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“The Basis For Authentic Faith” • 8.5.18
• Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- It has been a week for us, but a
few years for Peter's audience. Nero's persecution of the church had just been
beginning during his first letter. It's power was now in full bloom.
- I Peter dealt with those pressures that came from outside of the
church. In the years that followed, a new danger began to emerge that could be
seen on the horizon.
- The problems with the government
remained and a wave of spiritual falsehood could be seen in the distance. If I Peter dealt with external pressure,
then II Peter deals with internal
purity.
- The letter is that much more
urgent, given that most scholars believe that Paul had either already been or
was about to be martyred, and Peter wasn't too far behind.
- As we progress through this
letter, see it from the lens of an Apostle that has spent his whole life after
Christ building the church, who has just one more opportunity to address her.
- Given a similar opportunity,
what would you want to write to your family, your children? Peter spends the
next three chapters helping them distinguish between real faith and false
promise.
- What is the best defense against
falsehood? To be built up in what is real! Let's begin!
Text
• II Peter
1:1,2 : "Simon
Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained
like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and
Savior Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge
of God and of Jesus our Lord," : Unlike his first book's introduction, Peter opts for his full
name in this second book. Simon Peter.
- The Lord changed Peter's name at
Caesarea Philippi, when Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ! It was upon
that confession, that rock, that the church would be built. (Matthew
16:16-18)
- This could signal a bump in
authenticity, though it's more likely tied to Peter's theme, which will become
a bit more obvious as we progress.
- Our author is writing this letter
as a slave and an apostle, an official delegate and ambassador of the Lord
Jesus. The order of these terms is significant.
- Peter was a slave that served as
an apostle of the Lord Jesus. Whatever spiritual office we hold in this life,
it is vital that we recall to memory that we do so out of loving, willful
servitude.
- Additionally, recall that these
familiar terms are not simply wasted, formal episolary language. Peter has been
impressed upon by God, His Master, to write, to give voice to, His Master's
ideas!
- What he is about to write are not
merely his own ideas or notions. What we have before us is a necessary,
official communique to the church from the Lord's heart!
- His audience is the same audience
that received his first epistle written a few years earlier. These are Diaspora
Jews, spread throughout modern day Turkey.
- His description of them though,
signals an important aspect of why it is that the Lord has caused Peter to
write.
- He is writing to those that have
been given an allotment from God of exceedingly precious, valuable, and rare
faith. Peter sees his faith in Christ as a special treasure, shared by a select
few.
- The phrase "like
precious" indicates that it is equal to the valuable faith that was given
to the disciples! It is capable of producing the same effects that had been
witnessed in the Apostle's lives!
- There is no diminishing of the
faith. Our faith is as potent as the Apostle's faith inasmuch as it is the same
faith! Faith by itself is useless. It is the object that our faith rests in
which makes it potent!
- Is your faith centered in a risen
Christ, who reigns now in our spirits and will one day return to reign
physically upon the earth?
- Is your faith centered in the
righteousness of Christ, granted to you by God through faith, administered
through the Holy Spirit, proven by a life that demonstrates repentance?
- This is the righteousness of our
God and Savior Jesus Christ! You may want to underline or make a note of this
second verse. Peter very clearly refers to Jesus as God and Savior.
- The Savior Jesus Christ is also
the God before whom all will bow! It is His righteousness that enriches our
account before the Father.
- As usual, Peter extends God's
message to His people forever: Grace, favor and peace, shalom, be extended
forevermore as your knowledge of God and Jesus grows.
- This greeting reflects the mixed
nature of the church, as "grace" was a traditional Gentile greeting,
and "shalom," a standard Jewish greeting. What could such distinct
groups together?
- The grace and the peace of the
Lord! For such a group, Peter prays that these pillars of their community would
multiply. How does grace and peace multiply?
- In the knowledge of God and of
Jesus Christ! The word translated "knowledge" signifies a deep,
intimate, thorough knowledge.
˚ "Epignosis
and gnosis differ. Epignosis is the complete comprehension after the first
knowledge (gnosin) of a matter. It is bringing me better acquainted with a
thing I knew before; a more exact viewing of an object that I saw before afar
off. That little portion of knowledge which we had here shall be much improved,
our eye shall be raised to see the things more strongly and clearly."[i]
- As your relationship with the
Lord deepens, the flow of grace and peace increases! Our faith is the same as
the Apostle's and their experience of growing grace can be ours as well.
- When you think about knowing
about God and knowing God, what are the differences. It is the difference
between knowing a voice and interpreting, discerning it's sound from others.
- It's the difference between
understanding what has been said and understanding why it has been said. That
is the kind of knowledge that Peter expects us to grow in!
- We want to be people that aren't
just familiar with words on a page. We want to know His heart with each new
paragraph! We want to know God the Father and His Son Jesus this way!
- Did you see the distinction that
he made between the two persons! Just a second ago, Peter proclaimed by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the deity of Christ. But He is One among
equals.
- He shares a singular essence, but
is an entirely different person from God the Father! Our grace and peace have
just grown, as we recognize the Trinity. Peter's theme continues in verse 3.
• II Peter 1:3,4 : "as His
divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us
exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust." : I
really like verse 3 in the NET.
• II Peter 1:3 : "I can pray this because his divine
power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through
the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence." : For those that belong to the Lord,
our faith package releases God's power to us and it covers everything that we
will need in this life!
- Our faith is not insufficient.
There is no better package, no improvement necessary. Written as a perfect
tense verb, Peter mean to express that He has given us all that we need
forever!
- Accordingly, we have the power to
understand the times, to know how we should act as Christians in this world and
the power to resist temptation and sin.
- We have this by the agency of the
one who has called us by glory and virtue. He has done this by His own glory or
value and His own excellence. He is not the responder. He is the initiator!
- He is already, without our help,
glorious and excellent and because He is, He has invited you and I into His
presence, into His salvation, including a set of promises that make us
partakers.
- Those promises refer to
self-commitment. God is offering to fulfill this on our behalf and on His own!
- He is making a commitment to save
us and it is through that set of promises that He endows us with a part of His
divine nature, which He accomplishes by the work of His Holy Spirit.
- Think about the last time you
struggled through a crisis, but had supernatural, unexplainable peace?
- How about the last time that you
were stumped at what to do, only to receive a word of wisdom at just the right
time. These are facets of connection with God, a part of His divine nature!
- It's by that nature within us
that we are escaping the corrosive nature of moral decay that is prevalent in
this world system. We are in the world, but we are not governed by it!
- As I think about those words, it
brings the truth to my soul, that living for the world is like swimming in a
pool. It looks refreshing from a distance, but the liquid is battery acid!
- The more one lives for the world,
the more their soul is corroded and decayed! Why? Because this world is
governed by never ending desires which are forbidden by God.
- It is the continual rejection of
what God says is good! It is Eve's sin all over again! Who could have helped us
out of this hole? Except for divine power, we would never have been rescued.
• II Peter 1:5-7 : "But also
for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue
knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to
self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness love." : Because you have been given divine power pertaining to all
things in life and because you are escaping the corrosive pool of worldly
infliuence, work hard!
- Make every effor to add to your
faith! You'd think that the Christian could now cruise toward his or her final
destination given what we've been given. That isn't our lot or Peter's
intention.
- We've been given what we need for
this life and as such, we are now to contribute, to see that these character
traits are introduced with all haste to support what we've been given.
- There isn't a passivity here in
which God simply adds this list to us. We are responsible to see that our faith
is given room to grow if it will flourish and lead us to our destination.
- We are to add to our faith,
virtue or moral excellence. Faith looks best upon the man or woman who lives
within the bounds of scriptural morality.
- At least one commentator noted
that this word came to be synonymous with bravery. When the Roman empire
celebrated and called immorality normal, a virtuous man was counter-cultural.
- As you live in this world, you
will make similiar decisions. Making the right and godly choices will continue
to alienate you from those who are devoted to this world's culture.
- Your faith will be forced to the
forefront. Peter continues by calling them to add knowledge to their virtue.
- Listen to this third definition
from Blue letter Bible: "the deeper more perfect and enlarged knowledge of this
religion, such as belongs to the more advanced."
- You are doing that each and every
Sunday! With every new book that we complete as a fellowship, that well of
knowledge increases, but is that enough?
- At the risk of sounding
legalistic, I would indeed challenge each of us to consider how we could
increase that knowledge, not to puff up, but to add to our faith.
- What is the last Christian book
that you read? Is the author still living? Was the topic somewhat redundant and
unchallenging? Read the best books by the best authors!
- Challenge yourself to go deeper
into the doctrines of the faith: Sin, redemption, holiness, etc.! Read authors
that have died, not those that are still figuring things out!
- Understand that the knowledge you
gain enhances your faith, but add to that knowledge, self-control! I think this
is genius level thinking by Peter, really, by the Holy Spirit.
- With the increase of knowledge,
how many have seen an increase in egotism. They have grown deeper, but their
head has grown wider!
- Consequently, they become so
enamored with their depth that they ignore their own lives. They fail to master
their passions and appetites, believing that their knowledge is what pleases
God!
- Your knowledge never trumps your
obedience and holiness before the Lord! When one lives that self-controlled,
disciplined life, they must add perserverance to their list of needful
attributes.
- We have seen this word numerous
times. It is the sustained, cheerful endurance. Listen to this wonderful
definition:
˚ "In the N.T. the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from
his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest
trials and sufferings." BLB
- When you add perserverance, don't
just hold to any sort of grumbling attitude. While you wait cheerfully, do so
with a godly disposition! Show the world your reverance for the Lord!
- "Oh, I can show reverance to
the Lord!" But notice yet again that right next to that godly or God
centered disposition, is brotherly kindness!
- This is thoughtfulness and
concern for those that are related to you in Christ! There is no justification
for a Christianity that doesn't include a healthy set of Christian
relationships!
- Finally, to cap it all off, the
Lord calls us to the supreme virtue, that which ties each of the others
together, namely the kind of love that comes from God!
- Why are we to add these things to
our faith? Peter anticipates your question in verse 8.
• II Peter 1:8,9 : "For if
these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in
the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to
blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins." : These characteristics, experienced
from the beginning of your walk and superabounding in influence throughout will
exempt you from certain experiences.
- You will never be inactive in
service or lacking in what your knowledge of the Lord should yield! Have you
ever wondered why there are Christians that never seem to do anything?
- This is why! They have not
allowed their character to match their faith. They have not been diligent in
seeking experience which bears these traits!
- Lacking these is not just a poor
idea. It creates a cascading condition that leaves the believer in sad shape.
- Peter tells us that these
Christians are presently, mentally in a self imposed fog of confusion and they
cannot see afar off. The Greek word that Peter uses gives us our word
"myopic."
- Consider this together. A person
who obediently tends to their soul, praying that God would add to their faith will
find themselves active and keenly aware of spiritual things.
- A person who refuses to grow can
never grow beyond their confusion and has difficulty considering anything
outside of their own present reality and preference.
- Ultimately, Peter says that this
person has forgotten what it took to take him out of his old life. A true
fruitful Christian wants to be a thousand miles from where they began with
Christ! Verse 10.
• II Peter 1:10,11 : "Therefore,
brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you
do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied
to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ." : Because
advancement in godliness is true Christianity, it is a matter of great
importance to work hard in examining your position before the Lord!
- Peter commands his readers to
exert themselves in the fulfillment of their calling and election. Make it
clear that you have truly turned your life to Christ!
- The NLT: "work hard to prove that you really
are among those God has called and chosen." The RSV: "be the more zealous to confirm your call and election."
- Calling, the inviting of an
individual and election, the selecting of an individual, are private acts of
eternity that are responded to internally. Peter is saying, "now, make it
publically known!"
- A person who is constantly
searching their own heart and examining their own ways against the eternal word
of God, will never find themselves falling into apostasy.
- Remember that while we would not
espouse the belief that one could lose their salvation, it is nevertheless true
that one can leave their salvation!
- Who are those people? How is that
possible? It's possible by a neglect of priority in diligent and truthful
examination!
- Are you interested in growing?
Are you doing what it takes to grow? Are you turning from that which keeps you
from growing?
- When you look at a list of
characteristics in the scripture, especially those that we have just examined,
are you glad that the "scripture isn't talking about you?"
- The better response is to see
that the scripture is speaking directly to you and His Holy Spirit demands that
if you have these characteristics, that you deepen yourself in them!
- This kind of a person will be a
part of the grand procession that is due to those that love the Lord Jesus in
this life!
- We'll learn in the book of Jude
that there will be some who barely enter into the Kingdom, who have the smell
of smoke about them.
- This word reflects a walking, a
belonging, in the gates of heaven and receiving a rich welcome from the waiting
crowd.
- They have been His citizens on
the corroding planet of forbidden desire now, but these will be living in His
everlasting Kingdom then!
Conclusion
- Please
indulge me as I attempt to restate this first eleven verses as we close.
- This is Simon Peter. I'm the one that Christ changed when I confessed
Him. The same faith that made that a reality in my life, is making that a
reality in yours!
- You have everything you need for
this! There's no need for improvement, but there is need to continue, to make
your life fit for the faith that you have!
- This is the best way to confirm
to yourself and the world that the private change in you is true and that a Kingdom
welcome awaits you!
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