Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

We Are People of Promises

2 PETER 1:2-4 – May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

 

THEME OF THE DAY:  WE ARE PEOPLE OF PROMISES.  Christians are people born by God’s promises, living empowered by God’s promises, and anticipating their sure arrival in heaven by God’s promises.  Remove the promises of God and Christianity ceases to exist. Praise the Lord, though, for His promises will never be removed or go unfulfilled, but it is important we understand some truths about God’s promises.

 

First, the promises of God, as with all His spiritual blessings, come exclusively through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3). The Apostle Paul would affirm this truth in his second letter to the church at Corinth – Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us (2 Corinthians 1:17-21).  Jerry Bridges would add, “The Bible is full of God’s promises to provide for us spiritually and materially, to never forsake us, to give us peace in times of difficult circumstances, to cause all circumstances to work together for our good, and finally to bring us safely home to glory. Not one of those promises is dependent upon our performance. They are all dependent on the grace of God given to us through Jesus Christ.”  How encouraging!

 

A second truth about God and His promises is simply awesome but first a question that amplifies how awesome – “Have we ever made a promise and not kept it?” Yes, we have, showing us how fickle and unfaithful we may be.  But not God, and here comes “awesome” . . . every promise of God will be kept, never forgotten or broken.  Why?  The character of the One giving the promise.  Once again from the pen of the Apostle Paul and this time to Titus – Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior (Titus 1:1-3).   Pay close attention to what the Apostle states before mentioning God’s promises – which God, who never lies.  We are people of promises that are sure and trustworthy because the One giving them never lies.  It is this truth that makes us Christians, keeps us Christians, and will see us all the way home to be face-to-face with Him who promised.

 

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for the many promises You have given me that bring me hope, comfort, and strength.”

 

QUOTE: “God’s promises are trustworthy and may be relied upon without question because the Promiser cannot lie.”

 

Because of Him,

 

Pastor Jim