by Greg Koukl
The promises of God are both “precious and magnificent” (2 Peter 1:4). But I think twice when people claim them.
Promises are frequently abused. A promise not carefully tethered to the details of the text becomes an empty exercise of relativistic wishful thinking.
A biblical promise is a binding pledge from God to do—or not do—something specific. If the promise is made to you, you have a right to expect God to keep His word. If you are not the rightful owner, though, you may not lay claim to it. Those promises made to another can lead to disappointment and discouragement if unintended for you.
The promises of God are both “precious and magnificent” (2 Peter 1:4). But I think twice when people claim them.
Promises are frequently abused. A promise not carefully tethered to the details of the text becomes an empty exercise of relativistic wishful thinking.
A biblical promise is a binding pledge from God to do—or not do—something specific. If the promise is made to you, you have a right to expect God to keep His word. If you are not the rightful owner, though, you may not lay claim to it. Those promises made to another can lead to disappointment and discouragement if unintended for you.
