A promise is defined as, ”a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen” (New Oxford American Dictionary). We have also all heard the saying that “a promise is just as good as the one making the promise.” The promises I want to look at in this article are those made by God Himself. Peter informs us, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (II Pet. 1:3-4).
Notice that Peter speaks of “great and precious promises.” One reason they are so great is because of the one from whom they come. The writer of the book of Hebrews also spoke of the assurance we have due to God’s promises. “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Heb. 6:18). In Titus 1:2 Paul also mentioned this fact that God cannot lie, and he did so in connection with a promise He made: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began…”
In II Peter 3 Peter tells us that there will be scoffers questioning the promise of God concerning the return of Jesus Christ (vs. 3-7). In answering these scoffers, Peter reminds us, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (vs. 8-9). Any promise made by God is always true; time does not affect or change it.
God’s promises may be divided into two categories. There are promises to the faithful that we look forward to and enjoy every day of our life. And there are promises with negative effects that all of us want to avoid. Just as God has promised eternal life to those who obey Him and live faithful lives in His service, He has also promised eternal destruction and punishment to those who “know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Matt. 25:46; II Thess. 1:7-9). Sometimes folks forget this. They eagerly accept God’s promises as long as they are promises of good things; but they try to get around or alter the promise when it comes to disobedience. “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (II Cor. 1:20). Notice the word “all” in this verse; we do not get to pick and choose which promises are true. When God makes a promise, you can depend on it.
—Paul M. Wilmoth January 18, 1944 – April 5, 2021
