- 134. All Promises are Yes
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
God has given His people over 1000 promises in the Scriptures. Here the Scripture says that all of the promises of God in Christ are Yea and Amen, yes and truly for sure. All the promises of God are guaranteed and absolutely certain. Some are based on the blood of Christ, some are based on the oath God swore by Himself, and some are simply based on the character of God
From God’s point of view the promises are yea and amen: there is no doubt. From our point of view we need to say “yea and amen” to all of God’s promises. It is unto the glory of God by us. It is up to us; it is on us; it is by us; we receive the promises: this is faith. Thankfully, faith is given to us by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel preached to us. By faith the promises are received, made alive and made effective, just like justification and salvation is. Faith comes through the very hearing of the Gospel. The promises are real in us by the same hearing of the Gospel. The “by us” involves faith. Faith is the key that connects our lives to the promises. The promises are given to all people, but the promises are not active in the people who have not mixed that word with faith.
We give all the glory to God, that is, we praise the glory of His Grace. It is all by grace; it is all God’s doing; God does the Gospel; God keeps His promises. We are the passive recipients. Faith receives the promises; faith activates the promises; faith energizes all the promises of God. Faith says “Amen.” All the promises of God are in Christ: in him they are yes, and in him Amen. It is because of Christ that the promises are sure and certain; it is not because of us or our faith that the promises are certain. We passively receive them and actively give thanks to the glory of God. This promise motivates us to discover all the promises of God. What is it that I have received? We have received all the promises.