The Divine Promises of God

Psa. 103:6-13  

⁶ The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. ⁸ The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. ⁹ He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. ¹⁰ He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. ¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; ¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. ¹³ As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

There are two characteristics that stand out about God’s Divine Promises.  First:

 All of God’s Divine Promises are made to man and for man. 

This shows the magnitude of God’s love for us and explains why we were made in God’s image. (as we read in Gen. 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”)

David acknowledged this in Psa. 8:4-6 when he wrote: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet”

We also see the magnitude of God’s love for man from what is stated of the angels.  Although man was made “lower” than angels, we find that angels function in accordance with God’s Divine Promises to/for man; as the Hebrew writer states, they are, “...all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” – Heb. 1:14

This has been their role throughout man’s existence.  Again, David acknowledged:

Psa. 34:7 - The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Psa. 103:20-21 - Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!  Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!

Angels act toward man and for man, depending upon what is best for man,

but ALWAYS, according to God’s will for man.

We read of the angels’ involvement toward the disobedient nation of Israel:

He fed them: Psalm 78:25 - Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.

He punished them: Psalm 78:49 – He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

Angels will be involved in the judgment, administering justice:

Matt. 13:41 – The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Notice that while Jesus also came to do the will of God for man, the angels ministered in this way for HIM, while HE was in the flesh.  We see this from Psa. 91:9-12 - "Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.  On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone."

{You remember this was the passage that Satan used out of context in temptation #2}

Accordingly, we read of Christ, that He was “guarded” by the angels (Heb. 10:5-7) "Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.  Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book’."

This points us to the second characteristic of God’s Eternal Promises:

All the promises from God are in accordance with God’s eternal purpose. 

From this, we see that other specific roles were utilized so that these promises might be enjoyed: these are the apostles and the prophets.

God purposed eternal life for man prior to the creation of the heavens and the earth. We find in

Titus 1:2 – 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;

The apostles and the prophets specifically labored for others so that these promises could be received by those for whom God purposed them. 

Notice that Paul was called to be an apostle in accordance with these eternal promises of God.  Later, he would write to Timothy in 2 Tim. 2:10 –

“Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory...”

The prophets were used in accordance with this great eternal purpose, so that these eternal promises might be received by those for whom God purposed them.  We read in Amos 3:7 – “…surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

We learn that salvation in Christ was their message: 1 Peter 1:10-12 - Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,  inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.  It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Accordingly we read that these two groups’ message/preaching is significant for those who are to receive these eternal promises.

Eph. 2:20 - And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];

Eph. 3:5 - Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

2 Peter 3:2 - That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

Further, we find of the relationship of God’s eternal promises and of God’s eternal purpose in Matt. 25:34: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’.”

This kingdom was not prepared for EVERY man, but for those “blessed by the Father”; for those “on his right”.  It was promised for THESE ONLY.  These unique people were the recipients of God’s eternal promises.

The angels, the prophets, the apostles all were commanded to act on behalf of these “blessed by the Father”.  Who are these unique people?

They are known in the Bible as God’s ELECT.  Notice:

Titus 1:1 – Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Luke 18:7 – And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Col. 3:12 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

1 Pet. 1:2 – Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

It is these that Peter addressed in his epistle with these words:

2 Peter 1:3-11 – ³ “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, ⁴ 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. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Jesus’ role was first and foremost in providing these great promises to us and for us.  

Do we want them? Our acceptance is dependent upon receiving them ON HIS TERMS! 

These terms were preached by the apostles, and refer to the new birth (John 3:3, 5). 

They are found in the book of Acts. 

The Father-less Heritage...

We think of orphans only as little girls and lads,
Who haven’t any mothers and who haven’t any dads.
They are grouped with other children and in groups they’re put to bed
With some stranger paid to listen while their little prayers are said.
All the grown-ups look with pity on such lonely children small
And declare to be an orphan is the saddest fate of all.
But sometime I look about me and with sorrow hang my head

As I gaze on something sadder than the orphans of the dead.
Far more pitiful and tragic as the long days come and go
Are the orphans of the parents they’re not allowed to know.
They’re orphans of the living, left alone to romp and play.
From their fathers and their mothers by ambition shut away.
They have fathers who are busy and so weighted down with cares
That they haven’t time to listen to a little child’s affairs.
They have mothers who imagine life could give them, if it would,
Something richer, something better than the joys of motherhood.
So their children learn from strangers, and by stranger’s hands are fed,
And the nurse, for so much money, nightly tucks them into bed.
Lord, I would not grow so busy that I cannot drop my task
To answer every question which that child of mine may ask.
Let me never serve ambition here so selfishly, I pray,
that I cannot stop to listen to the things my children have to say.
For whatever cares beset them, let them know I’m standing by,
I don’t want to make them orphans till the day I come to die.

Edgar A. Guest

- Psalm 127:3-5 -
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!

Confessing or "Muttering" about Jesus.

An interesting mixture of people (but a typical society) are found in John 7. To which group of people would YOU belong? (read vss 25-49)

"And there was much “muttering” about him among the people." 

 - Some said, “He is a good man,” – v. 12

 - Others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” – v. 12 

 - Some who didn’t believe in Him (v. 48); heard the “muttering” these things about him, and...sent officers to arrest him. (v. 32); condemning those who muttered for not knowing the Bible. (v. 49). 

 - Some said, “This really is THE Prophet” – v. 40

 - Others said, “This IS the Christ” – vss. 41-42

 - Some couldn’t agree on the definition of ‘born’, saying: “The Bible says that the (real) Christ would come from Bethlehem; not Galilee” 

Thus, per v. 43 – “there was a division among the people over him."

Some things never change...

What is ‘MUTTERING’?
It means to murmur, to grumble, to say anything against in a low tone. In the bible, when describing people, it refers to:
a) those who confer secretly together; and b) those who discontentedly complain.

The lesson? “Muttering” is not the way to confess Jesus as the Christ; it is not the way to witness for Him; nor does it reflect that you are His disciple; don’t ‘follow’ Jesus afar off, in fear; cling to the ‘ROCK’.

“Doctrine, Repentance, & Comfort…”

“Therefore we are comforted.” These words come from the apostle Paul.  He is describing a comfort unique to Christians.  It is based upon the fellowship that comes from the gospel.  The reason for this comfort is attributed to the news he received of Corinthian brethren.  The Bible teaches that this comfort is unknown outside of Christ.  This comfort is based upon a particular behavior that is ONLY produced by the ‘sincere’ milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2).  The aim of the gospel is repentance (cf. Matt. 9:13; Luke 3:8; 24:47; Acts 5:31; 11:18; 20:21).  Salvation is dependent upon repentance and repentance is dependent upon doctrine.  This article will offer the evidence from the Bible as to why this is so and how it relates to ‘comfort’.  

The 2^nd Corinthian epistle began with the subject of comfort.  We read in chapter 1:3-7, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: and our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort.”  

Paul attributes comfort to God.  He points out how this comfort abounds to himself and his companions, as well as to the other apostles.  They held a unique position in the kingdom. In chapter 2:17, we read, “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”  They were entrusted with the gospel (Gal. 2:7; 1 Thess. 2:4).

Their message was a ‘ministry of reconciliation’.

Notice, chapter 5:11-20 – “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

It is from their message of reconciliation that ‘comfort’ came to them from God, thus, God is the ultimate source of comfort.  While God is the source of comfort, the context of 2 Cor. 7 is specific as to how God provides this comfort.  The means thru which comfort from God comes, is in accordance with His eternal purpose for man.  As such, this comfort comes thru Christ.  It pertains to man’s salvation and is declared in the message of reconciliation.  The comfort that Paul speaks of in chapter 7 spans a period of time and a sequence of events within the congregation at Corinth which were also prompted by news.  The initial news was, in part, why Paul wrote his first epistle, and provides the background for the comfort mentioned here in his second epistle.  In both instances, it was because of his concern for their souls that he addressed the ‘news reports’ of the circumstances within the congregation at Corinth.  In the second epistle, Paul describes his joy in chapter 7:4-13:  “I am filled with comfort.  In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within.  But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.   For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while.  As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.  For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.  So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.  Therefore we are comforted.”

There are many lessons for the child of God in this context. 

v  Joy in the midst of affliction…

v  God’s comfort during their afflictions…

v  There is a right way to grieve over afflictions and there is a wrong way to grieve over them (~ godly grief/worldly grief)…

v  Grieving does not save, but ‘leads’ to salvation…(more later)

While all of these lessons are connected by the context; they point to a greater and more important lesson: repentance.  Repentance is an action that God has required of all men (Acts 17:30-31).  Genuine repentance will reflect a change in behavior in a specific way…a manner that evidences your change of attitude toward God’s word.  Since sin constitutes disobedience to God’s commands; forgiveness for that sin would necessarily involve obedience to those same commands of God.  It is impossible to repent without this specific change.  Repentance, (the correct change of behavior), is therefore inseparably tied to the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42), and a part of the ‘form of doctrine’ they delivered to those in need of being made ‘free’ from sin ~ ‘sinners’ (Romans 6:17-18).

Repentance was consistently preached to “all the world” by the apostles, (see the conversions in the book of Acts).  Let it be noted here in regard to true repentance:

Godly grief is not repentance…it produces repentance; i.e., it is the motive for repentance; repentance is composed of, and is accomplished through, a particular behavior befitting the true gospel…

The remainder of 2 Cor. 7 explains the key component of true repentance and links forgiveness from God to man’s attitude and response to God’s word to man.

“And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.  For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true.  And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.  I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.” (vss. 13-16)

What was it about the Corinthians that brought joy; comfort, refreshment to Paul and Titus?  What was it about the Corinthians that caused boasts, affection, and confidence from Paul and Titus?  Their repentance?  Certainly so, but the aim of this article is to understand how true repentance is tied to the true gospel message, i.e., the apostles’ doctrine.  The key component of repentance as found in these verses is tied to their faith, and their faith is tied to the gospel message delivered to them (Romans 10:17; 6:17-18). 

Preaching that is “according to the truth of the gospel” (Gal. 2:14), declares the command from God for man to repent, and the motivation for that repentance (Acts 17:30-31).  Preaching that is “according to the truth of the gospel” sets forth repentance as a part of the ‘form of doctrine’; which must be ‘obeyed’ with the understanding that freedom from sin follows.  The motivation to repent is with a view to be made “free from sin”.  If the motivation for a change in behavior is not preached correctly, it will produce death; not lead to salvation.  It is in obedience that a change in both attitude and behavior toward God’s will is reflected, and the motivation for the obedience must be “from the heart”; i.e., produced by a godly grief.  The truth of the gospel contains a ‘form of doctrine’ whereby the sinner hears commands that God gave Christ to preach.  Christ commanded the apostles to preach those same commands and they comprise the ‘form of doctrine’ for a sinner to comply with in responding to God’s grace.

This is why the ‘form of doctrine’ preached to a sinner, is crucial to his salvation.  If there is error in what is preached, it will not lead to salvation, but death.  Repentance is impossible unless the correct ‘form of doctrine’ is delivered.  Godly sorrow will not come unless the sinner understands that his sin is a disobedience to God’s commands, and the change in his life must be in regard to those commands he had disobeyed.

The ‘truth’ of the gospel includes repentance as part of a ‘form of doctrine’ that the one who has been a servant of sin must ‘obey’; and the motivation for the obedience must be “from the heart”; i.e., produced by a godly grief.  Repentance has a ‘key’ component that links God’s commandments to preaching content and, accordingly, faith to God’s word (Romans 10:14-17).  Do you see what this key component of repentance is?  It is the same thing that was mentioned in Romans 6:17-18 that frees one from sin. 

Let us ever remember this in our preaching/living the gospel.  Thanks be to God for His long-suffering on our behalf, for if we misunderstand IT, we will never come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9-18).

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

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Copyright 2012