God’s promises are essential to our faith and fundamental to our hope. And these promises are so much better than we think.
In my previous article, I wrote about the characteristics of the promises of God. His promises help us grow in godliness and escape the corruption in the world. In this article I will spotlight four promises that aid in our spiritual growth.
You Will Be Saved
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This bedrock promise can be found in the book of Romans.
For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:11–13)
Christians often cite this passage in the context of coming to faith. However, Paul may have had our future salvation in mind, as he distinguishes between justification and salvation in Romans 10:10.
The righteousness we need is not based on the law, but based on faith (Romans 10:6). And for this righteousness, we look to Christ (Romans 10:4).
We will be spared the wrath of God in the judgment if we call on Christ in this way.
The Lord Hears Our Cries
Part of growing in grace is learning to converse with God—to bring all of our happiness, sadness, confusion, and grief to him. Does he hear us? Might he be busy with other items on his agenda?
No, we have promises from God that assure us of his attention.
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:15–18)
God hears the righteous when they cry. (Don’t read “righteous” as “perfect” but rather as “in Christ.”) The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.
There Are Ways to Resist Temptation
As we mature in our faith, our desires and behavior change. How comforting it is to know that we now have power to say no to temptation!
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
God takes our “ability” into account when allowing our temptations, meaning that he makes us “able” to endure temptation—that is, to escape it. This doesn’t make resisting temptation easy in the moment! It does mean that sin is not inevitable.
James states this promise another way.
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:6–8)
Practically speaking, resisting the devil and finding a “way of escape” are probably one and the same. In context, resisting the devil also involves submitting humbly to God. When we do this, God promises that the evil one will depart. A marvelous example of his grace!
God’s Word Brings Blessing and Growth
Christian growth is often slow. And yet God tells us some of the ways to move forward. One of these ways is through the Bible.
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1–3)
We grow up into our salvation, God promises, through the pure spiritual milk. In context (see 1 Peter 1:23–25), this refers to the Scriptures.
On a broader scale, we are promised that God’s word brings blessing.
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1–3)
This passage is not only about God’s law, but delighting in and meditating on God’s law is the key contrast to those behaviors that should be avoided. A Christian who delights in and gladly drinks of God’s word will be fruitful and blessed.
God’s Promises for Life
The promises I’ve highlighted are mostly related to our growth as Christians. But God intends our entire Christian life to be fueled by his “precious and very great promises” (2 Peter 1:4).
Trusting in God’s promises is at the core of our faith, and gladly expecting God to keep his promises is the essence of our hope. I plan to discuss the faith and hope and their relation to God’s promises in a future article.
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