Begin With Faith Series

Begin With Faith

Be Certain of God’s Promises, Part 2

071909 PM

Text--2 Peter 1:1-11

Introduction

This lesson continues a series focused on the promises of God and our part in receiving what has been promised.

Definition: A promise is a transaction between two or more persons whereby the first person undertakes in the future to render some service or gift to the others or devotes something valuable now and here to his use.

In every promise there is the one who makes the promise and the one who receives. God has made to all who believe in His Son great and precious promises but it remains to us to be in a position to receive what has been promised.

1 Know The Source Of The Promise.

A. God is the maker of these promises:

1. This is not a worldly contract with worldly wording.

2. God sent, God approved, God guaranteed!

B. And God is Faithful to His Promises

Listen to some verses that declare that God is faithful to His promises.

Numbers 23:19 (NASB) God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Joshua 21:45 (NASB) Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.

1 Kings 8:56 (NASB) Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant.

Hebrews 10:23 (NASB) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

God wants us to know we can trust in His promises.

2 Know What Has Been Promised

When reading the bible it is not difficult to locate promises which God has made and kept. According a Dr. Reginald Dunlap there are approximately 30,000 promises in the Bible, here are just a few:

1. He has promised to supply every need we have. The Bible says: "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus". That's Philippians 4:19. Now notice, God has obligated Himself to the extent of our needs. That would include food, clothing, shelter, companionship, love, and salvation thru Jesus Christ. It would not include the multiplicity of luxuries (wants) that we have come to think of as needs.

2. God has promised that His children will not be overtaken with temptation. Instead, He assures us that a way of escape will be provided. This promise is recorded in I Corinthians 10:13.

3. God has promised that all things work together for good to those who love and serve Him faithfully (Romans 8:28). It may be difficult for us to see and understand how this is accomplished at times, but God has promised it, and He will deliver.

4. God has made promises to those who believe in Jesus and are baptized:

Mark 16:16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

5. God has promised us victory over death. He first resurrected Jesus by way of assuring our resurrection. Peter said: "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32).

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:3,4).

Later on he adds:

1 Corinthians 15:20 - 23 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,

6. God has promised His people eternal life

John 10:26 - 28 “But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

These are just some of the promises found in the Word of God but hopefully these serve to illustrate His Great and Precious Promises.

3 Know Our Part in the Promises.

Peter declares that claiming these precious promises makes us “partakers of the divine nature” with Christ. (v4)