Folia Theologica et Canonica 10. 32/24 (2021)

Sacra theologia

FOLIA THEOLOGICA ET CANONICA (2021) 35-47

Attila Thord ay

I AM WITH YOU EVERY DAY...

(GOD’S PROMISES ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES)

I. The nature of the promise; II. Holiness of God; III. The promise received in faith; IV. The covenant promises; V. The alliance as a commitment; VI. The requirements of the Sinai tradition; VII. The promises of the Messiah and their fulfilment; VIII. Jesus Christ, the

BEARER OF ALL PROMISES; CONCLUSION: HEIRS OF THE PROMISES

Keywords: self-giving, supreme promise, revelatory character, fullness of the promises is realized in Christ

Promise is a key word in the language of love. It means both to promise and to secure a gift - whether it be an object or a presence, an action or a self-giving - for the other partner. It means that you can count on us, that you are not alone in your struggles, that you are not without means or presence, and that you can trust in being kindly supported by us. The content and the keeping of the promise are a source of strength: they give strength in the midst of present difficulties and provide perspective and a safe space in the relationship between persons.

We are convinced that God’s supreme promise is not to abandon man, but to walk with him on the pilgrimage of life, even if he is a sinner. God himself, in his open approach to every human being, offers this promise: whatever God says and whatever miracles he performs, the primary purpose of all these is to bring him closer to his beloved creation, without taking away its freedom. He opens your heart and soul, knocks on your door and waits patiently for the answer: he wants to be in living dialogue with you. God’s promises testify to his humanity and his care for humankind, and his desire to enter into a closer and more living dialogue with his creature, who he promises to seek. The main thrust of our study is to point out that all of God’s many promises in the Scriptures are in fact the fulfilment of his one basic promise. Given that interpersonal relationships should be based only on reciprocity, man’s proper response to God’s relational initiative is to rely only on Him in faith. On the other hand, we can confidently assert that His promise is ready to be fulfilled even without our efforts of faith. Our study of God’s promises is therefore about this one