Today, let’s dwell on the faithfulness of God’s promises. By faithfulness here, the authors mean “immutability.” They speak of four bases of God’s faithful promises. “This faithfulness if based first of all on God’s truthfulness. The One who has promised will be faithful to fulfill what He has promised because He is true to His Word and true to the covenant by which He has bound Himself to us and upon which the promises are founded” (p. 47). Andrew Gary says, “Must not the promises be unchangeable, that are received and merited by the Son, who is truth himself, and the faithful Witness, and Amen…, applied by the Holy Ghost, who is the Spirit of truth…, made known to us by the gospel, which is the word of truth” (p. 47)?
Read MoreToday, let's delight ourselves in the firmness of God’s promises. Firmness here means reliable: “Every promise God gives will be fulfilled; therefore, not a single promise will disappoint a believer’s hope and trust” (p. 44). This is so because God is all-powerful. He is not like us, who often break our promises despite our best intentions and efforts because we are weak and incapable. If God is able to bring out of nothing this whole universe simply by the power of His Word, what can be too difficult for Him? We might be overwhelmed when we look to the mountains but it is God, who made the mountains. Therefore, He is able to flatten them in a moment as well. Spurstowe says that we should “have such conceptions of the power of God, as that whatever… impediments do arise between the promise and the fulfilling of it, though as high as mountains and as strong as the gates of hell, [they will be] by faith looked upon as difficulties which cannot check the power of God, but only magnify it’” (p. 45).
Read MoreToday, I was going to talk about the firmness of God’s promises. But one of you had a question about receiving the fullness of God’s promises: how is it different from the “name it, claim it” approach to prayer? I thought this was a great question so I want to respond to it before we move on to the next topic. As with many wrong, heretical teachings, the “name it and claim it” theology is not entirely wrong. It rightly points out the importance of faith in prayer. James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (1:5-7). And the Westminster Confession of Faith states that one of the characteristics of saving faith is “embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come” (14:2).
Read MoreToday, we will talk about the fullness of God’s promises concerning the things that God has promised. Here are some examples:
Read MoreYesterday, we talked about the freeness of God’s promises. Today and tomorrow, we will talk about the fullness of God’s promises. By “full,” the authors mean “generosity,” both concerning people (who are the beneficiaries) and things (that are promises) (p. 41). Today, we will learn about three marks of fullness concerning people. “First, the promises are set forth in general to all, with such terms as everyone, whoever, all, and anyone” (p. 41). Some of the examples they give are: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28); “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isa. 55:1); “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).
Read MoreWe continue our reflection on the reasons that God delays the fulfillment of His promises. Andrew Gray thinks that the greatest reason is for God to deal with our defective faith, which has the following flaws: “Our faith is often impatient and sluggish, failing to imitate ‘them who through faith and patience inherit the promises’ (Heb. 6:12).” As we read the Bible, especially the stories of the faithful men and women of God, we should remember that they were real people with real problems like us—for example, Abraham, who had to wait for 25 years before God’s promise for a son came true—this, when he was already 75 years old when the promise was first given to him! Then, we can see that it could not have been easy for him to persevere in faith and we are not the only ones who are facing the difficulty of perseverance. To know that we are not alone and we have a good company, who have gone through the process and emerged victorious and vindicated in their faith, can encourage us greatly.
Read MoreToday, we want to reflect on “the problem of delay” in the fulfillment of God's promises. I’m sure we are very much aware of this challenge in our Christian life. This is one of the things that not only frustrates us but also tempts us to doubt God and His love for us. But if we are honest, this is a very simplistic approach to God, who is the most complex Being of all. Andrew Gray provides several reasons that a loving God should “delay” the fulfillment of His promises. “First, believers often grow in faith more during the delay of the fulfillment of a promise than after the accomplishment of it” (p. 31). The authors give the example of David—how his conduct was “saintly” and “exemplary” while he was being pursued by Absalom (or, Saul) but how he fell in sin (with Bathsheba) when he was comfortable. I think we all know how that is.
Read MoreYesterday, we mentioned the kinds of promises that will be fulfilled in the future, in the next generation or in the generations to come. We may not like such promises; we want our prayers answered right away. But, if God gives such promises, it must be because they are good for us. That is why, today, we want to consider some benefits of such promises, which Spurstowe mentions. “First, they support us during our present troubles. With the promises of future grace in hand, we are assured of our present safety…. How can the church of God, the only rightful heir (under Christ) to God’s promises, ever be destroyed as long as those promises remain to be inherited? Clearly, the church will survive to see every one of those promises fulfilled in its midst (Isa. 46:11b ‘I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it’)” (p. 29). It is like watching a movie and seeing the protagonist in a grave danger at the beginning (or middle) of the movie. Though we get engrossed in the story (if the movie is good) and fear for his/her life, we know deep inside that s/he cannot die—at least, not until the very end, even if it happens to be a tragedy. But we are part of a divine comedy (i.e., a story with a happy ending). “Until our work is done, we are immortal.”
Read Moreesterday, we reflected on the guarantee of God’s promises because they are earned by Christ and given to Him and we share in them as His people. This doesn’t mean, however, that we will experience and enjoy them at all times in the same way (at least, in this life). William Spurstowe, another Puritan pastor, said, “The blessing of the promise descends sometimes like rain in visible showers, producing the sensible effects of joy and peace in the soul; sometimes it falls like dew in a silent and imperceptible way… the virtue which it puts forth is real, but yet withal hidden and secret” (p. 28).
Read MoreToday, we would like to reflect on to what kind of people God’s promises belong. We already learned that God’s promises belong first and foremost to Christ as the only begotten Son of God: “You are my Son…. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (Ps. 2:7-8). What does this have to do with us? “These promises belong to Christ not merely as the Son of God, but also as the appointed Mediator and Head of the church." So, here comes the good news: “As much as the promises of God properly and rightly belong to Christ, they also properly and rightly belong to the church, which is His body (Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 12:12-13, 27).
Read More