ROMANS 4:13

“For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.”

We should never make promises we cannot keep. A promise is a vow to carry through on something. Have you broken a promise to someone? I have. I didn’t plan to break that promise when I made it. I had all the right intentions when I made it. But life can throw us curve balls sometimes, can’t it? I have been very careful since then to only make promises that I can keep.

God made some promises to Abraham. Paul alludes to one in today’s verse. Albert Barnes adds this to his commentary on this verse. “Those promises were that God would make of him a great nation (Genesis 12:2); that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed (Genesis 12:3); that his posterity should be as the stars for multitude (Genesis 15:5); and that he should be a father of many nations (Genesis 17:5). As this latter promise is one to which the apostle particularly refers (see Romans 4:17), it is probable that he had this in his eye.” God made and kept His promises to Abraham.

APPLICATION

When Jesus appeared to the disciples after the Resurrection, He said this in Luke 24:49, “‘And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’” What was that promise? The Holy Spirit! He promised us a Comforter, and we received that at our salvation.

In Galatians 3:14 Paul writes, “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Don’t you know Paul knew the power of this promise? He received it when he was saved. He had been a very religious man before, according to the law, but he had never experienced the power of the promise of the Holy Spirit until he met Jesus face to face.

There’s another promise God has made to us which John spells out clearly in 1 John 2:25. “This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.” Not only do we receive the Holy Spirit to guide us down here on earth, but we also have been given a promise of eternity with our Lord. Wow! Try to top that one. Can’t be done! Thank You, Lord! Give Him praise today.

Father God, You are so faithful to keep every promise You ever made to us.

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