'Amen'

“Amen”

I was honored to be in pastoral ministry for twenty-eight years before becoming the president of Alaska Bible College nine years ago. When you do the math, twenty-eight years of preaching amounts to approximately 3,360 sermons given over that time. Hearing God’s people say “amen,” to the message of God’s Word that I was proclaiming, was a great encouragement and confirmation of impact these messages were having upon those who were listening. Yet, when I hear a spiritual leader say, “Can I get an amen?” on a regular basis, it can become a little much! “Amen” is actually a Greek word that is transliterated into the English language. It literally means, “so let it be” or “yes, I agree.” I like to say it means, “I’m down with that!” So next time you hear something that you know is true, it is spot on to say “amen,” or “I’m down with that.” You never know, it might be the encouragement that the speaker of truth needed the most at that moment.

The Apostle Paul assumed that people of faith in the Lord Jesus would regularly say, “amen,” when worshiping the Lord in a public setting. In the context of public worship, Paul encouraged the Corinthian believers to use understandable words so that others could say, “amen.” “If you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?” (I Corinthians 14:16, ESV). The Apostle Paul also encouraged the Corinthians to say “amen” when they thought of all of the faithful promises of God has given us in Christ. “For all the promises of God find their “Yes” in Him. That is why we utter our “Amen” to God for His glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20, ESV).

The number of promises of God to humans recorded in the Bible is estimated by some to be over 7000. I do not know whether that number is correct, nor do I believe that every one of those promises can be applied directly to believers in this present age. Some certainly were made to specific individuals or people groups in the past. However, if “amen” has not fallen from your lips recently, let me just list a few of God’s promises that have been made for you and me because of what our Savior, Jesus Christ, accomplished when he died, was buried, and rose again that first “Lord’s Day” 2000 years ago.

If you are a follower of Jesus...

* He will give you a full life! John 10:10

* He will never leave you or abandon you! Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5-8

* God’s mercies are new every morning because He is faithful Lamentation 3:21-23 God will finish His work in us Phil 1:6

* God is able to keep you from falling Jude 24

* You have victory over death I Cor. 15

* You are chosen, holy and dearly loved Col. 3:12

* You have complete joy in Christ Jn 15:11

* You can’t do anything eternally valuable without Him. Jn 15:5

* You have everything you need from Him to live a godly life II Peter 1:3

These are just 10 of his “good and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4). There are many more. These are more than enough reasons to shout, “Amen!”

Dr. David Ley is the President of Alaska Bible College.