A promise is something that cannot change. It cannot morph into something else. A promise can only be kept – or broken. If you can’t make good on a promise, don’t make it in the first place.

A promise is a thing of honor. Deep integrity, practiced character, excellent intentions – those are the marks of a promise. Those are the solid bones of a credible life e-pistle – your life story – others want to read. A promise is something you work hard to keep! It promotes healthy relationships and builds dependable character.

Let’s use Abraham’s life as an example. His righteousness was a result of his great faith in God. Jas. 2:23 says, “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” This was before the Law and the Prophets. There wasn’t even a Bible anywhere on earth. Since this was definitely before Christ, there was no mediator between God and man. All Abraham had was a promise. A promise that God (who is normally invisible) made. Abraham had to decide if he believed God would do what He said He would.

This promise was very unique. It did not coddle Abraham by giving him details of his life plan. There was no lay-out of progression, timing, or action steps. The promise only gave a pinhole peek into the future. Through that tiny peek into God’s heart, Abraham saw the eternal reliability of God’s nature, character, and His words. But he did not see the actual future. He simply accepted God was leading into His extraordinary provision for salvation. The promise would be a reality for each person based on their faith in God. Faith connected Abraham to reality. That is what God’s promises do for you every day.

We know God promised descendants as many as the sand of the seas and the stars in the heavens to Abraham. These were to be a holy people set apart for God, people who would freely choose to respond back to God – to know Him and walk with Him. They were to joyfully live in God’s original design. Yet Abraham only had 1 child – Isaac. So how would this happen? And there was still the problem of mankind’s sinful state. Isaac was not holy. The promise didn’t even seem to have a logical beginning. How do you create a holy people out of someone who is not holy?

This promise of God was given to Abraham and his seed. This seed was a reference reaching forward to reveal the holy Mediator needed between God and man. The promise was introducing Jesus, the God-man who would be born into Abraham’s lineage to save God’s children from sin. This line of thinking reinforced what was promised to Abraham: salvation by faith, alone – not works, race, lineage, religion, or position. The promise would be extended to anyone who would believe, even outside Abraham’s son, Isaac. Then came the Law, the Prophets, the Scriptures – and the Christ, who is the seed of the promise.

This promise was a big deal! It shifted absolutely everything. Jesus was born as a human baby, was a model all His life to help people know how to live to please God, showed God’s love in practical ways each day, was sacrificed for all sin on a cross, and rose to conquer death – the enemy of people. His mission finished, the God-man then went back to the heavenlies. Yet, He also made a promise to return to close out the Day of Salvation (now) and usher in Eternity (forever). At this point, the seed of the promise will keep His promise to everyone who puts faith in Him. These persons are God’s holy people. Yes, Jesus is building a great nation of people, a huge family, for God.

Application Questions

Article developed from Gal. 3:15-18.