In His Image by Jen Wilkin
Week 8: Chapter 7 — Faithful
Read Chapter 7 of In His Image. Key passages: Lamentations 3:22–23; 2 Timothy 2:13; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Deuteronomy 7:9.
Previewing Week 8 of In His Image
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
In a world of broken promises and disappointed expectations, faithfulness can feel almost naive — but Wilkin argues that God's faithfulness is the unshakable foundation on which every other promise of the Christian life is built. Come ready to examine how God's faithfulness is meant to make you more faithful.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Wilkin opens the chapter by noting that faithfulness is closely related to trustworthiness — God is faithful because he keeps his promises and never departs from his commitments. In a culture where commitments are increasingly conditional and temporary, why is God's faithfulness such a countercultural concept?
2.Deuteronomy 7:9 describes God as 'the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.' What does the phrase 'to a thousand generations' communicate about the duration and certainty of God's faithfulness? How does this long view affect your current anxieties?
3.2 Timothy 2:13 says 'if we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself.' This is one of the most striking verses in the chapter. What does it mean that God's faithfulness is rooted in his own nature ('he cannot deny himself') rather than in our performance? Why is this simultaneously humbling and immensely comforting?
a.Can you identify a time when you were faithless — in your relationship with God or another person — and yet experienced God's faithfulness anyway? What did that teach you?
b.How does this truth guard against both presumption (taking God's faithfulness for granted) and despair (feeling your faithlessness has exhausted his commitment)?