ROMANS 1:2

“which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,”

I hate it when someone promises to do something and then doesn’t follow through. If they never had the intention to do it, then why do they say they would? I am careful not to make promises I can’t keep. That is especially true with kids and grandkids. Promises are just that – promises! It’s not too hard to understand, is it?

Paul refers to a promise made by God in today’s verse. The Greek word used for “promised beforehand” is proepaggello. HELPS Word studies defines it like this, “(from pró, ‘before’ and epaggéllō, ‘to promise’) – properly, promised beforehand (in advance); use of the Lord promising the Gospel (‘God’s good news’) to people even before creation.” It is only used one other time in 2 Corinthians 9:5, where Paul writes, “arrange in advance your previously promised generous gift.”

APPLICATION

Look at these two uses. The one in today’s verse refers to a promise made by God. You can always depend on that. His promises never fail. I have referenced it before, but one of my favorite verses in Joshua 21:45. “Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; everything came to pass.” What a promise! That still holds true for us today.

Then in the second use of the word in 2 Corinthians 9, Paul references a man-made promise by the Corinthians. This was not a sure thing. They had promised to send that gift. How much and when it arrived, we don’t know. I have been promised gifts from people for our ministry that never materialized. I have learned to not depend on that gift until it arrived. So, we have two very different kinds of promises – a sure thing and an iffy thing. Which do you prefer?

Years ago, there was a men’s movement called Promise Keepers. It was a great ministry that encouraged men to be promise keepers to God and family. I have often wondered how long those men kept their promises. How many of those men ended up leaving their families? But how many of them are still keeping their promises? Will you be a promise keeper? Will you look to the Great Promise Keeper and allow Him to strengthen you in your promise keeping walk?

Father God, help me be the kind of promise keeper that reflects You.

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