“What Has God Promised You?”
COUNTDOWN WEEKLY. The articles below are part of a weekly countdown of 15 Bible Answers to the question “What Has God Promised You?” By Monday morning each week we will add a new article (#1 is the newest). The articles build upon one another, so it is best to begin with #15 (scroll down to view all articles).
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Bible Answer #1
God’s Promises: Do You Trust God?
God has made us numerous great and precious promises. Most of the promises are two sided: They deal with good things for obedience and bad things for disobedience. Ultimately, we must ask ourselves if we trust God to fulfill those promises.
God is worthy of our trust. How do we decide if we are going to trust someone? By their actions. We look at past behavior. Look at God’s past behavior. He has done nothing to elicit distrust. Quite the contrary.
Everything about God, from his character to everything he has done, all point to a God who is trustworthy. Consider David’s trust in God. When he faced Goliath he trusted God to deliver him. Why? “And David said, ‘The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine’” (1 Samuel 17:37). David recognized God’s power and protection in the past and trusted God to do the same when he confronted Goliath.
God has earned man’s trust. God has been making promises to man since the beginning AND God has been fulfilling those promises since the beginning. Due to God’s past interaction with man, God has earned man’s trust.
Our lives should reflect the trust we have in God. Read 2 Peter 3:10-15. Peter starts by pointing out the destruction of the world at the coming of Christ. Peter then asks the question: “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…But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (verses 11, 13).
The answer lies within the question. We are to live lives of holiness and godliness. We are to wait for and look for the coming of Christ. And we must do so with diligence. “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace” (verse 14). It takes effort to live lives of holiness and thus receive the promise.
Since we can trust God we can know if we will be saved. “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13).
God’s promise is eternal life to the faithful, to the obedient. All we have to do is compare our lives to the pattern God sets forth in the New Testament, the guide for Christians. If we honestly compare the two we can see if our lives match the pattern. If it does, then we can have confidence in our salvation. If our lives do not match the pattern, we can have just as much confidence we will not be saved. Rather, we will receive those other promises—the ones reserved for the disobedient, the unfaithful. The key is to honestly look into the mirror and see our true reflection. If we are not honest with ourselves, then we can have misplaced confidence. Let us be sure we are honestly assessing our lives.
Confidence is not enough, we must also endure. “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, ‘Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10:35-39).
The only way to receive God’s promises is to continue in faith. Therefore, we live by faith. We trust God and obey him. That is a daily decision we must make. Every day when we get of bed we must make a conscience decision to follow God. We will not receive the promised reward by accident. It takes effort. Thereby, our continued faith (our continued trust and obedience) preserves our souls in heaven.
Everyone will receive God’s promises. The real question is which promises? God promised reward to those who obey him and punishment to those who do not. Which promises will you receive?
Rewards: Salvation – Eternal life – Resurrected with Christ – Children and heirs of God – Shield – Rest – Escape from temptation – Persecution for righteousness – Gods care – God will never forsake you
Curses: Condemnation – Eternal Death – No resurrection to life, but death – Not God’s family – No rest – No escape – No peace – No special care – Separated from God
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #2
God’s Promises: I Will Never Forsake You
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6)
These verses speak to the way we, as Christians, should view our time on earth. God’s other promises show this life is not all there is. We have the promise of life eternal in heaven with God. In light of those promises we are to live this life in a way that reflects our long-term goal of heaven. Therefore, the writer says not to love money but be content. Do not get caught up in this life, in the worldly focus of possessions. The reason? Because God will never leave nor forsake us.
As we discussed earlier, God will take care of us (Matthew 6). Further, God is our helper, so we should not fear what man can do to us.
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
Man can take our possessions. Man can take our lives. Man can not take our souls. That means we have nothing to fear when we face those difficult times and must decide how we are going to live. Ultimately, it does not matter what the world does to us physically because the world can not take our souls. Only we can do that. We can allow the world to overcome us with temptation. We can allow the world to influence us. We can choose to obey man rather than God. Ultimately it is our choice if we remain faithful or fall to temptations. Others can not harm us spiritually or keep us from serving God unless we let them.
On the other hand, we must fear God because he can destroy not only my physical life but also my soul in eternal hell fire. God will never forsake us, but we can forsake God.
“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).
Our sin separates us from God. It is not, however, God turning his back on us. It is we who sin. It is we who turn our backs on God, forsaking our love and trust for him. This is where the fear of God comes into play. If we truly fear God, we will live obedient lives to him and he will never forsake us.
When this life does not turn out the way we want or expect, we must still trust God to fulfil his promise. Even when we do not see a way out of the difficult times or stresses of this life, “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). God has not left us. In fact, God can (and does) use the things man does to bring about good things, even when man has evil intentions.
No matter what the world does, God will not leave us or forsake us if we love him. If we trust God to provide for us the things we need and be content with what we have God will never leave us or forsake us. God is our helper. Let us never forsake him so we can enjoy his promises for all of eternity.
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #3
God’s Promises: God Will Take Care of You
Anxiousness, stress, worry. How often do we let these things interfere with our lives? How often do we let them rule our lives? Far too often, for sure! What, then, should we do? The Bible teaches us to trust God:
- Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
- Psalm 56:4, “In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”
- Psalm 62:8, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”
- Isaiah 26:4, “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
Why should we trust God? As we discussed in earlier lessons, God has never fallen short of his promises. And, since God has promised to take care of us, we should implicitly trust God to do so.
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:25-33)
First, note our lives are more than physical things (verse 25). Our purpose in life is not to make as much money as we can, live the life of luxury or enjoy every pleasure. Rather, our purpose is to serve God. “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Second, God provides for the things of nature (verses 26-30). Birds do not plant seed, work the ground and harvest crops. Yet, they have what they need. Why? Because God cares for them. The lilies of the field do not make for themselves clothes, but God provides for them. The grass I the field, which was often used as fuel, is even cared for by God. All these things find what they need because God provides.
Third, God will likewise provide for man (verses 30-32). God cares. He cares for the birds. He cares for the lilies. He cares for the grass. And, since God views man as more than all of these, God cares for man as well. More so, we see that God knows what we need. It is important to understand, though, the difference between need and want. God made us. He created us in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). God knows what his creation needs to survive. Since God knows what we need to survive, and since God cares, we do not need to be anxious. We do not need to worry. We need to trust God to provide us with what we need.
We cannot end this discussion without noting to whom this blessing is directed. Verse thirty-three tells us it is those who not only seek God but also seek him first. Seek holds the idea of diligently searching something out. When we focus on the spiritual things of life God promises he will provide the physical things of life we need. We have choices to make: to serve God or serve ourselves, to seek the spiritual things of life or seek the physical things of life, to allow God to provide for us or to try to do everything ourselves.
When God says he will take care of us, we should undoubtedly believe that he will. When things “go south” our first instinct is usually to expect the worst. We see the worst possible scenario. But if we trust God—truly trust him, then we will see the opportunities God is putting in front of us. When things are not going the way we think they should or the way we expect them to, we need to trust God that everything will be alright. Everything will work out. Rather than trusting in ourselves, we trust in God. Why? Because he knows us. He knows what we need, and he knows how to provide for us.
When life is not going our way, we need to remember Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Trust God! Serve God! Allow God to take care of you! We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #4
God’s Promises: Peace
Numerous verses speak of the peace we can enjoy through Christ. Let us consider two of them: Romans 5:1-5 and Philippians 4:7. Though the word promise does not appear in the text, these verses do promise us peace both here on earth as well as in heaven.
Romans 5:1-5 links faith, peace, grace, hope and suffering:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Notice the links: We have peace because we have been justified by faith through Christ. Our faithful obedience to Christ brings us peace. Why? Because through faith we have access to the grace of God. The grace of God, which brings salvation, gives us hope. Surely the hope of heaven is cause for peace. Furthermore, the hope and peace we have because we are God’s children allows us to endure suffering because we see the bigger eternal picture. This peace is twofold—the peace we have here on earth knowing we have the hope of heaven, and the eternal peace we will enjoy in heaven.
Philippians 4:7 speaks more to the peace we enjoy here on earth:
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
First, notice this peace comes from God. It comes from God because of the links shown in Romans 5:1-5: faith, grace, hope and peace.
Second, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. Hearts and minds refer to the seat of our thoughts and our purposes. It is our thinking and our intentions. This peace is in Christ Jesus, the same as the peace of God. When we know we have salvation through Christ we have peace. We are aware of the promise of heaven and hopeful to receive it. If this knowledge can not bring us peace, then what will?
Third, the peace of God guards us. If we have the peace of God, more so the reason for this peace (Christ, grace, hope), ever present in our minds, then it will help us endure suffering (as mentioned in Romans 5:1-5) and when we face temptation. The peace of God can guard us when we face the hardships and difficulties in life. In this way, the peace of God helps us to have peace here on earth.
Again we see the promise of peace is for those who are in Christ. Our obedient faith gives us access to God’s grace, which gives us hope which leads to peace. Without faith/obedience we have no hope. If we have no hope, we have no peace. (Read Ephesians 2:11-16).
We need to ask ourselves, then, do we have the peace with God? Do we enjoy the peace of God through Christ? If we are not if Christ, then we can not have peace with God. We will not have true peace here on earth, nor the promised eternal peace in heaven? His gas promised you peace? Are you able to receive it?
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #5
God’s Promises: Persecution
It may seem odd, but God has promised his true followers persecution.
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
It is very easy to think this does not apply to us. After all, we live in 2022. We live in the United States of America. We have freedoms and privileges the Christians of the first century did not have. All that is true, but God clearly stated all who live godly lives will suffer persecution.
While it is not likely that we in the United States will suffer physical pain and/or death for following Christ, we must realize there are many other parts of the world where this a reality. Many, even today, face death for wearing the name Christian. This certainly is a tragedy, and those Christians need our prayers every day, but this type of suffering is not promised to every Christian. There are, however, other areas of persecution that are more common to all Christians everywhere.
A common persecution to all Christians is the ridicule we sometimes face. Peter expresses a form of this ridicule:
“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you…” (1 Peter 4:1-5).
There is a difference in the way Christians live their lives and the way those of the world live their lives. Those who are of the world live according to the flesh — their aim in life is to please the flesh, seeking only to fulfill the human passions. Those who live after Christ have put the flesh to death and live only for Christ.
When we who once lived after the flesh put on Christ, there is a change in the way we live — in the things we say, the places we go, the things we do. Do you think that change goes unnoticed? Do our friends see a difference in the way we live our lives? Sometimes even our friends change as we choose to put good people in our lives who will help us get to heaven, rather than those who will encourage us to stay in the world.
Peter says they will notice, and they will sometimes malign us for the change in our lives. To malign someone is to speak evil against them. How often are Christians picked on or teased because they choose not to engage in certain activities with their friends, classmates or coworkers? How often do they talk about us behind our backs because we choose to live differently?
In this world of modern technology, it is so easy to use social media to harass people for whatever reason, and often no real reason at all. The saying goes: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” I understand the attempt is to teach us not to let people upset us, but the truth is our words can be the most hurtful and harmful weapons we have. When we are ridiculed, made fun of, insulted and teased, it is persecution. This is but one example of how Christians today can be persecuted.
God promised we will be persecuted. Peter’s point is the persecution stems from the different way Christians choose to live their lives. If, by chance, we have not been persecuted in this way, then maybe we need to look closely at our lives and make sure there is actually a difference in the way the live. We need to make sure there has been a change in our lives when we decided to put on Christ. How much we change depends on how we were living then, but be certain there must be a change in the way we live and the way we think when we put on Christ. We must also be prepared to suffer persecution for doing so.
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #6
God’s Promises: To Provide a Way of Escape
“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 promises he will provide a way of escape from temptation. What exactly does Paul mean with the term temptation? Look at the context. Paul starts the chapter talking about the Israelites of old.
“Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness” (1 Cor 10:5).
Why was God not pleased?
This verse says they were overthrown in the wilderness, so what does that mean? The context and other passages show he is referring to sin. They were idolaters, practiced sexual immorality and were grumblers (verses 6-10). They are our example and warning.
“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor 10:12).
They fell to temptation. Paul encourages us not to think we are above temptation or that we can not also fall to temptation. Take heed. Be aware. We will face temptation! But Paul continues with comfort in the fact there is a way of escape from that temptation. God will not allow us to be tempted more than we are able to overcome. Notice God does not promise to remove the temptation or keep us from being tempted. Rather, God will provide a possible way of escape, a righteous way for us to be able to endure the temptation and overcome it.
How, exactly, does God provide a way of escape?
We may not know exactly how God fulfills his promises, but we can trust he will. In general, we can say God provides us with his Word. God encourages us and even commands us to spend time with the Word, to study the Word (Acts 17:11; John 5:39; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 2:15). When Jesus was tempted by the Devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), what did he use to defend himself? With every temptation Jesus replied, “It is written…” (verses 4, 6 & 7).
The Word of God is a way of escape. God also provides us with armor to defend ourselves from the fiery darts of the devil (Ephesians 6: 1-18). Notice there is no mention of God miraculously saving us from temptation. Rather, God provides us with tools to endure and overcome.
Why, then, do we sometimes fall to the temptations we face?
The answer is obvious. We do not use the tools we were given! How often when we are tempted do we remember the Word of God as it relates to the temptations we face? If we do not recall God’s Word, then maybe we do not spend enough time reading and studying it, and familiarizing ourselves with it.
How often, when we do recall God’s Word, do we choose to ignore it rather than heed it? We must not only familiarize ourselves with the tools God provides us but also be diligently willing to use those tools. God will not save us from temptation, but he provides us a way of escape from it.
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #7
God’s Promises: Rest in God
God has promised us rest, but rest from what?
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
These verses contrast a life of rest with a life of burden. Clearly, the life of rest comes through Jesus, who spoke these words. The inference, then, is the life of burden is without Jesus.
When we have sin in our lives there is constant burden — physical, emotional and spiritual. Living a godly life eliminates much of the turmoil associated with worldly living, like the consequences that come from our poor choices. When we choose to live righteously, our lives on earth are not burdened with worldly worries. Ultimately, there is spiritual peace in knowing we have salvation when we choose to live godly lives, according to God’s pattern. Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
The Proverbs are filled with generalities that deal with righteous living and the peaceful life that results (Proverbs 3:1-4; 3:17; 12:20; 16:7). When we choose to take the yoke of Christ, instead of the yoke of sin, our burden is light. The path of righteousness is not a difficult path. God does not ask of us anything that is burdensome. God does not ask us to do anything more than we are able. The yoke of sin is a burden, the yoke of Christ is peace and joy.
Look at Hebrews 3 & 4 as it describes the rest we have in God.
Chapter three recounts Israel wandering in the wilderness due to their unbelief. The Promised Land, Canaan, is referred to as rest (3:11, 18). Notice the reason the people were not allowed to enter that rest: “Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest’” (3:10-11).
Those who disobeyed, who did not believe, were kept from entering God’s rest. “And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief” (3:17-19).
These verses connect belief and obedience. Those who sinned, who disobeyed, fell in the wilderness. They could not enter the rest due to unbelief. It is not that case they did not believe God existed. Rather, they failed to trust God. They failed to obey God. Their faith in God faltered. They did not obey, which means they did not believe; therefore, they could not enter the rest.
The writer of Hebrews uses the example of Israel’s unbelief to encourage us today. After declaring they could not enter due to unbelief he says, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (3:12-13).
Chapter four begins “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it” (4:1). We have the same promise of rest. The promise to Israel was physically Canaan, the Land of Promise, but also a spiritual rest in God. We, too, have the promise of a spiritual rest, as the writer notes in chapter four. “For we who have believed enter that rest…So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience” (4:3, 9-11).
We have the promise of rest, which we have in part here on this earth, but ultimately, we will enjoy in heaven. We must, however, strive to receive it. While the yoke of Christ is easy and his burden is light, there is still effort that must be made in order to receive the promised rest. We must not be unbelieving, but faithful. We must trust God and obey God in order to receive his rest.
God has promised you rest. Will you receive it? Are you like the Israelites of old whose faith faltered? Will you too fall in the wilderness of sin? Or do you have God’s rest that will be fully enjoyed in heaven? Strive for the promised rest only found in God through Christ!
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #8
God’s Promises: A Shield to Those Who Trust
Unfortunately, the way of this world is not always easy. We face difficult times. We face sickness and death. It is not uncommon for stress and troubles to creep into our lives on a regular basis. If only there was a way to protect ourselves, maybe a shield to block these things from affecting our lives. O, Wait! There is!
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Proverbs 30:5).
There are three key elements to this verse: 1) God’s Word is True, 2) God is a Shield and 3) We must take Refuge in God.
God’s Word is true. Throughout the Scriptures there are claims as to the trustworthy nature of God and his Word. First Corinthians 1:9 simply states, “God is faithful.” The Psalms make multiple mentions of the faithfulness of God (36:5; 69:13; 71:22; 89:8; 98:3). The idea of faithfulness as it pertains to God reflects the fact we can trust him. What he says he will do, he will do. God’s Word, then, is true. In reference to God the Psalmist writes, “The sum of your word is truth” (119:160). Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). We can trust God to do what he has said he will do.
God is a shield. Other passages declare the same truth (Genesis 15:1; Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalm 33:20; 84:11; 115:9). Furthermore, God is described as a place of refuge and a fortress. The Bible uses the imagery of Christians as part of God’s army. We even have the Whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). God is our King. We are his army. We are under his protection. He shields us. He provides us with the armor we need to be able to stand (6:11). We have the shield of faith (verse 16) that allows us to quench the fiery darts of the Devil. God is actively working in our lives. Though he does not miraculously interfere “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). Peter encourages us to cast all our anxieties on him because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). God is able to be our shield.
In order for God to be our shield, we must take refuge in him. This means we must learn to trust and rely on him. We must make him our shepherd.
Psalm 23, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
These verses show our part and God’s part in the relationship. We, the sheep, must rely on God. We must trust in him. God, the shepherd, leads us, protects us. If we truly trust God and allow him to lead us, then the reward is heaven, the house of the Lord, where we will live for eternity.
Do you trust God? Do you rely on him to be your shield? When troubles interrupt your life, do you take them to God or do you try to bear them alone? Do you pray regularly, expressing your needs and giving your stresses and anxieties to him? If not, allow God to be your shepherd. Allow him to be your shield. Take refuge in him because he is the only one able to shield us.
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #9
God’s Promises: Children of God and Heirs of God
2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1, “For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.’ Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
These verses roughly quote several Old Testament passages (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 11:19-21; 37:27). While it is true those passages were originally directed to the children of Israel, Paul here applies them to Christians. We are God’s people. More than that, though, we are the children of God. He is our Father and we are his sons and daughters.
1 John 3:1-2, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are…Beloved, now we are children of God.”
This is the reason Jesus came – to give us the adoption of sons (Galatians 4:4-7). The powerful point here is that we are not just adopted sons. We are full sons allowed to receive the full inheritance. “Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:7). Read also Romans 8:14-17. There Paul uses the phrases “children of God,” “heirs of God” and “fellow heirs with Christ.” Even though we are the adopted sons of God we receive the full blessing of the inheritance. We receive the full birthright rather than a partial birthright often associated with adopted sons.
So, what is the inheritance? It is the promise of heaven. We are full heirs of God and have been promised entrance into his heavenly kingdom as our birthright through adoption. Matthew 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.”
Who will be sons and heirs? The context of Matthew 25:34 identifies those on the right as the righteous. Our starting point in Second Corinthians identifies the children of God as those who have separated themselves from the world and cleansed themselves.
Furthermore, consider John 1:12-13. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Those who receive Christ have the right to become children of God. Those who believe in his name and are born of God become the sons of God. Received means “to receive what is offered; not to refuse or reject…in order to obey” (Thayer).
The key part of the definition is the idea of obedience. Believe holds the idea of trusting and obeying. Not everyone, then, will become children of God and receive be heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29). Are you a child of God? Are you an heir of God through Christ? If we honestly answer these questions by comparing our lives to the pattern God gave un in the Scriptures we can know if we will receive the promise.
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #10
God’s Promises: Resurrected with Christ
We have all received the promise of salvation or condemnation, eternal life or eternal punishment. The only way for us to receive such an eternal promise is for us to live eternally. To accommodate that promise, then, God also promises to resurrect us from the dead. More specifically, God promises to raise the righteous to eternal life with Christ. Read First Corinthians 15:20-26.
The context of this passage shows Paul refuting the false teaching that there is no resurrection of the dead. The chapter begins with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (verses 1-11). Then, Paul questions how some could teach there is no resurrection of the dead since they were already taught Christ was raised from the dead (verses 12-19). He then emphatically declares, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (verse 20). Since Christ was raised from the dead, we, too, will be raised from the dead. The text says “those who belong to Christ” will be raised when Christ comes again (verse 23).
Now look at First Thessalonians 4:13-18. Here, Paul declares the resurrection of the dead is a cause for comfort (KJV) and encouragement (ESV). Again, Paul is correcting a false teaching or perhaps a confusion about the second coming of Christ and the resurrection. Notice he begins the section with “we do not want you to be uninformed” (verse 13). He continues to note we as Christians do not need to grieve death as those who have no hope.
Look back at First Corinthians 15:12-19. If there is no resurrection, then Jesus was not raised. If Jesus was not raised, then we have no forgiveness of sins. If we have no forgiveness of sins, we have no hope and death is the end. But, Christ was raised! Therefore, we have hope. Death is not the end. When Christ comes again “the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This, Paul says, is cause for comfort or encouragement. Why? Because we have hope. Because death is not the end. Because we will see our faithful loved ones again. Because we can be raised from the dead to be with God forever.
The fact of the resurrection of Christ empowers the promise of the resurrection of man. It is the proof. Other verses show everyone will be resurrected from the dead (Acts 24:15; John 5:28-29). Not all, however, will be resurrected to life with Christ. Those who are disobedient, those who do not know God will receive a resurrection to eternal punishment.
We must ask ourselves, then, Do we know God? Will we be raised to live with Christ for eternity or raised to be punished for eternity? Let us live righteously, as God commands, so we can have the hope of the resurrection of life. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #11
God’s Promises: Eternal Life and Eternal Punishment
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
Notice here the crown of life is promised to those who love God. There also seems to be a correlation between those who love God, at the end of the verse, and those who remain steadfast, at the beginning of the verse. We can also conclude those who are not steadfast, or those who do not love God, will not receive the promise of a crown of life. Once again, we see the dual sided promise: crown of life to the faithful but no crown given to the unfaithful.
Matthew 25:31-46 brings out the two sides of the promise even more. Take a moment to read the text. Here we see a picture of judgment where Jesus will divide the sheep from the goats. The sheep, we learn, are those who served others while the goats did not serve others. The sheep “inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (verse 34). Jesus later refers to them as righteous and grants them eternal life (verse 46). The goats are identified as cursed and are cast into “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (verse 41). They are later sent away “into eternal punishment” (verse 46). Again, there are two sides to the same promise. Righteous servants inherit the kingdom of God, which is eternal life, while those who do not serve others are cursed and inherit eternal punishment.
God has promised you eternal life, but he has also promised you eternal punishment. You and I decide which we will receive. If we are righteous servants, we will receive eternal life. If we are unrighteous, we will receive eternal punishment. Which side of the promise will you receive?
We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #12
God’s Promises: Salvation and Condemnation
This promise is like a coin, there are two sides to it. God promises all mankind salvation. At the same time, God promises all mankind condemnation. This truth is seen in the conditional nature of God’s promises. Remember Deuteronomy 11:13-29? There, God promised blessings to the faithful and a curse to the unfaithful. Two sides to the same coin.
Additionally, this concept is seen in one of the most well-known verses of the Bible, John 3:16-18:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Verse 18, especially, shows the two sides of the promise: belief in Christ = not condemned, while no belief in Christ = condemned. By giving an either/or scenario Jesus eliminates the possibility of any other option. Either we believe and do not suffer condemnation, or we do not believe and suffer condemnation. There is no middle ground.
Read Matthew 7:13-14. There are two paths from which we must choose: the Wide Gate, the Broad Way, the Path to Destruction or the Straight Gate, the Narrow Way, the Path to Eternal Life. There is no middle path. And, since we cannot walk both paths, we must choose one.
We decide which side of the promise we will receive. From John 3:16-18, we will be condemned or saved (not condemned) based on whether or not we believe. (An entire study can be done on what it means to believe, but we will not do that here as it was discussed in a previous theme: What Must I do to be Saved?).
From Matthew 7:13-14, we choose to walk the path that leads to salvation or the path that leads to condemnation. It is, therefore, our choice as to which promise we will receive. Since it is our decision, we must be honest with ourselves. First, do we want condemnation or salvation? Most, if not all, will say salvation. We must then ask ourselves if we believe in Jesus—not just an acknowledgement, but true obedient faith. We must also ask ourselves what path are we walking. If we are honest with ourselves, we will know whether or not we are condemned. We will know what path we are walking and where it leads.
God has promised you salvation and condemnation. Which one will you receive? We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #13
God’s Promises: We Are Judged According to His Word
We already noted from 2 Corinthians 5:10 God has promised to judge us. We learned judgement is certain, universal and divine. It is certain because we cannot avoid it. It is universal because all will be judged. It is divine because God is our judge. Now, let us consider judgment is also individual, based on God’s Word.
Look at 2 Corinthians 5:10 again. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
Notice the phrases: “each one” and “what he has done.” Even though judgment is universal, in that all will be judged, it is also individual in that we are each judged by the things we have done.
The verse says judgment is according to whether the things we have done are “good or evil.” Jesus also states he came into the world as light so we do not have to remain in darkness (verse 46), thus relating good with light and evil with darkness. So, what is the standard? Who decides what is good and what is evil? According to Jesus, God decides what is good and what is evil. “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48).
Jesus declares we will be judged according to his word. Furthermore, Jesus declares he is speaking not for himself, but for the Father. “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak” (verse 49). God, then, will judge us by comparing the things we have done with his Word, which tells us what is good and what is evil.
In light of these verses, what do we need to do?
If God is going to judge us based on how our lives compare to God’s Word, then we need to make sure our lives reflect God’s Word. We need to look in the mirror. What does the reflection look like? Do we see only ourselves? Do we see Christ? Do we see the darkness of the world or the light of Christ? Do we see the goodness and righteousness we read about in God’s Word? If not, then we need to change the way we are living while we still have time to do so.
Be honest. Look in the mirror. What do you see? We invite you to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #14
God’s Promises: Judgment is Coming
Numerous verses talk about judgment. Second Peter 3:1-13 actually makes reference to God’s promise to judge us. Take a moment to read the verses. When the scoffers say, “Where is the promise of his coming?” God answers with a reminder of the flood of Noah’s day (verses 4-6). Based on the context, the promise is not only of his coming but also judgment and the destruction of the world (verse 7). Verse nine points out God’s patience.
Just because judgment has not happened yet does not mean it will not. After all, Noah was preaching repentance for over 100 years while he built the ark and waited for the flood. God’s patience does not mean judgment is not coming.
As we continue to learn about God’s promise of judgment, consider 2 Corinthians 5:10. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” This one verse shows us judgment is certain, universal and divine.
- Judgment is certain. Look at the word “must.” It indicates an obligation, or something that is necessary and binding. Judgment is not something we can choose to do or not do. God says we must be judged. We do not have a choice.
- Judgment is universal. Notice the words “all” and “each one.” No one will be able to opt out of judgment. No one will be overlooked or missed. Matthew 25:32 makes reference to “all nations” appearing at judgment. Second Timothy 4:1 includes the living and even the dead in judgment. Everyone will be judged.
- Judgment is divine. We will all appear before “the judgment seat of Christ.” We will not judge each other. We will not judge ourselves. We will be judged by God the Son, the one who knows the inner man. Countless times the Gospels make reference to Jesus knowing the thoughts, hearts and intents of man (Matthew 12:25; 22:18; Mark 2:8; Luke 11:17). John 12:25 states Jesus knows “what was in man.” Further, Acts 15:8 declares God “knows the heart.” We will have a divine judge.
God has promised to judge us. There is no avoiding it. The fact God has not judged us yet does not take away from the fact judgment is coming. Going back to 2 Peter 3, we see this promise impacts the way God expects us to live our lives. “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.” We are to live holy and godly lives while we look forward to the coming judgment.
Are you living in a way that glorifies God? Do you look forward to judgment or does it produce in you fear and trepidation? Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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Bible Answer #15
God’s Precious Promises
In general, there are two types of promises: one’s that are kept and ones that are broken. Broken promises are simply that, the promise maker did not keep his or her word, did not follow through with what was promised. If someone breaks their promises often enough, they are known to make empty promises. These are the ones known to be worthless or meaningless because it will not be carried out.
On the other hand, faithful promises are the ones we have full confidence they will be delivered. The Scriptures teach us God’s promises are always faithful promises. Let us look at Second Peter 1:4 as we learn about God’s promises to man:
“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, 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.”
From this verse we can see that God’s promises: 1) Are precious and very great, 2) Allow us to become partakers of the divine nature and 3) Are for those who have escaped the corruption that comes through sinful desire.
God’s promises are precious and very great. Something that is precious is valuable, honored or esteemed (Strong’s, Thayer). In this text the phrase very great holds a similar meaning: “things to be esteemed highly for their importance” (Thayer). Why are God’s promises precious and very great? The context of 2 Peter 1:4 indicates Peter is referring to the promises God has made in reference to salvation; things like the pardon of sin, strength, comfort and support in times of trial, and the resurrection of Christ. God’s promises are precious because sin can only be dealt with through these promises. They are very great because they are of the utmost importance to man as they deal with man’s greatest weakness—sin. Truly these things are valuable and should be held in honor.
God’s promises allow us to partake of the divine nature. To partake of something is to be a partner or to have something in common (Strong’s, Vine). The divine nature is “not God’s essence, but his holiness…the opposite to ‘corruption through lust’” (Jamieson). Look at Romans 12:1-2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” These verses show the change we must make when we become God’s children. We are no longer molded after the world. Rather, we transform our minds to be like that of God’s. “They that are renewed become participants of the same moral nature.” (Barnes). Who, then, can partake of the divine nature and receive God’s promises? These verses show it is those who have been renewed or transformed, knowing the will of God.
God’s promises are for those who have escaped the corruption that comes through sinful desire. Corruption indicates “moral decay” (Thayer). Who has escaped corruption? Those who were condemned but are now pardoned. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). Who has escaped corruption? Those who do not allow sin to rule their lives.
Consider these verses from Romans 6:
“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin (verse 6).
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions” (verse 12).
“For sin will have no dominion over you…” (verse 14).
“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart …and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness”(verses 17-18).
These verses show that God’s promises are for those who have been pardoned from their sin and no longer live in sin.
How do these truths about God’s promises relate to us? Why should we believe God’s promises? The answer is very simple: God is trustworthy. God has been faithful in every past promise, so we can trust he will continue to do so.
First Kings 8:56 records King Solomon praising God for keeping his promises. God made promises to free his people from Egypt and give them the Promised Land, where they were dwelling when Solomon praised God (Exodus 3:7-8). Promise made and promise fulfilled.
Romans 4:21 speaks of Abraham’s view of God—how he is “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” This is in reference to God commanding Abraham to offer Isaac, the son of promise through whom all nations would be blessed, as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:2). The original promise is recorded in Genesis 17:1-21 and it began to be fulfilled in Genesis 21:1-2 when Isaac was born. Hebrews 11:17-19 shows Abraham’s mindset when God commanded him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead. He had full confidence God would fulfill his promise. We should have the same faith Abraham had and put our confidence in God to fulfill his promises to us.
If God’s promises are for those who have escaped corruption, is it logical to conclude those who have not escaped corruption will not receive God’s promises? I believe it is.
“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised” (Hebrews 10:36).
When do we receive the promise? When we have done the will of God. Notice also the conditional nature of God’s promises. Deuteronomy 11:13-29 shows it quite clearly:
“For if you will be careful to do all this commandment that I command you to do, loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you” (verses 22-23).
“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known” (verses 26-28).
Notice the if/then statements. If you do as I command you will be blessed. If you do not obey, you will not be blessed but cursed. Not everyone will receive God’s promises. The Scriptures clearly show God’ s promises are for those who obey him, those who have taken part in his divine nature and escaped the corruption that comes through sinful desire.
We can have full confidence in God’s precious and very great promises. Look at Second Peter 3:1-13:
“I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles” (verses 1-2).
Scoffers “will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming?’” (verse 4).
“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…” (verses 9-10).
“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness” (verse 11).
“But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (verse 13).
God will fulfill his promises. We just have to be patient and wait for their fulfilment. If, while we wait, we live lives of holiness, we can look forward to God’s promises with joy and happiness. If, however, we do not wait with lives of holiness, we should be fearful of God’s promises. Which one are you? Hopeful and joyful or anxious and fearful?
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about God’s word. – Robert Rushmore
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