By Riley Nelson
The word promise is defined as “a declaration assuring that one will or will not do something”. Millions of promises are made every day for one reason or another. Even when a promise is made to us we many times will have a nagging doubt about the promise being fulfilled.
With God it is different, for God keeps all of His promises. He made a promise to Abraham in the long ago that of Abraham He would make a great nation and through him all families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3). God also promised him a land for his descendants (Gen. 15:18-21). (Josh. 21: 43-45). During the reign of Solomon, we read that he reigned over all the land God had promised Abraham (1 Kings 4:21).
The spiritual promise of all families being blessed through Abraham came in the form of Jesus Christ being born in this world, living among men, dying on the cross and being raised up on the third day (Gal. 3:6-29). By obedience to the gospel of Christ all men can be saved, that is a promise from God and God cannot lie.
Some misunderstand God’s promise of eternal life. They have fallen into the trap of thinking that they can do what they want in the name of religion and it will be acceptable to God. My friend God has never allowed man to dictate what to do to obey God. Even when Christ walked among men this false belief was held by many. Notice the words of Jesus, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matt.7:21-23).
Knowing God keeps His promises we must follow His word and obey it. For as sure as His promise of eternal life is true, so is His promise of eternal damnation to those who fail to follow Him. Study God’s word this will produce faith (Rom. 10:17), turn from sin (Luke 13:3), be willing to confess Jesus as the Son of God before men (Matt. 10:32, 33), be baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38) and then live faithfully for God each day of your life and heaven can be your eternal home. God keeps His promises.