While the Liberal Democrats have been focusing on the NHS and social care, the cost of living, civil liberties and human rights, Reform UK have focused on reducing the welfare bill and increasing border controls. The Conservatives, meanwhile, are seeking to win back votes from Reform UK and present themselves once again as the party of lower taxes, smaller government, stronger borders, and enterprise. Labour’s big proposal was the establishment of a new national care service.
Each will no doubt produce a manifesto filled with promises for the future – promises which may or may not ever come to fruition. Plans for which the funding remains elusive and the means to deliver them remains unspecified. When it comes to politics, it appears that promises are made to be broken, and political pledges are reneged upon when they become inconvenient.
The Bible, however, tells us that there is One who never reneges on His promises; One whom Scripture describes as faithful to all that He has promised (Hebrews 10:23).
God promises to listen to those who call on Him[1] and to comfort those who mourn.[2] He promises to bring ultimate justice where there is wrongdoing[3] and to lift those who humble themselves before Him.[4] He promises that He will never abandon His followers but will be with them through every trial right on to the end.[5] He promises that He will be found by those who seek Him with all their hearts[6] and that He will reward those who pursue a relationship with Him through faith.[7]
In Romans 8:38,39, He promises that neither death nor life, angels nor principalities, powers, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate His people from His love in Christ Jesus. Furthermore, He promises forgiveness for the past,[8] peace in present circumstances,[9] and the certain hope of eternal life to those who believe in Christ.[10] These are promises worth holding on to.
Paul, one of the writers of the New Testament, discusses his hope of eternal life, which is based on a promise made before the world began by a God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). In his letter to the church in the ancient city of Corinth, he reassures them that “All the promises of God in Him [Christ] are yes and in Him Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). As soon as they are declared, they are as good as done.
One promise was made to a Philippian jailer who, believing that his prisoners had escaped and knowing that he would be sentenced to death, was about to take his own life. In despair, he asked the question, "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). He had heard his two prisoners praising God even in the midst of their suffering. Having now come to the end of himself, and realising he was a sinner without a Saviour and without hope, he wanted to know how he too could be saved.
The answer was simple and uncomplicated:
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Note that this was not speculation but a firm promise. Not “you might be saved” or “you could be saved” but “you will be saved”. The same promise is made to you today.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”
The promises of the politicians will come and go and are, at times, hardly worth the paper they are written on. For One whose promises can be relied upon, we must turn away from our politicians and away from ourselves and turn towards a God who is faithful and true. He can be trusted with something much greater than our economy, our defence, our health service, or our border security – the eternal destiny of our never-dying souls.
[1] Psalm 145:18,19
[2] Matthew 5:4
[3] Romans 12:19
[4] James 4:10
[5] Hebrews 13:5
[6] Jeremiah 29:13
[7] Hebrews 11:6
[8] Ephesians 1:7
[9] John 14:27; Philippians 4:6,7
[10] John 3:36
