Someone tells you he or she loves you. Should you believe it?
There are a minimum of 4 criteria to examine before believing/relying on a promise:
- Character
Someone told you he/she loves you. Who is this person? Does this person have good character? What has he/she shown in the past/present about who they are? Can you see steady, reliable, consistent good behavior? Is he/she trustworthy?
Or is the person a repeated ax-murderer? (!) Is there a pattern of unfaithfulness with family, friends, school, employer?
- Words
Do the person’s words have credibility? Do those words line up well with who is person is, and what the person has said in the past? Has the person consistently kept their word before?
- Actions
What has the person done to fulfill the past words he/she has spoken? Can you expect actions consistent with their words?
- Promises
Has the person kept their promises in the past? How do you know?
Given those four criteria, should you believe him or her?
Let’s apply those criteria to God.
All four criteria are contained in John 3:16:
For God [what is God’s character?] so loved the world [what God says] that He gave His only Son [what God did] that whosoever believes should not perish but have everlasting life [what God promises}.
- Character
In order to believe Him, God must pass the character test.
The entire Bible tells us about God’s character, and demonstrates His character through His actions. He is holy, almighty, righteous, loving, faithful, merciful, slow to anger, just (and more and more).
Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments. (Psalm 119:137)
- Words
God says He loves the world.
God cannot lie. He is truth. (Titus 1:2; John 14:6)
- Action
Throughout the Bible we see God in action, demonstrating who He is. His actions are consistent with His character.
- Promises
God promises eternal life to believers in Jesus Christ. Should we believe Him?
YES!
God makes many promises throughout His word, the Bible. Many of those promises have already been fulfilled. His consistent faithfulness gives us absolutely certainty that His promises are reliable.
Be thoughtful about people. Absolutely trust God!
