2 Corinthians 1:20 - Standing on the Promises of God!
2 Corinthians 1:20 (ICB) The "yes" to all of God's promises is
in Christ. And that is why we say "amen" through Christ to the
glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20 (RSV) For all the promises of God find their
yes in Him. That is why we utter the amen through Him, to the glory
of God.
WORD STUDY
The word "Amen" was uttered by Christians in affirmation of the
eternal truths of the Christian faith. [SDA Bible Commentary]
Amen is the way Christians acknowledge that Jesus has fulfilled
all of God's promises. Jesus is the great "Amen" (Rev 3:14) (Life
Application Commentary Series)
Amen is a Hebrew word carried over into English, which means so
be it. It is used to confirm or endorse - to agree with - what has
just been said. It also expresses our humility before God, submitting
to his wisdom and will. [Quest SB]
BACKGROUND
Paul's failure to visit the Corinthians as promised was not the
result of vacillation, since God's promises are always clear and
definite, and he has given his people his Spirit as a seal (Rom 4:11; 1
Cor 9:2) and first installment (or down-payment; Eph 1:13) on the
blessing that is ultimately to come to them. [Cambridge Annotated SB]
Paul had to defend himself for having confused the Corinthians
by changing his travel plans. He claimed his intention was
trustworthy and clear just as God is faithful, constant, and unchanging.
Nothing is unclear about what Christ did for us. He gave us God's final
"yes," providing perfect salvation. Thus God has shown Himself to be
faithful to His promises and to His people. He has placed the seal of His
ownership upon us, guaranteeing our final eternal salvation. [Disciple
SB]
APPLICATION COMMENTARY - OVERVIEW
Christians need comfort. While trying to help the church,.
Paul experienced suffering so intense that he was almost ready to
give up (vv. 8-9). God does not shelter His people from trials, not
even gifted apostles who are doing His will. 'Be kind," said John
Watson, "for everyone you meet is fighting a battle."
Christians receive comfort. Your God is the "God of all
comfort" (v. 3), and He will give you the grace you need when you need
it. Sufferings are not accidents; they are divine appointments, and
your Father is in complete control. You will find comfort in praying,
in claiming the promises of the Word (vv. 18-20), and in having
deeper fellowship with the Lord.
Christians share comfort. God's comfort is not given; it is
loaned, and you are expected to pass it on to others. The pain you
experience now will help you encourage others in their trials. When you
suffer, avoid self-pity, for self-pity will make you a reservoir instead
of a channel. If you fail to share God's comfort with others, your
experience in the furnace will be wasted; and it is a tragic thing to waste
your sufferings. [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren
Wiersbe re 2 Cor. 1]
APPLICATION COMMENTARY - SELECTED
According to John 1:1, Jesus is the Word (the Logos). He is the
expressed communication of the Creator's love and redemptive plan. But he
is more. According to this text, Jesus is the guarantee of all God
has advertised in biblical history... In Jesus, God has given his
word. (Life Application Commentary Series)
All the promises of God became incarnate in Christ, they met
their fulfillment in Him. He is thus the evidence of the reliability
of all the divine promises made to the fathers.,,, Through Christ
the promises are proved reliable, and through His people they are
proved efficacious.... To the extent that Christians follow their Master,
they too become constant and steadfast--in obedience to God and in
devotion to His cause on earth. [SDA Bible Commentary]
Jesus is the clear fulfillment of all God's promises. [Disciple
SB]
Those in Christ are inheritors of all the promises of God. God
has put His guarantee on us in Christ. No one can doubt our saving
relationship with Him. [Disciple SB]
No matter how numerous are God's promises, the elect can trust
God to keep His word. Jesus represents the fulfillment of all God's
promises. God gives eternal security to His people by keeping them firmly
in the faith through the presence of His Spirit. Eternal security
provides no reason for pride or boasting. It is another reason to praise
God. [Disciple SB]
We can depend on God to fulfill His promise, even when all the
roads leading to it are closed. `For no matter how many promises God
has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen"
[so be it] is spoken by us to the glory of God'. [Matthew Henry
Commentary]
All the promises of God find their yes in Christ, and through
Him we say amen." In other words, the promises of God are true in
Christ--He fulfills them, and He gives us the faith to claim them. How
grateful we ought to be for the unchanging Word of God! Often it takes
trouble and trial in our lives before we claim and trust the promises of
God. We make plans, but God overrules them. We make promises and are
not always able to keep them. But in Christ, all the promises of
God's Word find their fulfillment, and in Him we have the power to
claim these promises for ourselves and our situation. [Wiersbe
Expository Outlines]
Let us remember that no earthly circumstances can hinder the
fulfillment of God's Word. We must look steadfastly at His immutable Word
and not at the uncertainty of this ever-changing world. God desires
for us to believe His Word without other evidence, and then He is
ready to do for us "according to [our] faith." [Streams In The Desert
By Cowman re Mat.9:29]
As we communicate with God, our Father, it is good to know what
His promises to us are. If we don't know them, how can we stand on
them? It is important to know that we can ask according to His
declared will and the answer will always be YES! As this verse states,
His promises already have a stamp on them that reads "So be it"
(Amen)! What confidence we can have as we ask God to make His promises
affective in our lives. Begin today by finding promises in God's Word to
attach to your specific requests. Write them out and then memorize
them. Your faith will grow, along with your desire to pray, as you
see the promises of God made good in your own life! [In His Time;
Walk With Wisdom]
Standing On The Promises
All of us have times in life when a crisis or problem seems
larger than we can possibly bear, and we become very fearful. Often,
however, the Lord has to get our attention through such an adversity to
cause us once more to rely solely on His promises.
Bible scholars have pointed out that the phrase "fear not"
appears in the Bible 365 times--a reassuring promise for each day of the
year. A daily dependence upon the divine promises is the only real
remedy for our human fears. Often even well-intentioned parents make
hasty promises to their children, promises they are unable to fulfill.
How different are the promises of God! They are "yea and amen," the
only assurances on which we can securely stand..... Only as we stand
on God's promises are we enabled to live with purpose for God's
glory.
Standing on the promises of Christ my King, thru eternal
ages let His praises ring; glory in the highest I will shout and
sing, standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling
storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God I shall
prevail, standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, bound to Him
eternally by love's strong cord, overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword,
standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I now can see perfect, present
cleansing in the blood for me; standing in the liberty where Christ makes
free, standing on the promises of God,
Standing on the promises" I cannot fall, list'ning ev'ry
moment to the Spirit's call, resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God.
Chorus: Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God
my Savior. Standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of
God.
Claim a scriptural promise as especially for you this day.
Live confidently in its truth. Carry this tune as a reminder -
standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior. Standing,
standing, I'm standing on the promises of God. [Amazing Grace by Kenneth
Osbeck]
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