Note 12 at 2 Cor. 1:20: The word "promise" occurs in scripture 50 times, "promises" 13 times, "promised" 47 times, and "promisedst" 3 times, for a total of 113 times.

The word "promise" or "promises" (v. 20) carries the idea of a declaration assuring that one will do what he has said. The word "vow" is a synonym. All of God's promises are sure because "God cannot lie" (Heb. 6:18). If God broke His word to us, all creation would self-destruct because it is held together by the power of His Word (Heb. 1:3).

Note 13 at 2 Cor. 1:20: Paul is saying that all the promises of God are true and trustworthy. He doesn't say one thing and mean another. If He promised it, He will do it. He has magnified His word even above His name (Ps. 138:2).

In context, Paul is saying these things because he had told the Corinthians he was coming back to visit them but he hadn't come yet. He didn't want them to think he wasn't a man of his word (see note 9 at v. 17, above). If his word in carnal things could be questioned, then the message he had preached to them could be questioned. He was saying his word was as good as the gospel he had preached.

Like it or not, agree with it or not, people do judge the message we share by our own personal integrity. If we tell people we will do something, we need to do it. This is true all the way from our business dealings to being at a person's house when we told them we would. If that personal integrity is missing, what we are speaks so loudly that the world can't hear what we say.