God's Promises

‘… to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…’ (John 1:12).

‘From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ’.

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

This is probably the most frequently quoted promise in the Bible. It affirms:

[1] the existence of God;

[2] the attitude of God – God loves;

[3] the extent of God’s love – God loves the world;

[4] the expression of God’s love – God gave his one and only Son, as a substitution sacrifice to pay the death penalty for the sin of the world;

[5] the fact that sin incurs a radical penalty – the word ‘perish’ means to be destroyed, to be put to death.

[6] the purpose and result of this expression of love – that sin’s death penalty is replaced by the gift of eternal life.

[7] that those for whom this promise is effective are those who believe in Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

‘For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned …’

‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.’

‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.’

‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.’

‘… whoever comes to me I will never drive away.’

‘… the one who feeds on me will live because of me’

‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’

‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’

‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’

At first glance this strong promise seems to make its fulfillment dependent on obeying Christ’s commands. We interpret ‘keep’ to mean ‘obey’ and ‘word’ to mean ‘commands’. We do this because our hearts automatically understand our relationship with God to be gained and maintained by our own performance – by our own supposed obedience to God’s laws.

‘I am the gate for the sheep … whoever enters through me will be saved’

(John 10:7,9).

‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’

‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.’

This is his promise to all who believe in him.