Standing on the Promises of God
By Ann Doupont

All of God’s promises are “yea” and “amen” in Him. (See 2 Corinthians 1:20.) That means “yes” and “so be it.”

God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. (See Numbers 23:19). What God said in His written Word, He meant. Sometimes, however, it's difficult to understand what He meant by what He said. That is at least one of the reasons why He said that His people are to study in order to show themselves approved unto God, a workman (yes, it takes work to study) that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

Someone once asked me whether I thought that all of God’s promises are conditional. I did not know the answer to that question. You also might consider that question. Are all of God’s promises conditional? Does each one have a condition to be met in order for it to be fulfilled?

We know that God’s love is unconditional. Nothing can stop, or will ever be able to stop, God from loving us. God is love. (See 1 John 4:16.) It's in His character, therefore, to love people.

Most people have heard the verse in John, chapter 3, verse 16 which says that “…God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever (that's you and me) believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” It's not God’s will that any should perish. Will anyone perish, then, since it's not His will that they do?

Each person is given a choice. God cannot, and will not, ever force a person to believe. In this case, the condition for the fulfillment of the promise is “believing.” In order to not perish, and have everlasting life, you must believe that Jesus is who He said He was.

Looking at another related verse (Romans 10:9), we find it says that we are to confess with our mouths (in other words, speak it out) that Jesus is Lord, and also to believe in our hearts (our innermost beings) that God raised Jesus from the dead. It's then that we are saved.

There are conditions to be met by us in order to qualify for the rewards mentioned in the promise. Looking at another one (1 John 1:9), we find that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The opposite is also true. If we don't confess our sins to God, He hasn't promised that we will be forgiven for them.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we find four qualifiers for the fulfillment of that promise. We find that if we will humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face (His presence), and turn from our wicked ways, He will hear us from Heaven. He will forgive our sin and He will heal our land.

It's said that there are thousands of promises in the Bible. As we read and study it for ourselves, we must prayerfully considering its meaning in order to apply it to our lives. We will be amazed at how many of them there are.

God’s Word won't return to Him void. It will accomplish that which He pleases and shall prosper where it's sent. (Isaiah 55:11) God sent His Word to heal our diseases (Psalm 107:20).

I believe God’s promises do indeed have conditions in order for them to be fulfilled. His love is unconditional, but His promises have conditions to be met first. When we do our part, He will do His.

Ann Doupont
boise4jesus@yahoo.com