God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. [Psalm 18.30]
There is so much that can be said about this passage from the Psalms!
David's confidence in God is amazing. In this Psalm, he speaks of God's unlimited power on his behalf. He declares God's providence upon his life in delivering him from his enemies.
David also makes some incredible claims about his innocence.
The LORD rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees. I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. The LORD rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence. [Psalm 18.20-24]
Frankly, I question the chronology as the OYCB places this Psalm. It seems to me it would fit right after Saul's demise but before David's adulterous and murderous ordeal with Bathsheba and Uriah respectively.
The thing is, Psalm 18.30 is as powerful for God's vengeance as it is for His mercy. The promises of God include every promised blessing for obedience, but also necessarily include every promised curse for disobedience. God's promises prove true!
Here is where the modern Church has enormously and tragically failed. The Church is all about God's promises when it comes to blessings, but seems to ignore the promises about curses. In other words, we have no problem rejoicing in the blessing of God when things are good. However, we rarely, if ever, conclude that curses are attached to disobedience. And, we certainly don't associate curses with our need for repentance but instead account for it as the "fallen world" we live in. And, this is where the "faith movement" has only compounded the problem...
If God's promises indeed all prove true, and, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law...
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]
...then, even if we claim "New Testament grace through faith," should we not have even greater alarm that curses remain on our lives? Should not lingering curses upon our lives clearly indicate the complete failure of our alleged faith?
And, thus knowing God's attitude about faith...
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. [Hebrews 11.6]
...shouldn't we be repenting when that faith obviously fails to transcend curses that come against us?
Satan is not going to stop accusing us and dishing out curses. His only purpose is to steal, kill and destroy and he accomplishes that through lies. Even if we sin thus giving him full authority to unleash curses, but then we confess Jesus, why do curses still mostly remain unchecked? Oh, there are a few deliverances seen, but nothing like in Jesus' day. In Jesus' own words, "Where is your faith?"
But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. [Romans 14.23 NKJV]
If whatever we do faith-wise doesn't work, then it is NOT faith.
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. [James 2.17]
And so, if it is NOT faith, then it is sin. AND IF IT IS SIN, WE NEED TO REPENT!
Real faith is more than an abstract word! Real faith is evident in the production of good deeds. Jesus did good deeds and said His followers would do the same... Let that soak in.
All God's promises prove true. No theology or doctrine can dispute this. God "promised" that sin leads to every curse (death) as much as He "promised" that obedience leads to every blessing (life). If we genuinely believed this, there would be a LOT more repentance in the Church today than the nightclub-like atmosphere, trendy study series, and coffee and donuts that have become so popular. The faith defined in Hebrews chapter 11 has nothing to do with comfort.
God's promises are indeed all true - both His promises upon obedience AND His promises upon disobedience. God forbid that we should discount curses as anything less than notification that we need to repent! Satan is not the problem, we are. He's just the liar that has convinced us to put it on spiritual cruise control (complacency toward real faith as Jesus demonstrated), ignoring every road sign (curses that indicate there is an eternal 'bridge out' ahead), all the while racing ahead in the spiritual distraction of complacent (albeit popular and comfortable) religion.
Father, please help us to awake from the slumber induced by Satan that has dulled our senses to the need for repentance in our lives.
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