2 Corinthians 1:20

The promises referred to here are evidently the ones that have found their fulfillment in Christ. God was completely trustworthy, not 90 percent or 95 percent reliable in fulfilling these promises. Therefore the promises of God (2 Corinthians 1:18) as well as the Son of God (2 Corinthians 1:19) demonstrate consistency.

In view of the faithfulness of God, the only proper response is "Amen!" ("Let it be so!"). The early Christians commonly spoke this word in unison in their meetings to affirm the truthfulness of what someone had said (1 Corinthians 14:16). They addressed God through (in the name of) Jesus Christ.

"How illogical, then, while by their ’Amen’ attesting the trustworthiness of God, to suspect the trustworthiness of the apostle who taught them to do so! Any charge of inconsistency must be leveled at them, not him." [Note: Ibid., p. 38.]

"In short, Paul has argued in 2 Corinthians 1:18-20 that as God is faithful, so, too, is Paul’s ’word.’ His personal ’word’ is subsumed within his kerygmatic ’word.’ God’s faithfulness is to be seen (1) in the Son of God preached in Corinth as God’s unambiguous, unretracted, and now-eternal ’Yes,’ and (2) in the fact of all the promises of God having been kept in the Son of God, as proclaimed by the apostles. Likewise ’faithful’ is the ’word’ of Paul, the minister of the God who speaks unambiguously (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:13) and who keeps his promises. Their very existence is predicated on it." [Note: Barnett, p. 110.]