## Precious Promises of God

## II Peter 1: 1-4

- There are over 3000 promises for us to claim in God's Word.
- God's promises are graciously bestowed upon His children, they are not secured by negotiations.
- We must learn to depend more upon His promises to us than our promises to Him.
- We need to believe the promises of God.
- Peter uses three words to describe the promises of God: "exceeding", "great", and "precious".
- This afternooin, I want us to consider some of these promises that God has made to us.

I. Consider the Promise of Salvation.

(GAL 3:22) "BUT THE SCRIPTURE HATH CONCLUDED ALL UNDER SIN, THAT THE PROMISE BY FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST MIGHT BE GIVEN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE."

A. Salvation is only through faith in Jesus.

1. There is no salvation in acknowledging a belief in God.

2. Salvation is more than that! The devils believe in God and know Jesus!

3. Salvation is a relationship with God made possible by faith in what Jesus Christ has done for us.

4. There is no other way to have a personal relationship with God but through His Son.

(JOHN 14:6) "JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME."

(ACTS 4:12) "NEITHER IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER: FOR THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED."

B. Salvation is a universal need.

1. It is not an option ... it is a necessity!

2. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death!

3. Death is a universal curse upon men and the ONLY answer is faith in Jesus Christ.

4. Believe the promise of God concerning salvation!

C. Salvation is all of grace.

(EPH 2:8-9) "FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: {9} NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST."

(ROM 4:5) "BUT TO HIM THAT WORKETH NOT, BUT BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT JUSTIFIETH THE UNGODLY, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS."

1. There is nothing that you or I can do to help God out when comes to our salvation.

2. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

3. No wonder Peter used words like "exceeding", "great" and "precious" to describe Gods promises.

4. Believe God's promise concerning salvation!

II. Consider the Promise of Eternal Life.

(1 JOHN 2:25) "AND THIS IS THE PROMISE THAT HE HATH PROMISED US, EVEN ETERNAL LIFE."

A. This is the promise of assurance.

(1 JOHN 5:13) "THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND THAT YE MAY BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD."

1. These verses are not hard to understand!

2. It has never been God's intention for a believer to wonder about whether or not he possessed eternal life.

3. God wants us to know it!

B. We are kept by the power of God.

1. Just as we are powerless to save ourselves, we also are unable to keep ourselves saved!

2. But He is able and will keep us for all eternity.

C. Our assurance of eternal life is based upon the Word of God.

1 .What we may think or feel is of little significance.

2. What matters most is what the Word of God promises us

(ROM 8:35) "WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? SHALL TRIBULATION, OR DISTRESS, OR PERSECUTION, OR FAMINE, OR NAKEDNESS, OR PERIL, OR SWORD?"

(ROM 8:38-39) "FOR I AM PERSUADED, THAT NEITHER DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, {39} NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD."

III. Consider the Promise of the Return of Christ.

(JOHN 14:1-3) "LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED: YE BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME. {2} IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS: IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. {3} AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO."

A. Jesus made the promise Himself.

1. He is the One who is coming.

2. He is coming to receive His own.

3. He is coming that we might be with Him forever.

(1 TH 4:16-17) "FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD: AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST: {17} THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR: AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD."

B. The disciples thought that He would return in their lifetime.

1. They believed that He could return at any moment, and He could have!

2. The message they received from the angels said that "This same Jesus ... shall so come in like manner"

3. They were "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ."

- Jesus promised salvation for all.
- He promised eternal life to those who would come to Him.
- He also said that He was coming quickly!

Peter said that God has given us exceeding great and precious promises. Have you believed them? Let me encourage you this afternoon to believe the promises that our Lord has made to us. Find joy and fulfillment in know Christ personally. Trust Him and trust His promises.