September 13, 2024
“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded that what he promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:20-22, emphasis added.
Abraham received a promise from God that out of his loins, he would have an heir, a son. About 20 years passed before the promise was fulfilled. Abraham and Sarah were both old when the promise was given. Scripture tells us that they had passed the time when the birth of a child was physically possible. And then finally, God moved, and Isaac was born in their old age.
There is a message in this story that is important to learn because God often works this way. God gives a promise and then makes us wait for its fulfillment. Sometimes the wait is long, and there are many temptations to stagger at His promise in unbelief. Abraham is a great example to follow.
It is pretty easy to understand how Abraham might have staggered at the promise of God in unbelief, given his circumstances and age. How many of us have staggered at the promise of God in unbelief? I know that I have. At one time, I staggered because I wanted the promise God had given me to be fulfilled immediately. When it did not come to pass immediately, I went into a long period of unbelief. To my shame, I staggered at the promise of God in unbelief. Nine years later, God got my attention and rebuked me. I repented. Within months, the promise He had given me nine years before was fulfilled.
While writing this article, I believe I heard another promise from God. This is the promise of healing for someone I have been praying for fervently. It would have been easy to keep silent about this promise, just in case I got it wrong. However, silence might be very much like staggering in unbelief at the promise of God. We walk by faith and not by sight. So, I made this promise known to the person who needed to know. I believe that is what faith does based on His promise.
Two kinds of promises that Christians stagger at in unbelief
In my observation, there are at least two types of pledges that Christians stagger at in unbelief. Other promises in God’s word at which Christians do not usually stagger are not being considered in this short article.
- Promises about our holiness and sanctification
There are general promises for all Christians that stagger most Christians in unbelief. These are the most important promises of God, yet many of us do not believe them to be applicable.
“According as his divine power hath given unto all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:3-4.
What does it mean to “be partakers of the divine nature”? We are not expecting to become omniscient, omnipotent, or omnipresent. Peter has already told his readers in the first chapter of 1 Peter, verses 13 through 25, that we are to be holy because God is holy, verse 13 (1 Peter 1:13). That is what it means to “be partakers of the divine nature.” We are to be holy as God is holy. That is the ultimate purpose of God giving us these wonderful promises.
And what does it mean, “having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”? If we are born again, by the word of God, we will purify our souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, as stated in verses 22 and 23 of chapter one of 1 Peter. Holiness is practical. It changes how we live, move, and have our being.
Peter also tells us, “Who in his own self bare our sins in his own body, on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24. Being holy as God is holy means, by definition, that we are dead to sins and are living in righteousness. When was the last time you heard the phrase “by whose stripes ye were healed” and it was applied to putting off sin and putting on holiness and righteousness? Most of the time I have heard that phrase, it is associated with physical healing of the body and not the soul.
“And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 1 Peter 4:18. The “exceeding great and precious promises” given to us will change us into holy and righteous followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who are not made new in Christ will not be saved, as the righteous are scarcely saved. We are not talking about a fictitious imputed righteousness but a practical righteousness. One that walks in the light of truth.
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” 1 John 1:17. This is a promise of eternal life to those who do the will of God. There are two promises in this passage. The first promise is implicit. By God’s grace, He has promised us that we can “doeth the will of God.” The second promise is explicit. “He that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” That is the promise of eternal life.
“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 1:21-22. All those who “keep his commandments” have their prayers answered. When these righteous sons and daughters ask of God, “we receive of him.” Promises made to the righteous by God, never fail: “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments.” Implicit in this passage is the promise of God “that we can keep his commandments and do those things pleasing to him.” The Word of God would not have stated this if we were not able to keep His commandments and do the things pleasing to God.
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4. This is another promise from God. Our faith in Him will give us victory over the world. Not that it might or could provide us with victory, but that it does give us victory.
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace might abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Romans 6:1-2. The promise of God, at the birth of Jesus Christ, was that He would save His people ‘from’ and not ‘in’ their sins. It is a promise of victory over sinful practices and the slavery of sin.
“Knowing this, that our man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:6
“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.’ Romans 6:11
In both of these passages, God has promised us that if we remain in Christ, we will have victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. I could multiply these and similar promises and fill a large book.
Christians stagger, in unbelief, at these promises all the time. That is because pastors and teachers tell them that they should expect to live in habitual sin all the days of their lives. Another reason why Christian’s stagger in unbelief at such promises from God is that they do not want to give up their sins. The third reason why Christian’s stagger in unbelief at these promises that command holiness is that they are told that they will go to heaven in their sins (eternal security) even if they never put the practice of sin out of their lives. And if that doctrine of eternal security is true, then why would they give up their sins now? Losing a few rewards in heaven is not a sufficient incentive to give up their sins now.
Many Christians believe in God for health and wealth but not holiness of heart. Christian’s do not stagger at some promises when they should. I am talking about those passages of scripture that are used to justify the false doctrine of eternal security. Christians should stagger in unbelief at those false promises, but they don’t. Those false promises seem to promise that Christians will go to heaven or inherit the kingdom of God even while they live in unrepentant sin. Those false promises are the very ones that Christians should stagger at. Unfortunately, Christians have been brainwashed into unbelief concerning the most important promises of all.
- Promises given to us by God that are personal.
The second kind of promise is a specific word from God to us in response to our prayer. I know the Cessationists are rolling their eyes, thinking I am getting a new revelation from God. I am not talking about a new truth applicable to all people. I am not talking about Christian doctrine. I am talking about our Father giving us personal answers to prayer that pertain to our situation and life. God has answered my prayers many times over many years.
What father, when a child of his cries out to him for bread, will give him a stone? I was fortunate that I was not taught unbelief when I first got right with God. It just seemed obvious to me, from reading the Word of God, then and still today, that God desires and expects us to pray to Him for our needs and heartfelt godly desires.
At the start of this article, I mentioned an answer to pray that I just received about the healing of someone close to me. I am trusting the promise of God that this person will be healed. If I heard from God and I believe that I did, then this person will be healed. I and others have been praying for this person. God told me that it was His will for this person to be healed. I believe Him. If God had told me that it was not His will to heal this person, I would still trust Him.
When we receive a personal promise from God that is very significant, staggering in unbelief is the easy way out. If we believe it, we might need to declare it and not keep it secret. Isn’t that what faith would do? Abraham did not stagger in unbelief at the promise of God, and he is a great example for us. Abraham, an old man, wanted a son to be his heir, and God heard his prayer and promised Abraham a son through his barren wife.
Concluding remarks
It seems that most of the institutional Christian enterprise (church) today staggers in unbelief at these promises and commands of God. Their unbelief is truly mind-boggling. It seems they can believe God for just about everything else other than their holiness of heart.
Scripture repeatedly tells us that God gives us a new heart and that we are to make for ourselves a new heart. We are told that we must be born again and that sin must be put out of our lives by the grace and power of the truth of God. New creations in Jesus Christ, walk in holiness and righteousness, and not sin and wickedness. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away (sin) and all things have become new (holiness and righteousness). Sin is the exception and not the rule for the person who is genuinely born again by the Spirit of God. And if they do sin, they repent of it. They do not continue to live in it.
Do not stagger in unbelief at God’s promises. Unbelief is a serious sin. It shows the world that God is not truthful and cannot be trusted.
