THE CERTAINTY OF GOD'S PROMISES Now we come to the heart of the Lord in this matter. Not only does He desire that His children trust Him unreservedly, He is willing to give them abundant reason to do so. It is not that He is obligated to confirm His word to us. It is enough that He has spoken. He is under no obligation to give an account for any of His matters (Job 33:13), much less confirm what He has promised with an oath. However, because of our location in an alien world (1 Pet 2:11), the presence of our adversary the devil (1 Pet 5:8), and an another inward law that wars against the law of our mind (Rom 7:23), God is willing to show the "heirs" more! "In the same way God, desiring EVEN MORE to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath" (NASB). -- Tomorrow:
"For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." (Hebrews 6:13-15).
The words, "in the same way," refer to the ending of contention among men by giving an oath to secure the agreement. Here, however, man is mirroring God, and not vice versa. God is never to be seen as bearing human qualities. Rather, it is always man that mirrors Divine qualities, for he is made "in the image of God." It is important to see this. Altogether too much teaching and preaching leads people to view God from the standpoint of an earthly husband, father, or the likes. Such comparisons are altogether inappropriate. The earthly must always be viewed in consideration of the heavenly, for heaven can never be clarified by earth.
Notice, God "desires even more (that is, even more than mere mortals confirming a covenant) to certify the firmness of His eternal counsel. God is not fickle, nor does He speak tritely about blessing. He knows His purpose is sure. Angels know it is secure. Even the devil knows this to be the case. The Lord wants US to know it – that is the point of the text. He longs for us to see the unchangeableness of His purpose in Christ Jesus. Having created us in His own image, He knows that our persuasion of His faithfulness will produce unwavering faith. He has extended Himself toward us, knowing that we will reciprocate when faith takes hold of His Word. I know of no exception to this rule.
God Himself is the most powerful constraint for both faith and obedience. The Lord did not reason with Abraham concerning the need for a deliverer. Nor, indeed, did He appeal to the honor that would be associated with him being the father of a miraculous offspring. It is imperative that the church learns from the experience of our father Abraham. They are to declare the Lord Himself, with His purpose and promises, to motivate the people to keep the faith. Too often the necessity of believing and obeying the Lord is preached from Sinai, with an emphasis upon human obligation rather than upon Divine commitment.
In a salient presentation of Divine means, the Spirit states the case marvelously through Peter. "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" (2 Pet 1:3-4). It is through the apprehension of the promises of God that men are conformed to the image of His Son. While the commandments of God provide us with a moral image of God, the promises of God confront us with His intent, or purpose. That purpose more precisely acquaints is with the Lord. Mark it well, men will never "participate in the Divine nature" (2 Pet 1:4, NIV) through the commandments. Such wonderful participation is "through" God's "precious and magnificent promises" (NASB). He has not confirmed His commandments with an oath. Such wonderful confirmation has been reserved for His promises.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, grant me grace to take hold of your promises, that I may thus be more fully inclined and empowered to keep Your commandments.