancient and beautiful City of Rome was built in seven years.

When I built our residential house in Davao City, Philippines, because I was afraid to borrow money, lest I suffer the fate of some of my clients and people I know who suffered foreclosure of their houses and lands because they built their beautiful houses in lots out of loans obtained from the bank and failed to pay. The Bible tells us, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law” (Rom. 13:8 NIV). The Filipino Tagalogs say: “Huwag kang umutang kahit kanino man liban lang sa utang na loob”. (Don’t be indebted to anyone except a debt of gratitude). This kind of debt can be paid with LOVE in various ways. For this reason, I built our modest residential house in seven years like the City of Rome, on a land I bought on installment in five years without borrowing money from anyone.

Also, when I built on a 650 Sq. M. commercial lot which I also bought on installment basis for five (5) years without borrowing money from anyone, a 2-storey fully concrete law office building with granite tiles as flooring on both floors and in a central location in the same city just about 200 meters away from my residence, it took me four years, because again, I did not borrow money from the bank or from anyone. After finishing the commercial building, I was at peace and relaxed as I did not have to worry about any loan to pay.

When I built both of our residential house, and my law office building, I followed the advice of Dr. Jose Ebro, Sr., the father of my former professor in law and my boss in my early practice of law, when he said: “You certainly have some farmer-clients who have first-class building materials in their farms like molave, tindalo, manggachapoy (for alternate flooring) and narra and dao (for paneling), ask them as part of your attorney’s fee for these classic building materials, they will just be too glad to give to you freely”. He told me this when I lavishly appreciated the beautifully varnished and impressive flooring of molave alternately with tindalo, and paneling of his house in one of my visits to his home. He was, in his younger days, a well-known, respected and successful income- wise practicing physician in Davao City, Philippines. He said that he asked those building materials from his farmer-patients.

Also, an older experienced lawyer from Manila, Philippines, in a certain conference in a Manila hotel involving our mutual client, told me: “Very rich clients are usually stingy, but ask for what is abundant in their possession (except money) and they will just be too glad to give you.” I applied this formula to my Korean car rebuilding and assembler client, the largest not only in Mindanao but in the entire Philippines, and indeed, I have more cars that I need, even what I want.

Believing in the adage “experience is the best teacher”, I followed their advice, and indeed, the Word of God is true, “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7 KJV). But when you ask, be dead sure that you have a “connection” with that someone or have done something spectacular either by service or loan (utang na loob in Tagalog), so your request will not be denied.

Be faithful to God/Jesus in person unto death, and he will not only give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4), and more importantly, an honored place in heaven is reserved for you. This is the only requirement of God. Only be faithful.