209. All The Promises.

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. - 2 Corinthians 1:20.

PAUL had altered his mind about visiting Corinth.

He had done this from the best of reasons.

The prejudices of certain Corinthians made them misconstrue his conduct and speak of him as one whose word was not to be relied on.

He asserted that he did not use lightness and that his mind was not of the "yea and nay" order, even upon so small a matter as a journey to Corinth at a certain date.

This led him to say that his preaching "was not yea and nay."

This further brought out the declaration that the promises of God are not "yea and nay."

Thus, a trivial circumstance and an ungenerous remark led to the utterance of a most precious truth. This has often been the case.

From these words, let us be led carefully to consider—

I. THE DIGNITY OF THE PROMISES. They are "the promises of God."

1. They were each one made by him according to the purpose of his own will.

2. They are links between his decrees and his acts, being the voice of the decree and the herald of the act.

3. They display the qualities of him who uttered them. They are true, immutable, powerful, eternal, etc.

4. They remain in union with God. After the lapse of ages, they are still his promises as much as when he first uttered them.

5. They are guaranteed by the character of God who spoke them.

6. They will glorify him as he works out their fulfillment.

II. THE RANGE Of THE PROMISES. "All the promises."

It will be instructive to note the breadth of the promises by observing that—

1. They are found both in the Old and New Testaments from Genesis to Revelation, running through centuries of time.

2. They are of both sorts — conditional and unconditional: promises to certain works and promises of an absolute order.

3. They are of all kinds of things — bodily and spiritual, personal and general, eternal and temporal.

4. They contain blessings to varied characters, such as ---

· The penitent (Lev. 26:40-42; Isa. 55:7; 57:15; Jer. 3:12-13).

· The believing: (John 3:16, 18; 6:47; Acts 16:31; 1 Pet. 2:6).

· The serving: (Ps. 37:3; 9:40; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 10:35).

· The praying: (Isa. 14:11; Lam. 3:25; Matt. 6:6; Ps. 145:18).

· The obeying: (Exod. 19:5; Ps. 119:1-3; Isa. 1:19).

· The suffering: (Matt. 5:10-12; Rom. 8:17; 1 Pet. 4:12-14).

5. They bring us the richest boons: pardon, justification, sanctification, instruction, preservation, etc. What a marvelous wealth lies in promises— "all the promises"!

III. THE STABILITY OF THE PROMISES. "All the promises in him are yea, and in him Amen."

A Greek word "yea" and a Hebrew word "amen" are used to mark certainty, both to Gentile and Jew.

1. They are established beyond all doubt as being assuredly the mind and purpose of the eternal God.

2. They are confirmed beyond all alteration. The Lord hath said, "Amen," and so must it be forever.

3. Their stability is in Christ Jesus beyond all hazard, for he is—

· The witness of the promise of God

· The surety of the covenant

· The sum and substance of all the promises

· The fulfillment of the promises by his actual incarnation, his atoning death, his living plea, his ascension power, etc.

· The security and guarantee of the promises, since all power is in his hand to fulfill them.

IV. THE RESULT OF THE PROMISES. "The glory of God by us"—

By us, his ministers and his believing people, the God of the promises is made glorious.

1. We glorify his condescending love in making the promise.

2. We glorify his power as we see him keeping the promise.

3. We glorify him by our faith, which honors his veracity, by expecting the boons which he has promised.

4. We glorify him in our experience which proves the promise true.

Let us confidently rest in his sure word.

Let us plead the special promise applicable to the hour now passing.