The central promise in the Bible is not "I will forgive you," although of course that promise is there. It is not the promise of life after death, although we are offered that as well. The most frequent promise in the Bible is "I will be with you."
Before Adam and Eve ever sinned or needed forgiveness, they were promised God's presence. He would walk with them in the cool of the day.
The promise came to Enoch, who "walked with God." It was made to Noah, to Abraham and Sarah, to Jacob and Joseph and Moses and David and Amos and Mary and Paul and too many others to list. It is the reason for courage: "Do not be terrified;... for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." It kept them going in darkness: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me."
God gave Israel the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant and manna and the temple and a pillar of cloud and another one of fire, like so many Post-It notes saying, "Don't forget. I am with you."
When God came to earth, his redemptive name was Immanuel-God with us. When Jesus left, his promise was to send the Spirit so that "I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
At the end of time, when sin is a distant and defeated memory and forgiveness is as obsolete as rotary phones, it will be sung, "God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."
The unity of the Bible is discovered in the development of life with-God as a reality on earth, centered in the person of Jesus. God is determined that you should be in every respect his friend, his companion, his dwelling place.
