Power and Progress pt3 - 2 Peter 1:10-15 - November 14, 2021

 2 Peter 1:10-15 Power and Progress pt3

Good morning! We are continuing our work through the second letter of the Apostle Peter. Today we are going to look at verses 10-15 of chapter one, page 1018 in the pew Bibles.

We have been looking at this first section of Peter’s second letter to the elect exiles of the dispersion which, in the First Century were the churches spread throughout Northern Turkey. But praise God, He has preserved His Word so that we can read it almost two thousand years later just as it was first delivered and translated into our own language!

I know that I said that we are going to be looking at verses 10-15, and we are, but we can’t look at just those verses without examining them in their context so we are going to read verses 3-15 so that we can try to preserve the continuity of the context of our text for this morning.

Let’s look at it together.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Let’s pray.

Early on in the life of our little church family the elders adopted a statement that became a kind of measuring stick for everything that we do as a church family. If somebody had an idea to do something and it didn’t really fit with our little phrase we didn’t do it. We haven’t done it perfectly, and I’m sure if you’ve been around for a while you could make a case that there have been things that we have done that didn’t fit. Sorry about that.

Making and maturing disciples was that original statement, later amended to: Making and Maturing Disciples Together as a Family.

If there was an idea that didn’t fit that statement, we don’t do it. Simple.

What isn’t simple is what exactly “maturing disciples” means. Or at least it may not appear that way at first.

Making disciples is easy enough to understand, calling people to faith in Jesus through the gospel. When a person puts their trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sin they become a Christian, a disciple of Jesus.

And that begins the journey of maturing as a disciple, meaning that once a person is saved, they are just beginning not ending their journey. We don’t simply board the cruise ship called salvation and sit on the deck waiting patiently until we arrive at Heaven’s port.

As we discussed last week, we are not passengers on a cruise ship but we are crew members on a battleship, each expected to do their part to serve the captain and the crew and rescuing those around us that are drowning in their sin and welcoming them aboard to become part of the crew through faith in Jesus.

Peter laid out a list of qualities that are to be added to our faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. All born from faith.

He said in verse 8-9, 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Having and increasing in these qualities are what maturing as a disciple looks like. Once we come to faith in Christ it is our responsibility to learn and grow and increase these qualities in our lives, when we don’t we become ineffective and unfruitful, when we don’t, we willfully close our eyes to the truth of our salvation having forgotten that we have been forgiven of all our sin.

Now, all of that to bring us to our text for this morning.

10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

There is so much we could talk about here! Lots of people have!

Peter uses some of the same words several times in this whole text, one of which is the word for “diligent.”

When he wrote in verse 5 to “make every effort,” it is the same word as he used in verse 10, only here he admonishes the church to kick it up a notch, “be all the more diligent.” He uses it again in verse 15 saying that he will make every effort.

So just as the church is to be diligent to add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love, we are to be all the more diligent to make our calling and election sure.

This phrase has often been separated from its context and that hassled to a great deal of confusion about what Peter really meant when he said it.

Calling and election are two thoughts that go hand in hand, one dependent on the other. The main idea is that of election, in which God, in His sovereignty and grace, chose people out of the world for Himself, and then, in His omnipotence and grace, called them to faith in His Son, not based on anything that we had done to deserve it but based solely on his grace.

These are ideas of much debate but the Bible is quite clear on this truth.

But if we leave it all alone by itself, “be all the more diligent to make our calling and election sure…” It would seem like God needs further convincing, like we need to show Him that we really are saved somehow.

Friends, God is not the One that needs convincing!

If you have faith in Jesus Christ it’s because God, in eternity past, willed it so, and when the time was right, he called you to faith in His Son, you were made a disciple.

But now that you are a disciple you need to mature as a disciple, you need to grow in your faith. This is not an abstract idea of impossible to measure mystical growth.

Listen to the verse again with more context…

10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

JP Lange wrote, “depend not on the case of the dying thief.”

The dying thief was the one crucified next to Jesus and asked Jesus to remember him in His kingdom and Jesus told him that he would be with Him in paradise.

That should be an encouragement for those who are converted on their deathbed, that it is never too late for someone to be forgiven of their sin through faith in Jesus. It is not, however, an excuse for us to wait until the last second to live for Christ.

Being diligent to add the qualities to our faith of virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love is how we make our calling and election sure, it’s how we confirm it to ourselves and those around us.

The Christian life requires God’s grace for our salvation and our diligence to live it out.

Calvin wrote, “Labor that you may have it proved that you have not been called nor elected in vain.”

Paul addressed this idea in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15,

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Through faith in Jesus Christ the boat we are on will make it one day to Heaven’s port, and our diligence to mature as disciples, to add these qualities to our faith, will determine the reception we receive there and whether we come in to port with our flags unfurled and welcomed in like Olympic champions or if we come paddling in clinging to a plank like we escaped a shipwreck. 

12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Amen.

Power and Progress pt2 - 2 Peter 1:5-9 - November 7, 2021

 2 Peter 1:5-9 Power and Progress pt2

Good morning, you came back! Welcome! I tried to warn you but here you are!

We are continuing through 2 Peter with chapter 1 verses 5-9 this morning, page 1018 in the pew Bibles.

Last week we looked at verses 3-4 and talked about what God has provided for believers in Jesus Christ with the promise that this week we would talk about what He expects from believers in Jesus Christ. 

So let’s look at that whole text, 2 Peter 1:3-9 so we can get that whole picture and then we’ll pray.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Let’s pray.

I don’t know who said it first, or who used the illustration first, but there has been a comparison made of the church to a ship, actually two different kinds of ships, and our attitude about it determines what kind of ship that we think we are on.

Here is what I mean: When you hear verses 3-4 and stop there, there’s a danger that you may perceive the church to be the first kind of ship.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Through faith in Jesus Christ your sins are forgiven, you board the boat, you have been promised everything that you need for life and godliness, you have been granted His great and precious promises, you get to be a partaker in the divine nature and escape the corruption of the world.

It sounds like a cruise ship, get out your Hawaiian shirt, or put on your sundress and ridiculously big hat and sunglasses and sit back and relax. There’s nothing more to do than to soak up the “Son” shine and wait to arrive at your heavenly destination.

It seems a little silly but that is exactly what the church is guilty of, just boarding the boat is the goal, we’re saved from the corruption of the world, our sins are washed away and now we can just cruise. 

We expect to be served, we expect our room to be cleaned, and for there to be plenty of deck chairs for us to chose from, and lots of food to eat, all we have to do is show up.

That’s what you do on a cruise ship, so I hear.

But the church is not like a cruise ship. The church is more like a battleship.

When a sailor boards a battleship they have responsibilities, they are expected to contribute, they are expected to serve the ship and its crew, they are expected to train so that they can know and do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

Preacher that sounds like work! Exactly.

What’s the main difference between the passengers of a cruise ship and the passengers of a battleship?

One consumes, the other contributes.

The idea that God actually has expectations of His children is not  popular, it’s not easy, but it is the truth.

James 2:18-19 says, “…someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

So what is it that God actually expects from believers, what are the works that James was talking about?

Peter gave us a nice list. Some call this the ladder of virtues because they think that each one builds on the one before it but in reality this list is more like fruits on the tree of faith. If I hadn’t named this sermon something else already I might call it, “The Seven Fruits on the Tree of Faith.”

God the Father has done His part and now is expecting us to do ours. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness and so now He expects progress, He expects diligence from us.

In our family we have a saying, “the secret ingredient is effort.” Here in our text, the Lord clearly agrees.

5 For this very reason, [the fact that you are partakers in the divine nature through faith in Jesus] For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,

Remember first of all that faith is not just belief, it is not just agreeing with facts. Faith means trust, trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, not only for the forgiveness of our sins, but also for the direction of our lives.

Forgiveness of sin gets us on the boat, but if that is all we trust Jesus for we are in essence demanding that He serve us while we sit and soak up the sun. When we trust Jesus as not only Savior but Lord, we take our orders from Him not the other way around.

This is what James meant in James chapter 2 when he said, “I’ll show you my faith by my works.”

How we act and what we do will not earn our salvation, but how we act and what we do will prove that we are saved.

So Peter tells us to make every effort to supplement that faith with virtue. 

Virtue means moral excellence, moral excellence as described by God in His Word not by the world. The world’s standards are constantly changing and changing for the worse, God’s standards do not change and they never will. We are to live lives, as Calvin put it, “that are honest and rightly formed.”

Virtue is the first of the seven fruits of the tree of faith. And we are to add to virtue knowledge.

This is knowledge of Christ and our relationship with Him and our responsibilities as His disciples. This is not philosophical or mystical, this is practical and experiential. This is not just knowing Jesus but knowing how to act because we know Jesus. This is the source and fruit of our faith.

The fruits of the tree of faith are virtue, knowledge, and also self-control.

Self-control is to have command of one’s desires and actions, lusts and passions. Self-control is what makes athletes successful, they exercise self-control when they say no to the passions of their flesh, when they choose to eat spinach instead of pie, when they say no to binging another episode of Tiger King and go for a run. 

Paul said that the athlete exercises self-control for a crown that fades but we do it for a crown that will never fade.

Alistair Begg said that self-control is the ability to appropriately handle the pleasures of life while the next fruit on the tree of faith, steadfastness, is the ability to appropriately handle the problems of life.

Steadfastness is perseverance under abuse. Henry Alford said this is, “not to be mere stoical endurance but united to and flowing from trusting God.”

True steadfastness acknowledges that God is in control no matter how difficult the circumstances. Sometimes we are quick to say, “God’s got this,” and we do so almost not believing it but nothing could be more true. True steadfastness is based on and borne from trust in the Lord, nothing is outside of His power and control. 

He is not lacking in power, sometimes we are just lacking in perspective.

Make every effort to add to your faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, and godliness.

Godliness gets a bad rap. The world sees godliness right up there with uselessness. But in truth, godliness is intensely practical. Godliness allows the consideration of God to control the whole of life, honoring Him and seeking His approval.

Godliness asks the question, “What does God say about whatever it is I’m thinking about or dealing with? Does God approve of this action or that action?” Godliness cares about what God thinks!

The last two fruits on the tree of faith here go hand in hand, brotherly affection and love.

Brotherly affection, Philadelphia, is the fervent, practical caring for others within the church family. It is faith in Christ and adoption by God that makes us brothers and sisters and it is that same faith that should motivate us to care for others like us.

Love, on the other hand, agape, is universal kindness toward everybody, desiring the highest good for others in spite of our differences, loving our neighbors as ourselves.

These are all nice things, aren’t they? It’s a nice list… can we close in prayer please before the other shoe drops?

8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Cruise ship Christianity is ineffective and unfruitful. The attitude of all saved, all set, kick back and watch the waves roll by until we reach heaven, dishonors the Lord Jesus Christ.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, what he expects from us is progress, what He expects from us is that these qualities are ours and increasing, that what is actually growing is our faith, our virtue, our knowledge, our self-control, our steadfastness, our godliness, our brotherly affection, and our love.

If you are the same as you were five years ago, if these qualities are yours but are just in the bud stage of fruitfulness, it’s time to add the secret ingredient: effort.

The English translation of what Peter says about nearsightedness is a little weak here. A little better way of saying this is that “whoever lacks these qualities has intentionally closed their eyes so that they are blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from former sins.”

One commentator wrote, “The continually present sense of one’s sins having been once for all forgiven is the highest stimulus to every grace.”

And Calvin adds, “Though we daily sin and God daily forgives us we ought not let sin rule in us but the sanctification of the Spirit ought to prevail in us.”

The simple fact of the matter is, not growing in these graces that Peter describes is a choice and it is a sin. It is a choice to shut the eyes of the spirit to that which is disagreeable. It is a choice to remain a lifelong baby Christian, to focus only on the earthly stuff that is right in front of our faces and not on what is distant, the heavenly things.

But if you’re left thinking that these things are great and I’d like to grow in them, “I’d like for this fruit to grow in my life but I feel powerless to do anything about it,” you’re right you don’t have the power to do it on your own…

 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Amen.

Power and Progress pt 1 - 2 Peter 1:3-4 - October 31, 2021

 2 Peter 1:3-4 Power and Progress pt1

Good morning! We are returning again to our study of 2 Peter chapter one, verses 3-4, page 1018 in the pew Bibles. 

Last week we looked at Peter’s introduction of this letter and we saw how he used a very powerful phrase in addressing his readers: “to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Peter the great Apostle and those scattered believers in Christ that received this letter originally, as well as all the other believers down through the centuries, and even down to us, all have equal standing before God through faith in Jesus Christ. What a wonderful truth!

Today we are going to look at another powerful statement from Peter in verses 3-4 that applied to Peter, to his original audience, and to all believers in Jesus Christ for all time, in hopes that it will stir us up and remind us of what exactly God has done for us so that we may embrace the truth of what is ours as believers in Jesus.

Let’s look at verses 3-4.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Let’s pray.

It’s very difficult to separate verse 3-4 from verses 5-8 because they are two sides of the same coin but we are going to have to split them up in order to give them the attention that they deserve while not missing the Patriots game this afternoon. 

So even though we typically go verse by verse through complete books of the Bible, these two sections will be like a two part series.

Part one: What God does for believers in Jesus, and,

Part two: What God expects from believers in Jesus.

The “in Jesus” part there is very important, because if you were to read these verses to your unbelieving friend, they would not be able to apply this truth to themselves without a saving faith in Jesus Christ, they may however be drawn to a faith in Jesus Christ after seeing what would be available to them if they were to come to Him in faith. I guess you’re just going to have to try it yourselves.

Either way, the point is, that these verses are for those who have a saving faith in Jesus Christ, these are things that God has done for you, that God the Father has made available to you.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness

I’m not sure that I can accurately portray the power of this statement, mostly because I am so poorly practiced in the application of this truth to my own life.

Most days I feel unfit, ill equipped, and woefully inadequate. 

But God’s Word says, right here, that by God’s divine power I have been granted everything I need for life and godliness. So who’s right, how I feel or what God says?

If I have Jesus, I have all I need. If my life ends today, if I have Jesus, I have everything I need to enter into eternity. If my life continues until I’m a hundred, if I have Jesus, I have everything I need to live a godly life.

That’s what God says. And if I feel differently than that, guess who’s wrong: not God.

God can be trusted, God’s Word can be trusted, our feelings cannot be trusted. When how we feel disagrees with God’s Word it is not God’s Word that needs correction, it’s us.

This was supposed to be encouraging…

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness

If we read this and feel like we are lacking somehow in what we need for life and godliness, if it seems like we may need a little more than what we have presently in order to live a godly life, then we need to keep reading!

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence

Last week, in verse two, we read Peter’s words, “may grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Just as knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord is the vehicle or grace and peace, knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord is the vehicle of everything we need for life and godliness.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence

This is not just information, not just knowledge about Jesus, you can read that in secular history books.  Peter means knowledge of Jesus, to know Him personally. The more we know Jesus, the more we will know the Father, and the more we will see that we have all that we need for life and godliness granted to us by the divine power of God.

As our knowledge of Him grows so will our grasp on reality!

But it keeps getting better!

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises

If you’re anything like me and have been around the church for a little while, you’ve heard about God’s promises. You can even sing about standing on the promises of God. But have you ever wondered what they were exactly? What exactly are those promises, and here can we find them?

The “where” part of that question is the easy part: In the Bible.

But what are some of the promises to which Peter refers? All of God’s promises are wonderful, but let’s look at some of the promises related to Peter’s next words in our text, these are not ALL the promises in Scripture, these are just a few promises concerning the believer’s forgiveness, eternal life, and participation in the divine nature:

Psalm 23:6, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Isaiah 1:18, “‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”

Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.”

John 6:37, Jesus said, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

Matthew 11:28–29, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Acts 2:21; citing from Joel 2:32, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

John 7:38, Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Acts 10:43, “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Acts 13:39, “Through [Jesus] everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.”

John 10:28, Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

John 14:3, Jesus said, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

John 14:19, Jesus said, “Because I live, you also will live.”

John 6:40, Jesus said, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

These are not just empty words. They are God’s “great and precious” promises to us in Christ. They are more than words on a page; they are reality.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

By faith in Jesus Christ we escaped from the corruption that is in this world and now we have godliness in place of sinful desire. And though it doesn’t always feel this way, we have the power to resist sinful desire. 

We have the power to say “no” to the corruption of the world even though at times it feels like we are absolutely surrounded by it.

God the Father is showing us the truth here in His Word, He is showing us the reality that no matter how weak we may feel, or how insignificant we may feel, or how sinful and defeated we may feel, by faith in Jesus Christ, His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted us His very great and precious promises, so that through them we might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

We are citizens of a different kingdom, and God Himself has given us what we need. He has provided the power, and next week in verses 5-8 we will see what He expects: progress.

Paul wrote in Colossians 1,

“…be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Amen.