God's promise is one you can depend upon

Another election season has come and gone. Much campaigning, many promises, and much hope for improvements, as people may desire. I would like to take a moment to focus, not so much on the “many promises”’ that have filled the campaign season, but on the promises of another who will in time, provide many with a realization of the greatest hope of all.

Now in my 70s, I have voted faithfully, not missing an election since I began to vote in the mid-1960s. During this time, I have heard many promises from aspiring politicians, some grandiose and, obviously never meant to happen. But, others that seem reasonable and that could happen. Mostly, however, the promised fulfillments have been a disappointment.

Having said that, let me say that I am not one who has lost hope for a better future. In fact, the older I get the more convinced I am that the future holds great hope for many. I am referring, of course, to a future that has been promised by one who has made many promises and who has never failed to keep any of His promises. These are the promises that were made by God in the Bible.

Notwithstanding the Bible’s critics, the promises that can be tested have always proven to be true and accurate. Promises like the “coming Messiah.” These promises pin-pointed when He would come, where He would come, and how He would come. And they were fulfilled in exacting detail. Many of these promises, prophetic predictions, if you will, were such that He would not have any control over their fulfillment, if He were only a man. But if He was who He claimed to be, the Son of God, He would have complete control, in complete detail of how they came about. In fact, many of these promises were so accurately fulfilled, that the critics only explanation is they must have been written after the fact. But history has proven that they were true and has thus, exonerated the prophets.

And so, in view of the promises that can be verified, we take that same hope to the promises that are yet future. These promises include of all things, a new kingdom, a new government, a new administrator, and a genuine real hope. The Messiah, predicted in the Old Testament, came the first time according to promise, accomplished His goal which was the atonement of His people and then returned to His Father, awaiting now, His promised return for His people.

Another one of His promises that carries similar gravity is that we all have an appointment ahead. If we are late for everything, never on time for anything, this is an appointment that we will not miss; in fact, we won’t even be late. This promise is that we will all face God one day and give an account for our life. Every detail, even our thoughts and motives, will be examined and a just verdict will be rendered. All the times that we came short of God’s perfect standard will be manifested for all to see. That will be the day when we see our great need for the Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only Savior that God has sent, who lived the only perfect life, the life that God expects from all whom He has created. This is a life we could never attain to ourselves, a substitutionary life that He offers to those who will except it. This Jesus, is the One who went to the cross in our place and paid the penalty for our sins Himself, so that we would not have to. This is the Gospel, the great uneven exchange. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21.

That is the promise of God, that those who will trust in Christ alone to be their Savior, He will take away all their sins, even the worst, and give to them the “gift of righteousness,” that is, His own righteousness. What a promise of eternal hope.

Now that is a promise that you can depend upon, a new kingdom, a new governor, a life where there is no more sin, no more pain, no more tears, and no more deceptions. And it will last forever. Again, what a promise. The only real question for us is, will we be there in His kingdom? Jesus has reserved a place for you there when you come to Him in genuine repentance and faith in His finished work on the cross that takes away your sins. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting lift, “John 3:16. Again, what a promise, a promise that will literally come true.

Politicians and their promises come and go, but Jesus Christ and His promises will last forever.

Pastor Rick McLeod can be reached at Southside Community Church in Cocolalla.