Having looked at the promise of God, we now consider the oath and seal that confirm and fortify the promise.

God’s promise confirmed by God’s oath

Although God’s promises are immutable (certain and unchangeable), nevertheless God has seen fit to confirm his promise with an oath.

"For when God made the promise to Abraham, since God could swear by no one greater, he swore upon himself... God was desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his purpose. God guaranteed [his promise] with an oath so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we... would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us" (Heb 6:13-20)

This oath is confirmed in the Psalms. "The Lord has sworn, and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Psa 110:4).

God’s promise guaranteed by God’s seal

Paul says that God’s promises are “yes” and “Amen”. That is to say, God's promises are affirmed and true on their own. When God makes a promise, it is impossible for God to lie. The promise by itself would have done. Yet, as we have seen, God wanted to guarantee his promise with an oath. But there's more! God has seen fit to further confirm and guarantee his promise with a seal.

"For all the promises of God in him are the “Yes” and in him the “Amen”... God is the one who establishes us with you in Christ, and he has annointed us, he has also sealed us, and given us the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts... After listening to the message of truth... having also believed, you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance..." (2Co 1:20-22, Eph 1:13-14).

This seal is the third of the triad —promise, oath, seal— so not only do we have the promise or message of truth itself, not only do we have God's own oath to confirm that promise, but also we have this seal of the Holy Spirit given to us, as it were a deposit or downpayment.

Home | Bible Topics | The Hub | List | Next