For a christian to be balanced in their understanding of the bible, God, and everything else in the world...
They must put more weight on the promises of God instead of their own works.
When God has made a promise, the christian should always call this to mind, instead of focusing on their works.
The christian who doesnt do this, will find themselves believing and teaching others false doctrine.
Why is this the case?
For one, God is God. Man is not.
Even though there is a responsibility upon man to obey God, man is not God.
Man's work cannot over turn the promises of God.
The balance is not equal 50/50.
Let's look at some examples.
In Genesis, God makes a promise to Adam.
On the day that he eats from the fruit of the tree of good and evil - dying, he will die.
People who walk in error, will say that this is a conditional promise. That life and death is conditioned of the work that man does, which would be the eating of the fruit.
While it is true that there is a conditional element to the promise, the unconditional element has more weight to it.
Once adam ate the fruit, could he do anything to stop the promise of death from coming to pass? No he couldn't.
Why? Because the promises of God will come to pass.
Notice, this is why death didnt enter when eve ate the fruit. Who was the promise of death made to? Adam.
Who is responsible for death? Its not eve, nor is it satan. The bible tells us that it was adam.
But what do we see happen?
Just like those who dont put more weight on the promise of God, and walk in error - at seeing that eve didnt die when she ate the fruit - adam, did not bring to mind the promise that God made to him.
When he eats the fruit... dying, he would die.
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Lets look at another example.
God promises that He would flood the earth, as creation has become so corrupted by the wickedness of men.
He commands noah to build an ark.
God even tells him how long it would be before the flood would come.
Is there anything that man could have done to prevent the flood? No
If noah didnt finish building the ark in time, would that stop God's plans? No
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One more example.
God told abraham that his wife, sarah, would bear him a child.
God didnt initially say when that would happen.
Simply that it would happen.
Up to that point, they couldnt have children. They were going to make one of their servants their heir.
When God makes the promise, abraham believes Him. At this point, abraham was around 75 years old.
However, years pass, and sarah is still not pregnant.
God repeats the promise two more times.
By the time abraham is around 85, abraham no longer believes that his son will come from sarah, his wife.
His wife gives him, her servant to have a child with. Abraham's first son is born to abraham when he's 86.
He fully believes that this is the son that God has promised him.
Its about 13 years later, when abraham is 99, that God repeats His promise once again.
When he hears the promise, not only does he laugh at the thought of sarah having a child, but he lifts up ishmael as the one as if he's the promised child.
Did abraham's actions and disbelief in the promise of God, make God's promise void? Of course not.
The promise of God is a declaration of what will happen.
Even when there are aspects of the promise that are conditional, one must consider that the promise is a sure thing that will happen.
When we don't pay attention to the promise of God, our understanding of scripture becomes faulty.
We see this in our understanding of of esau and jacob.
Its often taught that jacob and his mother conspired and stole esau's birthright and blessing.
This is actually wrong. The promise of God was told to isaac and rebekah.
The blessing was rightfully for jacob, not esau.
Rebekah and jacob were walking according to the revealed will of God, according to the promise.
Esau and isaac, were not.
The blessing couldnt have been given to esau from day one, because of the promise of God.
This is why esau received the blessing he did, and jacob, the one he did.
The blessing comes from God. Its not simply speaking positive things over them, like many ppl do today.
Isaac was pronouncing the word of God to them. And God knew that jacob was pretending to be esau because isaac was going against the will of God by intending to give the blessing to esau instead of jacob.
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The christian is called to be obedient to the commands of God.
God has created us for that purpose.
However, we must always aware of the promises of God given to us in the scriptures.
He promises to keep us. To never leave nor forsake us. That we cannot be lost or perish.
And that He will discipline us, as a loving father does to his child.
The promises of God are the revealed will of God for our lives.
They are the lamp to our feet and the light to our path.
When we place the proper emphasis on the promises of God, then and only then can we sing along with King David.
Psalms 23:1-6 (ESV) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Amen
