"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD'S FAITHFULNESS AND PROMISES"
2nd Cor 1:18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No.
2nd Cor 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us--by me, Silvanus, and Timothy--was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes.
2nd Cor 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
Some explanation, application, and a prayer:
1. The background to these verses, actually have to do with Paul being attacked and falsely accused of not being a man of his word, and of being a deceiver.
2. In defending himself, Paul points the Corinthians and us to truths about God. Let's look at the wonderful things that he says about God, ( and then himself )
(1) But as God is faithful. Or dependable. Or, as surely as God is true is the idea.
(2) Our word to you was not Yes and No. In other words, just like God is true, so are we. We were not telling you one thing, and then another about the plans we had. Paul is telling them, that just as God's Word is true, so is his, and his yes, means a yes.
(3) The Son of God was preached by Paul among the Corinthians, along with Paul's co-workers. When we preached Jesus, the truth of Jesus is not yes, and then no, but rather the truth of Jesus Christ is Yes. There is no back and forth about who He is, and or what He has done. Jesus is the way the truth and the life period.
(4) All of God's promises in Jesus Christ are Yes. They are are true. God does not waver between a yes and a no. God is true, and we affirmed that to you.
(5) All of God's promises have come to pass in Christ. When God promises something, you can bank on it being not only true, but ultimately in God's perfect timing, coming to pass, just as God has said it would. This is why we affirm the Word of God as being true. And, this is why we give glory to God, for who He is. Is there anyone like Him?
3. With all of the above in mind then, we can not only find great comfort in knowing that what God says is true, but, what God has said will take place. Sometimes, much of the time in fact, we need to just be patient, and wait on Him.
4. With God being the truth teller and the truth doer, He becomes our example of being the same in our lives day to day. Truth tellers, and truth doers, (in love I might add, as Paul did in Ephesians 4)
5. When we read the Bible may we pray for eyes to see, and a heart to understand God's Word, and the personal resolve to obey it.
A prayer:
Father, Thank You for being truthful, and faithful, and always on time, that is Your time. Our part is to believe, receive, trust, and rejoice in You as we watch You work out Your wonderful plan for our lives in this world.
One day, the great promise You have given us of our being with You will come to pass. My, My. what a day and a moment that will be. As far as we know, it could be today. We really don't know when we will see You face to face, but You do.
What a day of rejoicing that will be. In the meantime, may we be those those who walk in the truth, and tell the truth. Make us so Lord, make us so.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.
