Believe the full extent of the promise

[MW]

Robert Traill (Stedfast Adherence to the Profession of our Faith), Works 3:74:

When a believer believes rightly, he is to believe every thing God says. A great many things we believe, we do not know what they are; we are to believe them notwithstanding. When thou dost believe eternal salvation through Christ Jesus, dost thou know what weight there is in the crown of glory? what entertainment is with them that behold the face of God, and of the Lamb? what is done? what is fed on? and what is enjoyed? what is said within the veil? We know none of these things; but we must believe them notwithstanding. We are to believe the full extent of the promise; that there shall be a performance, though we do not know yet what it shall be. Now we are the sons of God, but it does not yet appear what we shall be. But does that shake their faith? No, says the apostle; we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is, 1 John 3:2.

 

[KeithW]

When thou dost believe eternal salvation through Christ Jesus, dost thou know what weight there is in the crown of glory? what entertainment is with them that behold the face of God, and of the Lamb? what is done? what is fed on? and what is enjoyed? what is said within the veil? We know none of these things; but we must believe them notwithstanding.

There are so many promises which God has clearly given. Our faith is to be grounded on concrete promises that God has declared. Faith starts with knowing what those promises are, then believing that God both has the power to keep His promises, and that He is faithful to keep His promises.

Do you (the reader) have enough promises to read about, ponder on, pray about, and meditate on? Here are some examples.

• Acts 24:15b there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust
• Act 17:31 he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

For new covenant people, here are some of the new covenant promises.

• I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts (Jer 31:33)
• I will be their God, and they shall be my people (Jer 31:33)
• they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them (Jer 31:34)
• I will forgive their iniquity (Jer 31:34)
• I will remember their sin no more (Jer 31:34)
• I will take you from among the heathen (Ezek 36:24)
• I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean (Ezek 36:25)
• from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you (Ezek 36:25)
• A new heart also will I give you (Ezek 36:26)
• a new spirit will I put within you (Ezek 36:26)
• I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh (Ezek 36:26)
• I will put my spirit within you (Ezek 36:27)
• I will cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them] (Ezek 36:27)
• ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers (Ezek 36:28)
• ye shall be my people, and I will be your God (Ezek 36:28)
• I will also save you from all your uncleannesses (Ezek 36:29)
• I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen (Ezek 36:29,30)
• you shall remember your own evil ways, and your doings that [were] not good (Ezek 36:31)
• you shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations (Ezek 36:31)

It is better to focus explicitly on promises God has revealed and made that we are to believe.

Heb. 10:23b for He is faithful that promised​

None of these promises are ours except through Jesus Christ. He that believes on Jesus the Son of God:

• whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)
• He that believeth on him is not condemned (John 3:18)
• He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life (John 3:36)

He that believes not on Jesus the Son of God:

• he that believeth not is condemned already (John 3:18)
• he that believeth not the Son shall not see life (John 3:36)
• there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12)