The church of Christ in the past was known to be the pillar and the ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3.15). She was relevant in the community for preaching the gospel and standing for the truth. She has been the spiritual place for the saved for the last two thousand years and will continue to be in San Angelo, Texas until the Lord returns for her (Acts 2.47; 1 Cor. 15.24). The church of our Lord is the refuge on earth where men and women can run for safety from spiritual captivity and the evil one who seeks to devour the Christian (Heb. 6.18; 1 Pet. 5.8). For this to continue in San Angelo, the members here must rely upon God keeping His promise. He has kept His word; will we keep our commitment to Him?

According to Hebrews 6.18-19, the children of God have a hope that anchors the soul. This anchor is based upon His oath and His promise. God, who cannot lie and of whom the Hebrews writer says, “It is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6.18), has promised before the world began to keep His word. The Lord’s church can indeed rely upon these two things to secure its salvation and reputation of being the place where people can run to for spiritual safety. We should consider increasing our reliance upon His promises and solidify our faith and confidence in God, His Son and His eternal word of truth.

Why should we rely upon His promises today? With all of the deception, trickery and sleight of hand, who can we trust? Again we ask, “Why should we rely upon His promises today?”. We rely upon His promise because God could swear by no one greater, and so He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you” (Heb. 6.13-14). This promise is referring to the covenant made with Abraham saying, “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12.3). God made an oath and promise to Abraham and He kept those in the giving of his son Isaac in Genesis 21.1-7. God can be trusted for many reasons and Him keeping His promises should be enough for us to take Him at His word.

Notice Hebrews 6.17-18: “Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” The idea of “immutable” is vitally important for us to consider. It literally means unchanging. Malachi recorded the LORD changed not (3.6). James recorded the Father of lights having no variation or shadow of turning (1.17). The very fact the LORD does not change and we can rely upon His promises some two thousand years later is amazing, comforting and worthy of commitment.

What are some of the promises in the Old Testament given by God that will cause us to trust more? Consider the powerful covenant He made with Abraham in Genesis fifteen. Upon making a covenant with Abraham, He told him (while a horror and great darkness fell upon him) that his descendants would go into captivity and would return to the land of Canaan (Gen 15:12-21). This promise to Abraham would come to pass when God brought the children of Israel out of captivity in Exodus chapters twelve through fourteen. God would save Israel from the mighty hand of the Egyptian Pharoah in one day and the people of God would see the dead bodies of their foes. This should have been enough for Israel to be faithful to Jehovah their God.

God was One who made choices from time to time in the Old Testament. He chose the place where His name would be honored and glorified (2 Kings 21.4; 7). He chose Israel’s inheritance (Ps. 47.4). He chose Jerusalem to be the place where He would comfort Zion (Zech. 1.17). Since God is in the choosing business, it would do us well to know He chose His people and promised to give them a good land to live in that flowed with milk and honey (Deut. 7.6-7). Why did He do such a great thing for His people? Because He loved them and would keep His OATH which He swore to their fathers. The LORD had brought them out with a mighty hand, redeemed them to be His special people (Deut. 7.8). The Christian is no different and we should believe this as well.

God would eventually lead the children of Israel into the promised land and they would conquer the land for themselves to the glory and honor of God. What did the LORD require of His people? He wanted them to cross the Jordan River and teach their children about His goodness and to remember the stones in the river (Josh. 4.4-9). Those stones would be evidence of His leading the people and giving them a memorial for generations to follow. Since God is in the promising business, it would behoove us to not only believe but to trust in the LORD our God. Next week we will continue the amazing saga as we consider the promises before us.