By Tom Roberts
Introduction: Promises are to be believed, based on integrity, ability to perform, and past experience of promiser. Without these, none will believe a promise made by anyone.
I. God has made certain promises.
A. Based on same premises as any promise – even in extra-ordinary cases.
1. Integrity (absolute, with God) – 2 Cor. 1: 18-20; Heb. 6:13-17.
2. Ability to perform – by definition, omnipotent – Psa. 23; Acts 17.
B. Nature of promises:
1. Holy – Psa. 105:42.
2. Great and precious – 2 Pet. 1:4.
3. Ancient – Tit. 1:2 (“before the world”).
4. Not flippant, arbitrary or insincere.
C. Type of promises: physical and spiritual.
1. Physical promises:
a. Creation – earth and fulness as a promise to sustain and provide for man.
b. Gen. 1, 2 – seed after its kind.
c. Gen. 9:8-17, 22 – seasons continue until the end.
d. Job 38:8-11 – limit shore of seas; proud waves stayed.
2. Spiritual promises:
a. These promises necessitated by the fall; connected to redemption.
b. Promises to Abraham – Gen. 15; 17:1-8; 22:15-18; Gal. 3:14-18; 4:28.
c. Such promises are sure – Act 13:23-26,32; 26:6ff; Rom. 4:13-16; 15:8.
d. Secured by Holy Spirit – Lk. 24:49-Acts 1:4; 2:33.37; Eph. 1:13.
II. Object of the promises – eternal life.
A. 1 Tim. 4:8; 2 Tim. 1:1; Rev. 22; 1 Jn. 2:25.
B. Heb. 8:6 – the better promises.
III. Some don’t believe God’s promises.
A. Why? Because of a lack of integrity, ability or experience with God?
1. 2 Pet. 3:4ff.
2. God’s word is immutable – Heb. 6:17.
B. A promise is not less true simply because I don’t believe it.
C. How sad to dismiss the promises of God through unbelief (Heb. 10:36-39).
D. Faith, the proper response to the promises of God.
Guardian of Truth XXX: 7, p. 200
April 3, 1986