Principle 4

The fourth principle, all God’s promises are now available to us through Christ. Turn to 2 Corinthians 1:20. There are many different ways of translating this verse and different translations follow different ways. Personally, I still think the King James says it about as clearly and emphatically as is possible to say it. I don’t want to go into the various possible ways of rearranging the words. 2 Corinthians 1:20 is a key verse, especially when you’re dealing with dispensationalists, people who say this was for yesterday and that’s for tomorrow and meanwhile, let’s live on crumbs.

“For all the promises of God in him [Jesus] are yea and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

I looked at it in the Greek this morning, you could translate it something like this. “God gave all the promises to be yea and he fulfilled all the promises to be amen in Jesus.” I mean, it’s just another way but whatever way you look at it or whatever translation you follow, there are certain key words that don’t change. First of all, “all the promises.” Not some but all. Secondly, “are.” Not were, not will be. And then, “in him.” There is only one channel through which God makes his promises available to us. Only one. It’s Jesus. And then it says “to the glory of God.” Every promise that we appropriate in the will of God glorifies God. God has so arranged his promises that when we appropriate them the result is he is glorified.

See, Romans 3:23 says:
“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

There are different ways of translating that. But in essence I understand it to mean by our sin we have robbed God of his glory. How do we repay it? Romans 4 says about Abraham “Not being weak in faith he gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that what God had promised he was able to perform.” How do we give back to God the glory that our sin has robbed him of? The answer is by believing his promises. When Abraham believed God’s promise he gave glory to God. So, all the promises that God has given us are now available to us in Christ and they are for God’s glory.

Then, what I like about the King James is the two little words that come last. “By us.” It’s not by the apostles, it’s not by the early church, it’s not by special Christians, evangelists or missionaries. But us means you and me. So, all God’s promises are now available to you and me through faith in Christ. So all God’s promises are now available to you and me through faith in Christ.

You don’t need all God’s promises right now. You couldn’t claim all God’s promises just in one moment but any promise that you need and that fits your situation is available to you right now. The way I sum this up is this: Every promise that fits our situation and meets our need is for us now. I’d like you to say that after me. Every promise that fits our situation and meets our need is for us now. Let’s say that once more. After me, not with me. Every promise that fits our situation and meets our need is for us now. That’s the fourth principle, all God’s promises are now available to us.