Promises That Are Sure

Many times we hear of the promises of God. Many in the church are divided as to whether the promises revealed in scripture are for the church (every believer) today, if they were only for the start of the church, or if they are for the believer when they get to heaven. Well, let's face it, when believers leave this life for the next, they certainly will not need any of the promises that are revealed in the scriptures. Why? The Apostle John tells us, "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever." (Revelation 22:1-5) Believers will not need the promises of God in eternity. They are all insignificant and useless because we will be in the presence of God basking in His glory. PTL

Did the promises of God fade away when the apostles of the early church went on to glory? In a sense, we can say that His promises are gifts. Therefore, the Apostle Paul tells us, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29) The gifts of God are not revoked, changed or undone. What He has given to the church He does not take back. Also, "Abraham, being fully convinced that what He (God) had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:21) Even Balaam's report to Balak points this out, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19) 

So, the promises of God are for every believer today because, "But now He (Jesus) has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) When looking in the Old Testament, we find numerous examples of God making promises to Israel, especially in Deuteronomy 28:1-14. The only condition of walking in these promises was they would have to "...do what is right in the sight of the Lord, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes..." (Exodus 15:26) Today, through faith in Jesus Christ, the believer is made righteous. This means that do to God's amazing grace and through faith in Christ the believer fulfills the law. It is the believers faith that releases the promises of God in their life. This being so, then it stands to reason the the believer today can also receive the same promises and even greater based on Hebrews 8:6.

Think about it. Under the Old Covenant, by doing what is right in the sight of the Lord, giving ear to His commandments and keeping all His statutes, Israel had the potential of living in the promises of God continually. Well, if the promises that God gave to Israel are not for us who are under a new and better covenant, then it would mean that we lost benefits (promises) when the new covenant was established through Jesus Christ. But that is not what the Bible says. It does not say that we have a worse covenant established on worse promises. No, it say that we have a better covenant established upon better promises. PTL So,  "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23) and receive the promises that God has for us through faith in Jesus Christ. "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20)