He is Faithful That Promised

Great and Precious

        Have you ever considered the promises of God? The promises of God are far greater than we perhaps recognize. His promises are greater than the promise of return on our earthly investments. His promises are greater than the record projection of our favorite sports team. His promises are greater than those of our employers. His promises are exceedingly great and precious. 

Peter recorded, 

“Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

(2 Peter 1:2-4)

God provides all we need to live faithful and godly lives. Through His wonderful promises and our obedient faith we become more like Jesus, Holy. We have escaped the former condition of sinful corruption and embraced the character of the Christ. 

Not Slack but Faithful

        There are times when we may be tempted to think God is not keeping His promises. Just because His promises do not seem to be coming when we hoped they would does not mean that they are not coming in His time. Peter reminds us, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). This change in character helps us to come before the God who keeps His promises. 

The Spirit adds, 

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way, which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;  and having a great priest over the house of God;  let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water,  let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised” 

(Hebrews 10:20-23)

        It matters who makes promises. We named individuals and groups that let us down above. God was not one of those. He is faithful, He is the same God that promised to Abraham ( cf. Gen. 18:18), to David (cf. 2 Sam. 7), and to the church (cf. Dan. 2:44). 

Things God Did Not Promise

There are many things that God did not promise to mankind. He never has promised another day to live. The Sprit adds, 

“Come now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

(James 4:13-14)

        The Lord has not promised to hear a prayer from a sinner. “We know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do his will, him He heareth” (John 9:31). He does not promise to give Christians an easy life. Paul wrote, “Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). 

God Makes Unconditional Promises

        God promised death would befall all men (Gen. 3:19; Heb. 9:27). God promised Noah and all humanity that He would never flood the earth by the means of a worldwide flood again (Gen. 9:12-17). However, He did also promise that He would completely destroy the earth by other means. The Spirit continues, 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, 

(2 Peter 3:10-11)

There are certain promises that will not change, but what about the conditional promises that God has made?

God Makes Conditional Promises

The world acts like all of God’s promises are unconditional, unfortunately, some in the church have begun to believe it, too. However, what can we understand from the Scripture concerning conditional promises? Salvation for sinners is completely conditional (Hear-Rom. 10:17; Believe-John 3:16; Repent-Acts 2:38; Confess-Rom. 10:9, Be Baptized into Christ-Mark 16:16). Remaining saved for the Christian is conditional (Rev. 2:10; 1 John 1:7) The Hebrew writer adds.  

“ For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries.”

(Hebrews 10:26-27)

God also makes the conditional promises that we can receive forgiveness of sins as Christians (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9-2:2). We also have the conditional promise that if we maintain His conditions we will not inherit the second death (Rev. 20:14). 

There are great promises in Christ; they are precious to all men if they would hear and heed the Gospel call. There are things that God never promised to do. We can be assured that there are conditional and unconditional promises of God. We can rejoice that when we hold fast to the confession of our hope and waver not, He is faithful to keep His promises. 

Grace and Peace,

R.D. Beavers