The “yes” Of God

The “Yes” of God

All of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” 2 Corinthians 1:20

WE COME TO GOD’S PROMISES with many questions, concerns about meeting his conditions, wariness about the precise context of his words, and suspicions of theological fine print behind them. Does the promise apply to us? Does the situation fit? Have we done everything we can to qualify for it? All of these questions create uncertainty and undermine our faith. And all of them are legitimate if we are praying in our own name. But because we are praying in Jesus’ name—i.e., from his own identity—then these questions are redirected toward him. And he is worthy of every fulfillment of God’s promises without qualification.

This liberating, motivating truth is included in Paul’s statement about Jesus being the “yes” and “amen” of God’s promises. They all apply to him, and we are in him. Gone is the fear that we might not qualify. Gone is the disorienting search for context to figure out whether God’s goodness applies to us or someone else. Gone is the question of whether all the conditions have been met. If a promise was meant for God’s people at a certain place and time, and God’s people ultimately find their identity in Jesus, then it was meant for all who are in Jesus. If it was conditional on obedience to the law or some deeper standard of righteousness, and Jesus fulfilled the law and all righteousness, then it is meant for all who are in Jesus. If it is part of the inheritance of the Son, then it is part of the inheritance of those who are in the Son. We receive whatever Jesus stands to inherit (Romans 8:17), and he inherits everything (Hebrews 1:2).

Jesus is the “yes” of God to all our needs. That doesn’t mean we need nothing but Christ—no food, no protection, no fulfillment or satisfaction. It means that our needs are answered by him, in him, and through him. He is the mediator of God’s provision in every area of our lives, and we only need to add an “amen” in faith. We don’t have to twist God’s arm when we pray. We can assume he is on our side because he is in Jesus, who is in us, fulfilling all of his Word.

Jesus Christ is God’s everything for man’s total needs.