Jamie Preaching 8:30am
Lucas Preaching 9:45am
John-Michael Preaching 11:10am
Lucas Preaching 9:45am
John-Michael Preaching 11:10am
Randy and Michelle Foster/Adopting Baby Caden and Caden's Health
Dave and Brooke
Ben and Holly
Canyon Preaching at Durham Friday
Text – 2 Peter 1:1-11
Did everyone have a chance to read First Peter 1-5 after last week? (If yes, then continue, if no then read 1 Peter 1-5)
As we look at Second Peter there are many many things which are to be seen that are totally glorious which I may not be able to transmit properly or even prove to you in a short time, but which I hope you see now or come to see in the future. This passage today may be one that grows in you over a long time until it makes total sense, but in we’re fortunate than it will be apparent today what Peter is calling us to, because this passage could and should totally rock your worldview.
It took a long time for this passage to make sense to Peter, as we watch his spiritual growth from when we first meet him in AD27 through his conversion in AD30, to his death in AD67 sometime after the writing of this letter. Coupled with this is his reconciliation and friendship with Paul. Twenty years before this Paul and Peter had some friction between each other,
Galatians 2:11-14 But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"
But now in Rome, Peter writes in this Epistle that Paul’s writing is scripture, and in verse 2 I think you can even say that Peter quotes Paul’s letter to Titus as scripture. It is clear through many evidences that Paul and Peter were fellowshipping together in Rome and I’m quite certain that they wrote Hebrews together. Their reconciliation is beautiful and Peter’s call for doctrinal purity now in this letter is a wonderful fruit of a life lived for God.
We look at three letters; Second Timothy, Hebrews, and Second Peter, as capstone projects. These letters are the last things written by two condemned men, desiring to communicate their last points to a church which is going to be deprived of its greatest minds, and they want to leave something sure, the written Word of God. (2 Peter 1:15) Many people become philosophical and purposeful when they realize they are going to die, and both Paul and Peter knew that under madman Nero that they were not long for this world, and they write their last thoughts…their direct and no-frills writing is glorious.
2 Peter 1:13-14 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
Your first application before we even read any of our passage in Second Peter is to always ensure your writing is worthy of being your last. If I died tomorrow would I be embarrassed that this manuscript was my last? No, because I know that I am terminal with less than 100 years to live and that everything must be done towards a purpose and done towards the glory of Christ, and so this manuscript is written to the best of my abilities. Second Peter is similarly written for such a purpose.
Not that any scripture is any more inspired than another, but some scripture is more applicable and easier to understand and more pressing than others. For example, a study of Enoch is less important than a study of Jesus Christ, but a study of Enoch is useful. Likewise, you wouldn’t teach a dying man about stewardship or chiastic structures. You want your last words to be forceful and applicable to all. Peter gives us four major themes that are forceful and applicable to all, these are what he determines as the most important things for the church to know, these are:
1. How to know you’re a Christian
2. The inspiration of the Bible
3. The dangers of false-teachers
4. The immanent return of Jesus Christ and the surety of judgment
So today we’re going to look at how you know you’re a Christian.
2 Peter 1:1-11 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 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, 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. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 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. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So verse 1, which sets a foundation for the rest of the book, is speaking to those who have received faith. This is an important verse concerning where our faith comes from; does it come from our heads or our hearts or from our little toe? No, it says it is external from us, this is a running theme in the Bible (cf. Eph 2:8-9),
Dave and Brooke
Ben and Holly
Canyon Preaching at Durham Friday
Text – 2 Peter 1:1-11
Did everyone have a chance to read First Peter 1-5 after last week? (If yes, then continue, if no then read 1 Peter 1-5)
As we look at Second Peter there are many many things which are to be seen that are totally glorious which I may not be able to transmit properly or even prove to you in a short time, but which I hope you see now or come to see in the future. This passage today may be one that grows in you over a long time until it makes total sense, but in we’re fortunate than it will be apparent today what Peter is calling us to, because this passage could and should totally rock your worldview.
It took a long time for this passage to make sense to Peter, as we watch his spiritual growth from when we first meet him in AD27 through his conversion in AD30, to his death in AD67 sometime after the writing of this letter. Coupled with this is his reconciliation and friendship with Paul. Twenty years before this Paul and Peter had some friction between each other,
Galatians 2:11-14 But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"
But now in Rome, Peter writes in this Epistle that Paul’s writing is scripture, and in verse 2 I think you can even say that Peter quotes Paul’s letter to Titus as scripture. It is clear through many evidences that Paul and Peter were fellowshipping together in Rome and I’m quite certain that they wrote Hebrews together. Their reconciliation is beautiful and Peter’s call for doctrinal purity now in this letter is a wonderful fruit of a life lived for God.
We look at three letters; Second Timothy, Hebrews, and Second Peter, as capstone projects. These letters are the last things written by two condemned men, desiring to communicate their last points to a church which is going to be deprived of its greatest minds, and they want to leave something sure, the written Word of God. (2 Peter 1:15) Many people become philosophical and purposeful when they realize they are going to die, and both Paul and Peter knew that under madman Nero that they were not long for this world, and they write their last thoughts…their direct and no-frills writing is glorious.
2 Peter 1:13-14 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
Your first application before we even read any of our passage in Second Peter is to always ensure your writing is worthy of being your last. If I died tomorrow would I be embarrassed that this manuscript was my last? No, because I know that I am terminal with less than 100 years to live and that everything must be done towards a purpose and done towards the glory of Christ, and so this manuscript is written to the best of my abilities. Second Peter is similarly written for such a purpose.
Not that any scripture is any more inspired than another, but some scripture is more applicable and easier to understand and more pressing than others. For example, a study of Enoch is less important than a study of Jesus Christ, but a study of Enoch is useful. Likewise, you wouldn’t teach a dying man about stewardship or chiastic structures. You want your last words to be forceful and applicable to all. Peter gives us four major themes that are forceful and applicable to all, these are what he determines as the most important things for the church to know, these are:
1. How to know you’re a Christian
2. The inspiration of the Bible
3. The dangers of false-teachers
4. The immanent return of Jesus Christ and the surety of judgment
So today we’re going to look at how you know you’re a Christian.
2 Peter 1:1-11 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 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, 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. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 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. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So verse 1, which sets a foundation for the rest of the book, is speaking to those who have received faith. This is an important verse concerning where our faith comes from; does it come from our heads or our hearts or from our little toe? No, it says it is external from us, this is a running theme in the Bible (cf. Eph 2:8-9),
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Our faith is a gift from God, and through this faith we enter into a right relationship with God through the grace of Jesus Christ. Through this grace we have such awesome promise as to be gifted by God to be like God. This is quite a neat fact of history, that Adam and Eve wanted to be like God but took the sinful route and fell far from God,
Genesis 3:5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
But through Christ’s righteousness and his merits we will indeed become like God and partake in his divine nature;
1 John 3:2-3 we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
I want to read verses 3-4 again so you see just how amazing this gift and these promises are;
vv.3-4 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, 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.
Adam and Eve sought to be like God by diving into sin, but the way we’ve entered into divine nature is by escaping sinful desire, by repenting, but trusting in Christ and being saved by grace through faith. It is not Peter’s intent, but it is worth mentioning, that what was gained by Christ’s work on the cross and his Resurrection far exceeds what was lost. There is a new song that says, “I want to be in Eden…” and this song, by Phil Wickham, totally misses the glory of New Jerusalem and the great and precious promises.
Part of the reason that what we have now is better is because we now have a knowledge of good and evil, we know why God is good and why sin is wicked. Adam and Eve could not have possibly imagined how much damage their disobedience could have caused, but we do, and so in eternity we will flee from sin in every manifestation, and what better time to start doing so than now? The only difference is that in Heaven we will be incapable of sinning.
Can any of you name the Solas of the Reformation? We don’t have a lot of time to spend on them, but let’s go over them quickly, there are six, albeit most people only name five.
Sola Gratia – Grace Alone
Sola Fide – Faith Alone
Solus Christus – Christ Alone
Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone
Soli Deo Gloria – The Glory of God Alone
Sola Sacerdos – One Priesthood of Believers
What it means, in a nutshell, is that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone known by scripture alone for the glory of God alone resulting in one priesthood of believers. The reason I bring this up is so we can look at Sola Fide, Faith Alone, because we are justified, saved by grace, by faith alone. But it is important to remember that while we’re saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is not alone. And that is what Peter is going to say in verses 5-7
vv.5-7 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
Virtue – A firmness to do what is right; a resolve to follow Christ no matter the cost.
Knowledge – Literally science; knowing both God’s written and general revelation.
Self-Control – Putting knowledge into action.
Steadfastness – Patience/Abiding in the preceding things.
Godliness – Worship and outward giving.
Brotherly Affection (Philadelphia) – Loving inside of the church through action and emotion.
Love (Agape) – Loving outside of the church through action.
Imagine for just a second that we’re all on a baseball team. While I used to be good at baseball, but pretend now I’m not any good; I constantly strike out, I can’t catch, I can’t pitch, and generally I’m just a bad baseball player. Now imagine momentarily that it is possible for the spirit of Babe Ruth to be imputed to me: so that happens and I come running to the field and say, “Hey! The spirit of Babe Ruth is in me! Let’s play baseball!” But when we play, I still strike out, when I do hit the ball it doesn’t make it out of the infield. My first pitch hits the batter in the helmet…does it sound like the spirit of Babe Ruth is in me? Not really.
So now turn it to the real thing, Peter is saying we’re partakers of the Divine Nature, we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us. We should then be abundantly radiating his attributes; virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly love, and charity. And in all of these, we should be hitting home runs; check verses 8 and 9.
vv.8-9 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. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
If these are yours, then you have evidence of a fruitful life in Christ, but if you don’t, then Peter says you are blind. The end of verse 9 is hard to be totally sure of what it means reading it by itself, but when we look at the context of verse 10 in a second we’ll see that a person who doesn’t have fruit with his faith actually hasn’t been cleansed from former sins and is still dead in his sins and trespasses. The best interpretation I read was that this person probably claimed to be saved but since his faith was alone it was a dead faith and not one capable of saving.
James 2:17-19 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But 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!
This is why it’s important to read things in context because if we just read verse 9 we could get all confused, but in verse 10 Peter tells us exactly what he means;
v.10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
We make our calling and election, aka our salvation, sure by looking at our fruit, seeing if it is present and good, and we know that then we have the Holy Spirit in us and working through us. If we have these, we will never fall from grace, and the outcome of our faith is verse 11;
v.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.
Through the merits of Christ and the justification, sanctification, and glorification of the Holy Spirit, we will enter into the kingdom of Christ.
So beloved, test yourself to see if you are in the faith, does your faith come with love joy peace patience kindness goodness gentleness faithfulness and self-control? Are you bearing fruit keeping with repentance? Are you trusting in Christ and Christ alone? Is your faith alone or is it accompanied by these qualities.
If it is not attended with these qualities, then beloved I implore you to seek Christ until he saves you and your life bears fruit, that you are sure the Holy Spirit is working in you, because beloved you don’t want to be so near-sighted that you are blind and fall.
Genesis 3:5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
But through Christ’s righteousness and his merits we will indeed become like God and partake in his divine nature;
1 John 3:2-3 we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
I want to read verses 3-4 again so you see just how amazing this gift and these promises are;
vv.3-4 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, 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.
Adam and Eve sought to be like God by diving into sin, but the way we’ve entered into divine nature is by escaping sinful desire, by repenting, but trusting in Christ and being saved by grace through faith. It is not Peter’s intent, but it is worth mentioning, that what was gained by Christ’s work on the cross and his Resurrection far exceeds what was lost. There is a new song that says, “I want to be in Eden…” and this song, by Phil Wickham, totally misses the glory of New Jerusalem and the great and precious promises.
Part of the reason that what we have now is better is because we now have a knowledge of good and evil, we know why God is good and why sin is wicked. Adam and Eve could not have possibly imagined how much damage their disobedience could have caused, but we do, and so in eternity we will flee from sin in every manifestation, and what better time to start doing so than now? The only difference is that in Heaven we will be incapable of sinning.
Can any of you name the Solas of the Reformation? We don’t have a lot of time to spend on them, but let’s go over them quickly, there are six, albeit most people only name five.
Sola Gratia – Grace Alone
Sola Fide – Faith Alone
Solus Christus – Christ Alone
Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone
Soli Deo Gloria – The Glory of God Alone
Sola Sacerdos – One Priesthood of Believers
What it means, in a nutshell, is that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone known by scripture alone for the glory of God alone resulting in one priesthood of believers. The reason I bring this up is so we can look at Sola Fide, Faith Alone, because we are justified, saved by grace, by faith alone. But it is important to remember that while we’re saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is not alone. And that is what Peter is going to say in verses 5-7
vv.5-7 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
Virtue – A firmness to do what is right; a resolve to follow Christ no matter the cost.
Knowledge – Literally science; knowing both God’s written and general revelation.
Self-Control – Putting knowledge into action.
Steadfastness – Patience/Abiding in the preceding things.
Godliness – Worship and outward giving.
Brotherly Affection (Philadelphia) – Loving inside of the church through action and emotion.
Love (Agape) – Loving outside of the church through action.
Imagine for just a second that we’re all on a baseball team. While I used to be good at baseball, but pretend now I’m not any good; I constantly strike out, I can’t catch, I can’t pitch, and generally I’m just a bad baseball player. Now imagine momentarily that it is possible for the spirit of Babe Ruth to be imputed to me: so that happens and I come running to the field and say, “Hey! The spirit of Babe Ruth is in me! Let’s play baseball!” But when we play, I still strike out, when I do hit the ball it doesn’t make it out of the infield. My first pitch hits the batter in the helmet…does it sound like the spirit of Babe Ruth is in me? Not really.
So now turn it to the real thing, Peter is saying we’re partakers of the Divine Nature, we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us. We should then be abundantly radiating his attributes; virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly love, and charity. And in all of these, we should be hitting home runs; check verses 8 and 9.
vv.8-9 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. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
If these are yours, then you have evidence of a fruitful life in Christ, but if you don’t, then Peter says you are blind. The end of verse 9 is hard to be totally sure of what it means reading it by itself, but when we look at the context of verse 10 in a second we’ll see that a person who doesn’t have fruit with his faith actually hasn’t been cleansed from former sins and is still dead in his sins and trespasses. The best interpretation I read was that this person probably claimed to be saved but since his faith was alone it was a dead faith and not one capable of saving.
James 2:17-19 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But 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!
This is why it’s important to read things in context because if we just read verse 9 we could get all confused, but in verse 10 Peter tells us exactly what he means;
v.10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
We make our calling and election, aka our salvation, sure by looking at our fruit, seeing if it is present and good, and we know that then we have the Holy Spirit in us and working through us. If we have these, we will never fall from grace, and the outcome of our faith is verse 11;
v.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.
Through the merits of Christ and the justification, sanctification, and glorification of the Holy Spirit, we will enter into the kingdom of Christ.
So beloved, test yourself to see if you are in the faith, does your faith come with love joy peace patience kindness goodness gentleness faithfulness and self-control? Are you bearing fruit keeping with repentance? Are you trusting in Christ and Christ alone? Is your faith alone or is it accompanied by these qualities.
If it is not attended with these qualities, then beloved I implore you to seek Christ until he saves you and your life bears fruit, that you are sure the Holy Spirit is working in you, because beloved you don’t want to be so near-sighted that you are blind and fall.
