Is God Obligated to keep a Promise ?

[franky67]

Well, is He ?

[Jimbeaux]

Why do I feel like this is bait in a trap? ;)

~Jim

Real heroes are people who rise to the occasion then slip quietly away. ~Tom Brokaw

[JimfromOhio]

If you are talking about eternal salvation, God's promise is eternal because Christ is the mediator of the covenant, that we receive the promised eternal inheritance. With that promise, as a Christian, I always thank God continually for my guarantee of my spiritual security and freedom in Christ. I love this verse, Titus 1:2 that said "a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time."

Paul wrote, "For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come" (1Tim 4:8).

However, the Bible and the Holy Spirit clearly taught me that God didn't merely promise me that temporal good will come out of difficult situations but did promised that whatever I do during my trials that God will be with me with his powerful GRACE.

[ShammahBenJudah]

LOL, of course He is. But many promises have conditions attached to them. If we don't know what they are or how to meet them, we won't necessarily receive the promise, though. Is this a good place to insert...we perish for lack of knowledge?

[franky67]

LOL, of course He is. But many promises have conditions attached to them. If we don't know what they are or how to meet them, we won't necessarily receive the promise, though. Is this a good place to insert...we perish for lack of knowledge?

All the conditions were met by Christ. IMHO

[JimfromOhio]

God's Promise which God has entered guarantees reconciliation. We are reconciled to God. God's gracious new will—His promise—guarantees pardon. We may be restored into the household of God by faith.

Quote from A.W. Tozer "Certain extremists, to encourage faith, teach that God has made a unilateral covenant from which He cannot escape, and all we need to do is to believe to assure our getting anything we want. Such teaching is in radical contradiction to the letter as well as the spirit of the Holy Scriptures."

unilateral1 a : done or undertaken by one person or party b : of, relating to, or affecting one side of a subject : ONE-SIDED c : constituting or relating to a contract or engagement by which an express obligation to do or forbear is imposed on only one party 2 a : having parts arranged on one side b : occurring on, performed on, or affecting one side of the body or one of its parts 3 : UNILINEAL 4 : having only one side In the culture of Abraham's day, covenants or contracts were made by two the parties walking between the halves of an animal.

God used the same practice but left Abraham out of the covenant-making process by making a unilateral covenant with Himself. Symbolized by fire and smoke, God passed alone through the animals Abraham had sacrificed and vowed to bless the patriarch's nation. That act made His promise unconditional because God could never break a promise He made with Himself.

[didaskalos]

The word "obligated" is here misplaced. It is like asking if God is obligated to be perfect or if He is "obligated" to be love.
He just is. And to pit one of His virtues (immutability) against another (sovereignty) as some do is sophomoric. In their minds they imagine they are making some deep and profound point.

Is an "all sovereign" God so sovereign that He does not "have to" keep his own word?

[JimfromOhio]

The word "obligated" is here misplaced. It is like asking if God is obligated to be perfect or if He is "obligated" to be love.
He just is. And to pit one of His virtues (immutability) against another (sovereignty) as some do is sophomoric. In their minds they imagine they are making some deep and profound point.

Is an "all sovereign" God so sovereign that He does not "have to" keep his own word?
Sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise choice that man's will is free because God is sovereign. Ezekiel 12:28 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=12&verse=28&version=31&context=verse) 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign LORD.' "

[didaskalos]

Sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise choice that man's will is free because God is sovereign. Ezekiel 12:28 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=12&verse=28&version=31&context=verse) 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign LORD.' "
Exactly

[SpiritPsalmist]

Well, is He ?

If God made the promise...yes. Note that there are two kinds of promises. One promise is "blessed, if you do" and the other is "cursed if you don't".

When we look at scripture we read that God made many promises based on the behavior of the promisee. It really had little to do with spiritual salvation...which as stated in an earlier post that the conditions of salvation were met with finality with the dying of Jesus on the cross. However the form our lives often take, I believe are very much dependant on whether we choose to obey or disobey the way that God spells out for us to live so that we can be fruitful and blessed.

[JimfromOhio]

Exactly

I am glad you agreed. :thumbsup:

Romans 8:28 says, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." All things are controlled by God to work together to fulfill His eternal purpose for His Will. His sovereignty reserves the right to heal or not to heal as He sees fit (1 Peter 3:17, 1 Peter 4:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:18).

In Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 20:24 A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?

One of the greatest and most essential attributes of God is His sovereignty; God rules over all things and controls all things. 'Providence" means God’s faithful, moment-by-moment control over everything He has made to ensure that everything He has created are going according to His will. He is active in every detail of it. He’s active at every moment. He doesn’t stand back and let things happen because He decides to intervene if something or someone is not going according to His will. He governs the world moment-by-moment through providence, so that everything that happens, every detail of our life occurs by God's divine providence or by God’s express permission. He is in control of everything. Even the bad things that happen to us are circumscribed by a loving providence and God promises to use them all for our ultimate good. There is a verse in the Bible that God promises that there won’t be anything so bad happen to us that we’re not able to bear it. God does everything--He governs everything.” God doesn’t just sit back and wait until He wants to act and then do it through a miracle.” God constantly intervenes in our lives through providence.

[franky67]

Is an "all sovereign" God so sovereign that He does not "have to" keep his own word?


Yes, agreed, The question in the OP was prompted by the statement of a well known paraplegic who made said this ,

"I know God can heal, but He is not obligated to."

As if God makes the decision to heal on an individual case basis, NO, NO, NO, God made the decision when He sent His son to earth, no He made it earlier than that.

[JimfromOhio]

Yes, agreed, The question in the OP was prompted by the statement of a well known paraplegic who made said this ,

"I know God can heal, but He is not obligated to."

As if God makes the decision to heal on an individual case basis, NO, NO, NO, God made the decision when He sent His son to earth, no He made it earlier than that.

The outcome is not based on our own faith alone nor our will but rather God's will for our lives. Faith is not self-effort but rather from within. Our actions cannot control His decisions however our actions can lead to other plans that He has for us.

[didaskalos]

Amen
Bottom line.
If God can change His mind, make arbitrary decisions, and treat some one way and others another (all in the name of "sovereignty")... then what is our basis for faith? How do we know what to believe? How do we know that what God said and what we are believing has not changed? How can we know or believe anything?
He said whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Maybe He changed His mind back in 1733 AD and this is no longer true? Maybe He decided that there are far to many women in heaven when compared to men, and so He is no longer saving women until the men catch up? How do we know that He has not flip flopped on the whole thing and now He is only saving those who do NOT call upon the name of the Lord?
How do you know????

[JimfromOhio]

Amen
Bottom line.
If God can change His mind, make arbitrary decisions, and treat some one way and others another (all in the name of "sovereignty")... then what is our basis for faith? How do we know what to believe? How do we know that what God said and what we are believing has not changed? How can we know or believe anything?
He said whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Maybe He changed His mind back in 1733 AD and this is no longer true? Maybe He decided that there are far to many women in heaven when compared to men, and so He is no longer saving women until the men catch up? How do we know that He has not flip flopped on the whole thing and now He is only saving those who do NOT call upon the name of the Lord?
How do you know????
Learning from great faiths in the Bible, I saw that circumstances did not control them; it is their reaction to circumstances that determined what kind of people they were and most importantly, how faithful they were. They made decisions they felt it is God's will however, circumstances made them change directions. Many people forget and often try to do their own ways circumstances happens that they never stop and think. One side of the coin is that experiences may be viewed as coming from God to bring out the BEST in us (See: Gen. 22:1-2, 15-18; Hebrews 11:17). On the other side of the coin, expriences attempts to tempt us and trials to bring out the WORST in us (see: James 1:13-14).

Trials are intended to train Christians out of their worldly security and awaken them to the fact that they are to TRUST God during their trials or fall but at the same time, don't trust yourself or trust your faith. TRUST GOD. In the book of James, the entire letter is about living faith during trials and list the tests intended to reveal the legitimacy of someone's faith.

God changes our directions according to His will.

[didaskalos]

Nice post.
But it has absolutely nothing to do with my post that you quoted.
Nice post tho!

Learning from great faiths in the Bible, I saw that circumstances did not control them; it is their reaction to circumstances that determined what kind of people they were and most importantly, how faithful they were. They made decisions they felt it is God's will however, circumstances made them change directions. Many people forget and often try to do their own ways circumstances happens that they never stop and think. One side of the coin is that experiences may be viewed as coming from God to bring out the BEST in us (See: Gen. 22:1-2, 15-18; Hebrews 11:17). On the other side of the coin, expriences attempts to tempt us and trials to bring out the WORST in us (see: James 1:13-14).

Trials are intended to train Christians out of their worldly security and awaken them to the fact that they are to TRUST God during their trials or fall but at the same time, don't trust yourself or trust your faith. TRUST GOD. In the book of James, the entire letter is about living faith during trials and list the tests intended to reveal the legitimacy of someone's faith.

God changes our directions according to His will.

[JimfromOhio]

Nice post.
But it has absolutely nothing to do with my post that you quoted.
Nice post tho!
Of course it does but you will deny this anyway.

[Tamara224]

I agree with Dids (wonder of wonders) that the word "obligated" is misplaced here. If God makes a promise, He keeps it. Whether He's obligated to is immaterial. He just does.

But oftentimes people imagine God promised things He didn't promise.

And God is certainly not "obligated" to keep promises people imagined He made. Nor is He "obligated" to extend promises to everyone that He only promised to one person, or a few people, as some presume He will.

[Faithful Love]

LOL, of course He is. But many promises have conditions attached to them. If we don't know what they are or how to meet them, we won't necessarily receive the promise, though. Is this a good place to insert...we perish for lack of knowledge?


Full of truth! Good post!:thumbsup:

[Faithful Love]

Yes, agreed, The question in the OP was prompted by the statement of a well known paraplegic who made said this ,

"I know God can heal, but He is not obligated to."

As if God makes the decision to heal on an individual case basis, NO, NO, NO, God made the decision when He sent His son to earth, no He made it earlier than that.


Yes, He did, thank You, Lord!:bow: The reason so many do not receive their healing is because they don't really believe what God said and did.:o

[FaultySurplus]

Since God has perfect foreknowledge, why would He bother to make a promise He knows in advance He wouldn't keep. So in essence, the promise would be a lie, and God cannot lie (Heb 6:18). The question is moot.

[JimfromOhio]

The reason so many do not receive their healing is because they don't really believe what God said and did.:o

That statement is based on a man's doctrine.

[didaskalos]

I agree with Dids (wonder of wonders) ...

Dial 911!

Get the trama unit in here STAT!

Dids just fell out! :o



Call the National Guard, notify the CDC, the Office of Home Security, and get the president on the line!!!!! :groupray:




All right whoever you are.... who are you really, and what have you done with Tamara????:mad:

[ShammahBenJudah]

All the conditions were met by Christ. IMHO

Well, in a sense I agree. All the "conditions" are met as we walk IN Christ. But being saved and being fully IN Christ can be two different things.

The thing to look for either in direct word or by context is the statement, "If you shall...then God will..."

[razzelflabben]

I have read so many good answers here, but let me cut to the chase a bit, the bible tells us God is Love. One of the ways God shows us HIs love is by keeping His promises. It's His way of saying "I Love You". But what few people grasp is that sometimes we die in the flesh before we receive the promise. Read Heb. 11 for a beautiful picture of this. And according to Heb. 11, it is faith that allows us to die in the physical body and still know that God's promise is true.

Now, this is also why many believe that death is the ultimate healing. Because they hold firm by faith that God's promises will be fulfilled. No questions, no wavering, no doubt. But when they see that some people are not physically healed at their requests, they are faced with the question, does God honor HIs promises? (Which by the way would be the better way to ask the question) They do not doubt this because God Loves and Love honors promises made. Therefore, when we couple God love with Heb. 11 we must come to the conclusion that healing might be more than we can understand in our physical form. That healing might be more than physical in nature and that our physical bodies might, just might, in accordance with the scriptures, extend into the spiritual world.

Just some thoughts for what their worth.

[victoryword]

Seems to be a lot of conjecture and half-truths on both sides of this debate.

First, the Bible teaches that God obligates himself to keep His promises. See Psalm 89:33-35; Num. 23:19; Heb. 6:17-19; Titus 1:1-2 and numerous others.

Second, God does change His mind when conditions are not met. When He delivered the Israelites from Egypt He promised every one of them to go into the promised land. However, after the 12 spies incident in Num. 14 God changed His mind about this promise. Only Joshua, Caleb and the younger generation went. God has changed His mind numerous times when people failed to meet His conditions. God sets the principle for divine mind change in Jer. 18:7-10. It has nothing to do with so called foreknowledge. It has everything to do with the plain statements of the Bible. We can argue philosophically all day long but the Bible says what it says and I must accept it.

Third, God has conditions He expects to be met even in the New Testament. It is too simplistic to say that Jesus already fulfilled all conditions. This is not completely accurate. For example, the Apostle John says:

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 3:22)
A condition is made plain and clear in this New Testament/New Covenant passage. One cannot expect to receive the benefits of this promise if one fails to meet its conditions. This is just one of many examples in the new Testament.

Fourth, healing is indeed a clear promise made in both testaments and it is only a wonder to me that people use the "sovereignty" card to deny this benefit for themselves and others and to excuse the lack of visible results in their lives. Whether people are saved or not, God has promised salvation to those who meet his conditions (Rom. 10:9, 10). TULIP theology lies to us by telling us that God has unconditionally elect a certain few. Many, even anti-TULIP people, have bought into the same lie concerning the promises of healing. James 5:14-16 is one example of a promise that guarantees healing if conditions are met. It takes a lot of verbal gymnastics to explain away the clear language.

Fifth, it often amazes me that someone would say that faith being the basis for receiving healing and lack of it is the possible basis for not receiving it would call such a "man's doctrine." Yet, in nearly 98% of the healings jesus did, He credited them to the person's faith or the faith of someone close to the person. He also was unable to do dramatic healings in one place due to lack of faith (Mark 6:5, 6). James says that healing is the result of praying in faith (James 5:14-16) and that wisdom is denied due to lack of faith (James 1:5-7). Therefore, it is NOT a man's doctrine, it is a BIBLE doctrine.

Sixth, people imagine that god did NOT promise a lot of things even though those things they claim He did not promise are made plain and clear in the Bible. I believe that many here just simply deny the Bible while claiming it to be the truth. A lot of syllogistic logic is used to make their denial of the bible appear to be an actual affirmation of it. The unwary reader could be easily deceived by the consistent logic. By God's grace I am not one of them and I am able to see through their unbiblical philosophy.

This was fun. Any questions?

[victoryword]

I am glad you agreed. :thumbsup:

Romans 8:28 says, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." All things are controlled by God to work together to fulfill His eternal purpose for His Will. His sovereignty reserves the right to heal or not to heal as He sees fit (1 Peter 3:17, 1 Peter 4:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:18).

These are the usual refutable prooftexts of those who would deny that God has made promises that can actually be appropriated. In order to deny the explicit privilege that every child of God is able to claim God's promises (when conditions are met), one must appeal to passages that seem to imply an all-controlling sovereignty. Let us look at your first one.

The passage itself primarily deals with the burden of intercession that will be expressed in groanings or birth pangs that are difficult to express in human language (Gal. 4:19). However the Holy Spirit chooses to assist us, this is the basic meaning of the context in Romans 8. He is our Paraclete and He is here to assist us. The James Moffat Translation strengthens this point:

So to the Spirit assists us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray aright, but the Spirit pleads for us with sighs that are beyond words, and He who searches the human heart knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, since the Spirit pleads before God for the saints. We know also that those who love God, those who have been called in terms of his purpose, have his aid and interest in everything (Romans 8:26-28; The James Moffatt Translation)

Moffat understands, and it can be seen from the context, that Romans 8:28 is teaching that the Spirit is come to supply His aid and interest in everything. However, the Holy Spirit is “a gentleman” and does not force His aid upon us. He requires our cooperation.


In Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 20:24 A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?


This is not proof that every thing that happens is the will of god. If it were true then this passage is direct contradiction with other passages of Scripture. For example, Isaiah 55:7-11 tells us that God's thoughts and ways are in contrast to the thoughts and ways of evil men. God says in that passage that He has nothing to do with them. Jer. 19:5 and 32:35 says that the evil that the Israelites had done had not entered into God's mind nor had He commanded it.

Therefore, it is better to understand the Poverbs as saying that God is able to override and overcome any plan that man has that would attempt to thwart God's ultimate plan. Remember that the next time you try to use that passage to prove an all controlling sovereignty.


One of the greatest and most essential attributes of God is His sovereignty; God rules over all things and controls all things. 'Providence" means God’s faithful, moment-by-moment control over everything He has made to ensure that everything He has created are going according to His will. He is active in every detail of it. He’s active at every moment. He doesn’t stand back and let things happen because He decides to intervene if something or someone is not going according to His will. He governs the world moment-by-moment through providence, so that everything that happens, every detail of our life occurs by God's divine providence or by God’s express permission. He is in control of everything. Even the bad things that happen to us are circumscribed by a loving providence and God promises to use them all for our ultimate good. There is a verse in the Bible that God promises that there won’t be anything so bad happen to us that we’re not able to bear it. God does everything--He governs everything.” God doesn’t just sit back and wait until He wants to act and then do it through a miracle.” God constantly intervenes in our lives through providence.

This sounds great from a theological standpoint, but it is direct contrast to the Bible. God most certainly does "wait" for men to act before He performs miracles. Heb. 11:6 tells us that men are not rewarded apart from faith and seeking God. Mat. 7 tells us that we are given only when we ask. James 4:2 tells us the reason we do not receive is due to a lack of asking.

Divine Providence is a nice philosophical/theological doctrine, but if not taught within Biblical terms, it is nothing more than bloated scholastic hot air.

[didaskalos]

Second, God does change His mind when conditions are not met.

Great stuff as usual Troy. balanced reasonable, and well put.

One point.. when conditions are not met and such.
I would not say God changed His mind in these situations. Those contingencies are covered by the word and spelled out very well. So He is not really changing his mind. What happened is in exact accordance with His mind.
We often say that it is always Gods will to heal. When I say that, I am assuming that the conditions that pertain to ALL of us have been fulfilled. But Those conditions are the same for everyone. God does not have one set of conditions for one and a different set of conditions for another. He does not have a different mind for one and a different mind for another, His mind is the same for all and He does not change His mind about those conditions.
So it is most certainly God's will that some be sick, that some be impoverished, that some die, and that some go to hell. All these exist within His will and all according to His conditions. But in every case, His will and the conditions are exactly the same for everyone. And that consistency is what makes faith possible and obedience meaningful.
But this is not what most of those against faith are saying. They are saying that God's will, plan, purposes, and conditions differ from one person to another. They state that if people are sick, it has nothing to do with conditions not being met. They want to say that people are sick by the will AND PLAN of God, and that it is not because they have not met conditions. They effectively say that every believer has a different gospel with different plans, different purposes, and different conditions. Sickness therefore may be the primary and perfect will for an individual. They think that people may not be healed because God does not want them healed. Sickness and even death is a part of His "plan" for them.
So while I agree that it is definitely the will of God for people to be sick and even die when conditions for healing are not met, I do not think that is evidence that God changed his mind.
Peace, and thanks for sharing.
Dids

[victoryword]

Hey Dids

Of course I agree with you in substance. I think we just disagree on the semantics. God's will is indeed a solid will and he is not schizophrenic. He states His ultimate desire for His creatures. For example, it is his will for all to be saved and that none perish (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9) and he states his will for the healing of all (Matt. 8:16, 17; James 5:14-16). Those who are sick remain sick, not because God changed his mind, but because His promise is not appropriated (there could be multiple other reasons but I doubt that any of them have anything to do with a sovereign act on God's part).

On the other hand, the Bible does talk about how god has "repented" or changed His mind in other cases. The judgment He intended to bring on Nineveh is an example. He truly intended this judgment. When they fasted and prayed, God changed his mind about it. That is a positive thing. On the negative side, God changed His mind about allowing most of Israel into the promised land due to their unbelief. The Bible does actually say that in some cases God changes His mind (or changes His plan) when certain conditions are not met.

However, God does not such at a whim. God desires nothing but God for his creatures and does not relent from it. Usually, when we are not experiencing God's good, it is due to our failure. Ttoo much finger pointing at god in the name of "sovereignty."

So we agree in substance if not in language bro. Always enjoy reading your excellent posts. Full of wisdom and Biblical teaching.

[ImmersionX]

Obligation is a word invented by, and defined by man.
No, the word is totally irrelevant to our Lord.
He does what He said he will do.

Peace and God Bless.

[victoryword]

Obligation is a word invented by, and defined by man.
No, the word is totally irrelevant to our Lord.
He does what He said he will do.

Peace and God Bless.

Oh is it now? And you derive this from what source? certainly could not be the BIBLE since you have presented no text to make your case.

Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

Heb 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

Do you know what it means to swear something? Do you know what it means to make an oath? They both mean to bind oneself. That means "obligation." If this is nothing but the language of man and it is meaningless then the Word of Almighty God is meaningless and every Christian should burn their Bibles because their Bibles are meaningless.

However, if god means what he says by the language that is used then why not stop using rhetoric that cannot be backed by scripture, line yourself up with what the Bible says, and begin to live life based on god's Word instead of one's own idea of what god is supposed to be like.

[ImmersionX]

Do you know what it means to swear something? Do you know what it means to make an oath? They both mean to bind oneself.

No...no they don't.

They both mean to bind oneself. That means "obligation."Again, they don't.


Main Entry:oath http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/audio.gif (javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?oath0001.wav=oath'))Pronunciation: \ˈōth\ Function:noun Inflected Form(s):plural oaths http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/audio.gif (javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?oath0002.wav=oaths')) \ˈōthz, ˈōths\Etymology:Middle English ooth, from Old English āth; akin to Old High German eid oath, Middle Irish oethDate:before 12th century 1 a (1): a solemn usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says (2): a solemn attestation of the truth or inviolability of one's words b: something (as a promise) corroborated by an oath2: an irreverent or careless use of a sacred name; broadly : swearword (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swearword)

[/URL]


and

Main Entry:1swear [URL="javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?swear001.wav=swear')"]http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/audio.gif (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swearword)Pronunciation: \ˈswer\ Function:verb Inflected Form(s):swore http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/audio.gif (javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?swear002.wav=swore')) \ˈswȯr\; sworn http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/audio.gif (javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?swear003.wav=sworn')) \ˈswȯrn\; swear·ingEtymology:Middle English sweren, from Old English swerian; akin to Old High German swerien to swear and perhaps to Old Church Slavic svarŭ quarrelDate:before 12th century transitive verb1: to utter or take solemnly (an oath)2 a: to assert as true or promise under oath <a sworn affidavit> <swore to uphold the Constitution> b: to assert or promise emphatically or earnestly <swore he'd study harder next time>3 a: to put to an oath : administer an oath to b: to bind by an oath <swore them to secrecy>4obsolete : to invoke the name of (a sacred being) in an oath5: to bring into a specified state by swearing (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swearing) <swore his life away>intransitive verb1: to take an oath2: to use profane or obscene language : curse (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curse)
— swear·er noun
— swear by : to place great confidence in <swears by his mechanic>

— swear for : to give assurance for : guarantee (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guarantee)

— swear off : to vow to abstain from : renounce (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/renounce) <swear off smoking>




Both from Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

[victoryword]

edit.



You were smart to have edited your post because it was making you look foolish.

[ImmersionX]

Forgot this here:


1bind http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/audio.gif (javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?bind0001.wav=bind'))Pronunciation: \ˈbīnd\ Function:verb Inflected Form(s):bound http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/audio.gif (javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?bind0002.wav=bound')) \ˈbau̇nd\; bind·ingEtymology:Middle English, from Old English bindan; akin to Old High German bintan to bind, Greek peisma cable, Sanskrit badhnāti he tiesDate:before 12th century transitive verb1 a: to make secure by tying b: to confine, restrain, or restrict as if with bonds c: to put under an obligation <binds himself with an oath> d: to constrain with legal authority2 a: to wrap around with something so as to enclose or cover b: bandage (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bandage)3: to fasten round about4: to tie together (as stocks of wheat)5 a: to cause to stick together b: to take up and hold (as by chemical forces) : combine with6: constipate (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constipate)7: to make a firm commitment for <a handshake binds the deal>8: to protect, strengthen, or decorate by a band or binding9: to apply the parts of the cover to (a book)10: to set at work as an apprentice : indenture (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indenture)11: to cause to have an emotional attachment12: to fasten together <a pin bound the ends of the scarf>intransitive verb1 a: to form a cohesive mass b: to combine or be taken up especially by chemical action <antibody binds to a specific antigen>2: to hamper free movement or natural action3: to become hindered from free operation4: to exert a restraining or compelling effect <a promise that binds>


Peace and God Bless.

[ImmersionX]

You were smart to have edited your post because it was making you look foolish.

Thank you for those kind words.
I wish for myself, nor you to "look foolish".

Peace and God Bless.
:thumbsup:

[ImmersionX]

And so...to this overall statement of yours:


Do you know what it means to swear something? Do you know what it means to make an oath? They both mean to bind oneself. That means "obligation."


You are wrong. To "bind" yes you are right in your statement of saying "obligation", but you are wrong in the overall comparison.


Peace and God Bless.

[victoryword]

And so...to this overall statement of yours:





You are wrong. To "bind" yes you are right in your statement of saying "obligation", but you are wrong in the overall comparison.


Peace and God Bless.

I beg to differ. You simply used the wrong dictionary. Observe:

An oath is “a statement by which people give assurance that they have spoken the truth or by which they obligate themselves to perform certain actions.” (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, p. 716)

[JimfromOhio]

I could not respond while I was out since I was in the process of moving into a house that we just bought. I decided to let this and other threads go because it is now in God's hands to direct our minds and hearts to go to the right path of doctrinal beliefs.

However, once I am all moved in, I will start another thread related to this one and discuss doctorinal teachings and beliefs that we get confused when we are relying on the flesh more than spirit. Until then, have a great weekend.

[GreatistheLord]

What I mean is the word itself, and until God publishes a dictionary, you
only have your opinion to back up it's definition.

What I believe is that God's nature makes it impossible to break His word,
but there are always conditions that should be followed, i.e. Faith works through Love, and through Faith and Patience we inherit the promises etc.
These conditions are for everyone and mean that we can have faith that
God hasn't moved the Goalposts. Sorry for repeating other's posts.

BUT, there are cases such as Jonah and Isaiah (2 Kings 20) were God seems to change His mind.

I dont understand this theologically! Can someone explain how I can reconcile these 2 things.


Also, can someone explain which promises 2 Cor 1:20 refer to

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

Is it ALL of them? i.e. including OT promises, and it is correct to say that in
Jesus we have *all things*

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Jon

[JimfromOhio]

Under GRACE, there's no obligation. Just GRACE and God's will.

[GreatistheLord]

Under GRACE, there's no obligation. Just GRACE and God's will.

Sure, but God by His grace, sovereignly sent us Jesus so that His kingdom would be established on Earth. The spiritual kingdom of God was established 2000 years ago, and He gave the church the mandate to bring it here through the Holy Spirit. His will is known ...

preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons, Matt 10:7

The Lord's prayer also shows us God's will - as it is in heaven.

Jon

[Jimbeaux]

Is God Obligated to keep a Promise?

Well, is He ?

Obligated? I do not think of it in terms of obligation. I prefer to think that God is faithful and we can count on Him to keep His promises—Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful (Heb. 10.23)—not that He is under some “obligation" to keep His promise. He will keep His promise because He is faithful, not because He is obligated.

~Jim
If the first step in an argument is wrong everything that follows is wrong.
~C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

[razzelflabben]

Keeping His promises is one of many ways He loves us.