Originally published on The Electric Gospel on July 13, 2016. Becca wrote this devotion in connection with a workshop on Devotional Writing that I led that summer.
He Cannot Disown Himself
by Becca Rehberger
“I promise I won’t do it again.”
“I promise I’ll get you something.”
“I promise I’ll be there.”
“I promise that I will always love you.”
How many of these promises have we made? How many have we broken? Whether we forgot them, were forced to give them up, or simply lost the desire to keep them, we have all broken the trust of another, whether we used the words “I promise” or not. Broken promises have far-reaching consequences nonetheless, for our relationships with each other and with God.
God does not want our excuses. He clearly states that he expects us to keep our word, without even using an oath to bind it (Matthew 5:27). Some might say that this makes God unfair, to expect so much of us, but he is absolutely holy – he cannot tolerate sin. In fact, Jesus tells us in Matthew, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
Unlike our temporary, broken promises, though, God has kept every promise he has made. That includes the promise to send a Savior, a promise given to all humanity after the first man and woman fell into sin. God promised that this Savior would wash us clean of the brokenness in our lives. Throughout the next several thousand years, God repeated this promise to every generation until he fulfilled it in Jesus.
The apostle Paul wrote of these promises to a young pastor named Timothy. These verses’ nature is uncertain – some think it may have been a hymn that early Christians sang. In any case, it sums up well the promises that God has given to us:
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself (1 Timothy 2:11-13).
“If we died with him, we will also live with him.” Since we were born as enemies of God and opposed to his Word, God also put faith in our hearts. He did this by putting the enemy in us to death, and by creating a new person in its place – one who loves God and wants to do his will (2 Corinthians 5:17).
“If we endure, we will also reign with him.” Though that enemy – the sinful nature – keeps rearing its ugly head, God will be with us as we struggle and overcome sin.
“If we disown him, he will also disown us.” Only one sin can permanently separate us from God: rejecting God’s Word and promises. It’s not because Jesus didn’t take away this sin, but because this sin makes faith impossible. God has promised, however, that he will hold onto us, and that as we listen and take to heart his Word, he will strengthen our hold onto him (John 15:4).
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” If we do sin, we need only to turn back to God for forgiveness, and, out of his deep love for us, he will give it. Because of Jesus, he considers us to be a part of his family, to be his beloved children. Since we are his children, God has promised to take us to his heavenly home, to live with him forever. Since he has kept every promise he has ever made, we know for certain that he will keep this one, too (John 14:3).
What a comfort it is to know that God will keep his promises! Through his promise to send Jesus to save us, God has solved the one question all humanity asks: “What will happen when I die?” Because of these promises, we can be sure that God is not angry with us, but will help, keep, and save us from our sin. And, ultimately, we can be sure that heaven is ours.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for being faithful to your promises. Please forgive us for when we’ve broken our promises to you and to each other. Through your Word, remind us of your promises, and give us the strength to live for you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
