A Promise That Will Never Be Broken

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 – “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

At the end of every year, most people decide on two or three things they want to improve or remove the following year. They then make a resolution (a promise) to themselves that they would spend the next year achieving that goal. Usually during the first week, they manage to follow through with the resolution completely but as the days trek on by afterwards, it just becomes harder and harder. I’m sure we all know the feeling. It is now the third week of January. How many of you personally have kept all your resolutions? Just like many of the promises made this day and age, it is never fulfilled.

In the past, a promise was a promise. It was kept no matter what the cost. Two people could just shake hands and that would be enough to seal the deal on a house or car. Unfortunately, nowadays, a promise is almost worthless, whether it be a simple “I promise I will take out the trash” to the sacred “I promise to love and cherish and honor and stand by you as long as we both shall live.” Promises are taken just too lightly now, causing many people to doubt the validity of anyone’s statement until it actually happens. We can all relate to broken promises. Fortunately, for us Christians, we have a God whose promises are always kept. We can trust Him from His character alone, but if that is not enough His proven track record only gives us further evidence of His faithfulness. He hasn’t flooded the earth since He made the promise of the rainbow to Noah. He made Abraham a father of many nations as He promised in Genesis. He sent us His Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to save us from our sins. He has kept every promise today and will keep those that are yet to be fulfilled.

In our passage today, we are clearly reminded four times by Paul that we can trust in our God’s promises, especially the promise of salvation. First, verse 21 emphasizes that God “establishes us with you in Christ.” The word establish simply means that it is “locked into place,” “grounded,” “secured.” When a person establishes something, whether an IRA account or a house, he is basically laying a strong foundation for its future, so that if anything should try to sway it, it will continue to stand strong like a building with earthquake supports during an earthquake. God has established us in Christ, and there is no way that we can be removed from His saving grace. The second phrase that is used is God “has anointed us.” In ancient times, and certainly, even in the Apostolic era, anointing was used as a symbol that represented the separation of the anointed for an appointed future role, usually for royalty. For example, in the Old Testament, prophets were constantly told to anoint future kings with oil. As Christians, God has also anointed us, setting us apart as royalty as the sons and daughters of God. He has anointed us with His blood, a covering and a symbol of our future home in heaven and our new relationship with Him. This anointing is also a promise of our future opportunity to judge and rule beside our Lord Jesus Christ. Third, Paul used the phrase “who has also put His seal on us.” We were first established, then anointed, and now, we have been sealed. Once again, this is a reminder of how faithful God is to His promises. We are sealed with a mark that allows all to know that we belong to Christ. In Revelation 7, some of the Jews during the time of tribulation were sealed with the seal of the Living God, indicating that they were the children of God. We are also sealed with that same seal. An example I can give is with a stamp my dad bought. Whenever he gets a new book, he takes this stamp with a seal marking his name and squeezes it into the book. From that point forward, the book contains a seal indicating the owner – my father. In this same manner, we as Christians have been sealed with His seal, a seal permanently engraven into us. Lastly, Paul uses the phrase “given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” In 1 John 3:24, we are reminded by the Apostle John that we know that God abides in us by the Spirit He has given us. Jesus also said that He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to His disciples once He ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit though is not only some magical conscience used to tell us right and wrong and help us feel better; No! It is the Third Person in the Trinity and also changes our hearts and lives to reflect Jesus Christ. It not only brings comfort but correction. It not only brings power and prayer but also confirmation of our salvation. The Holy Spirit in our lives is a guarantee, a promise for full payment, that the Lord will fulfill His promises. The Greek word used is the same used to represent a down payment on a loan. In other words, God gave us His Holy Spirit as a down payment for what He has planned for us to come. We can already see the work through the fruits of the Spirit, giving us a glimpse to the future perfected body and life we will have when Christ returns.

Paul reminded the Corinthian church in this passage four times within one sentence of the surety of God’s Word. God will always keep His promises, especially the ones dealing with your heart, your life, your salvation. He has promised to save all who call on His name (Romans 10:13). He has promised to watch over and bless all those who serve Him (although it may not be materially). He establishes, anoints, seals, and gives us a down payment on His Word. There is no reason for us not to trust Him. Place your life completely in His hands, confessing Him as Lord and Savior if you have not. And if you have, continue persevering even through hard times knowing that the Lord has given you the promise of a new life in Him – one filled with comfort, awe, and wonder.

I love the quote from Matthew Henry’s commentary on this chapter:

He does establish Christians in the faith of the gospel; he has anointed them with his sanctifying grace, which in scripture is often compared to oil; he has sealed them, for their security and confirmation; and he is given as an earnest in their hearts, v. 21, 22. An earnest secures the promise, and is part of the payment. The illumination of the Spirit is an earnest of everlasting life; and the comforts of the Spirit are an earnest of everlasting joy.(1)

1Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. 1991.

All Things New

Revelation 21:5 – “And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also, He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'”

If the Mayan calendar conspiracy theory was true, we would not be here today greeting this new year of 2013; instead, we would be swimming with the fishes literally due to a global flood, breathing in the last bits of clean air not contaminated by ashes from a super volcano explosion, or fighting for food and shelter from the zombie apocalypse awaiting outside our doors. Fortunately, none of that was true, but the year certainly ended on a much sadder note for a lot of people. Some were still cleaning up their homes after the devastation brought about by Hurricane Sandy in late October. Some were mourning the loss of sons, daughters, and/or friends in tragedy Newton, Connecticut tragedy. Some were fearing the loss of jobs as the US Congress continued to debate the economic bill that would keep us from falling off the “fiscal cliff.” The year 2012 definitely did not end on the happiest note for all. For some of us, it might have just been a few unfulfilled resolutions, some things left undone, and some regrets of missed opportunities. I don’t know how the year went for you personally, but whether or not it ended well, I have some good news for you – Every 365 days, you are given another chance to start the year over again. You get another chance to correct mistakes, another chance to see a new day, another chance to hear some good news that can turn a current frown upside down. You get a whole new year. It is comforting to know that every January 1st, you get something-like a “reset” button for the year; but even more comforting is the knowledge that God provided us a “reset” button spiritually, as well, in the form of Christ.

In the beginning, God created the world and man perfectly. There was no sin, no tears, no hardship, no wrong. There was no need to water or fertilize the plants to make sure that it would produce fruit. There was no need to worry that animals would become feral and attack. There was no need to pay the bills. There was no empty hole in the heart that needed to be filled. There was no need for guilt, remorse, or regret. Everything was perfect. We had a perfect relationship with God that included conversations while strolling in a garden in the cool of the day. But one day, man sinned. Adam and Eve chose to partake of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3). They chose to deliberately disobey God’s command for them not to eat of that fruit and in turn also distrusted Him for provision, protection, and what was best for them. From that point forward, man and the world was cursed. Food now needed to be worked hard for, in that, toil had to be put in just to make sure that plants would grow. Child-birth would become a pain, in that, although a bundle of joy would be delivered a struggle would have to occur first. And worse of all, our relationship with God would be ripped asunder, creating a hole in every heart that could never be filled materially but only spiritually with God. There would no longer be walks with God, but a need for a mediator to intercede between us. Life was ruined. Game Over! No chance to start again.

But God provided us with a “reset” button – a chance to have all things made new once again, a chance for all things to be returned to their proper place and condition. He sent this “reset” button in the form of His Son Jesus Christ. He came to this earth to give us a brand new life, another chance to experience a correct and close relationship with Him. Jesus Christ came to this earth and died on the cross for our sins to provide us a chance to have this new correct relationship to Him. He wanted to give us a chance to have a restored relationship with Him. It is interesting that the beginning of the Bible in Genesis starts with the fall of man and a destroyed relationship, but the end of the Bible in Revelation finishes with the phrase, “Behold, I am making all things new.” In the last days, when Christ returns, we will have a new heaven and a new earth – a place of no tears, no pain, no sorrow, no sin, and no death. We will have a new place to live in where lion and lamb can lie together without bloodshed, where all men are seen the same in the eyes of God, and where all worship the one and true God. Most importantly, we will be able to experience a new aspect in our relationship with God, where we will be in the presence of God physically worshiping, praising, and communing with Him. It is described in the book of Revelation that there will be no need of sun or light, since our source of light will be God Himself. He will be that close. It is amazing to think about how God will make all things new when He returns.
One thing we must not forget though is that Christ when He enters our lives begins to make all things new in our hearts right at that moment. In our passage today, Christ specifically says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” The verb making is in the present tense, meaning that right at this moment, Christ is already making things new. Now, Christ certainly could not have been making a reference to the things we are yet to experience in the new heaven and earth which are not present yet. Instead, He must have been making reference to the hearts, lives, and relationships of His disciples. Those who follow Christ are made into “new creations,” old things have passed and behold all things have become new. He is turning our wicked, hardened, sin-filled hearts into pure, soft, Christ-centered sources of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He is turning our self-gratifying lives into lives that seek to honor, worship, and glorify Him. He is turning our broken relationship with Him into a close-knit personal relationship where we can be free to talk, pray, and hear from Him directly through His Word. All things are made new.

Just like we have a new opportunity to retry our resolutions every new year, Christ has given us an opportunity to have a new relationship with Him. For those who have yet to receive Him, turn to Him today and begin the year with a new life. But for those who have received Him and are already being made new, let us make it one of our resolutions this year to live out that new life in Him. Start by beginning each day this year communing with Him through daily Bible reading and prayer. Continue by living out your life in obedience to Him throughout the day, showing that new life to the world. And finish off each day by praying that this year may be one in which He brings new life to your unsaved family members and friends. Let’s live out the new life we have been given in Christ this new year. God Bless and have a Happy New Year that will be filled with many spiritual blessings in addition to the material.