Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Great and Precious Promises



2 Peter 1:3-9


2 Peter 1:2–4 (NKJV) 2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3as 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, 4by 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.


Grace and peace are multiplied to us in the knowledge of God. 


God created us in His image and in His likeness. But, the evil one deceived us and we thought that we could become like God. However, while we bear His image, God is infinite and we are finite; God is all-powerful and we are weak; God is present everywhere, and we are in one place at a time, and God knows everything, and we know very little. God tells us that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so His ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:9)


Our determination to be like God led to sin and sin to death. Because of sin, we were blind, poor, and naked. Ephesians 2 tells us that we were dead in our trespasses and sins. But, as Peter tells us, God’s divine power has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. Ephesians 2 makes the same point when it says:

Ephesians 2:4–6 (NKJV) 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,


Because of His great love, God used His power and wisdom to provide a way for us to be restored to a right relationship with Him. Ephesians 2:5 tells us that God made us alive together with Christ. On this subject, Jesus told Nicodemus that we must experience a new birth to enter the kingdom of God. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that makes us alive in Him, and this is the rebirth Jesus spoke of. Believing in the Lord Jesus is simple enough for a child to understand, and at the same time, it is a great mystery. We cannot understand how Jesus can be both God and man and a member of the Trinity, one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. When Peter says that His divine power has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness, He is speaking of the mysteries of our salvation. He is teaching concerning how God works for our benefit.


Peter’s next subject is what God has done for us in what we term “salvation.” After Peter reminds us that we are given everything we need through the knowledge of God, He says:

2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV) 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.


The exceedingly great and precious promises are those things that come with “salvation.” Of course, among these promises are the forgiveness of our sins and a home in heaven, but we are also given much more. Peter focuses on two of these great promises. First, we are made partakers of the divine nature. 


This happens through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit makes us alive together with Christ and is the power of God in our lives. The Spirit gives us the mind of Christ, whereby we understand the word of God. In addition, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives reflects God’s “virtue” (nature). The Apostle John explains this concept in relation to the love of God in our lives.

1 John 4:7–8 (NKJV) 7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.


God, who called us by His own glory and virtue, has made us partakers of His nature so that we will reflect His glory by showing His virtue. (Virtue means goodness.) This brings us to the second great promise that comes with Salvation. Let’s look at 2 Peter 1:4 again.

2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV) 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.


We have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.


Corruption and death are in the world because of lust. “Lust” in this context means “desires of the flesh.” Romans 8 gives an excellent explanation of the problem with our fleshly desires.

Romans 8:4–8 (NKJV)  5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.


In these verses, we learn that the carnal (flesh) mind is God’s enemy. This is the part of us that wants to be like God (large and in charge). Remember, this desire is what brought sin into the world in the first place. According to Peter, God has delivered us from the corruption that is in the world through lust.


God reminded the nation of Israel of their escape from slavery in Egypt by establishing the Passover as an annual festival. He also uses the celebration of communion to remind us of our escape from slavery to sin. 


Israel’s slavery in Egypt and our slavery to sin are parallels. Sin is a horrible taskmaster that seeks to destroy us. Romans assures us that sin leads to death. (Sin always leads to death.)

Romans 6:23 (NKJV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Sin leads to death but look again at how that corruption comes into our world.

2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV) 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.


Here is a question for all of us: “If God has delivered us, why do we choose to live according to our lusts?”


We forget that living for our flesh (appetites) brings death and corruption. Peter writes to encourage us to live in a way consistent with the great grace God has given to us. He shows us a path to godliness. This is not about legalistically keeping rules. No, we are talking about living free in Christ, free from the corruption that is in the world through lust.


We are not saved or delivered from sin by any works that we do, but since we have been made partakers in the divine nature, we are called on to add things to our faith. The things that we are called upon to add to our faith are all virtues. In other words, they are all good things.


Peter does not say, “Please do these things.” Look at what he says.

2 Peter 1:5, NKJV But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue,


The reason Peter is talking about here is the fact that we have been made partakers in the divine nature. And, what we are to do is apply all diligence. Many translations say, “Make every effort,” instead of “Giving all diligence.”


This is the paradox of our faith. The Holy Spirit is given so that we can live godly in Christ Jesus, and it is impossible for us to live godly lives without the Holy Spirit. And yet, we are to make every effort, apply all diligence to live in a godly manner. In our flesh, we can do nothing good, but we can do all things through Christ, who gives us strength.


Look at the virtues (good) we are to add to our faith.

2 Peter 1:5–7 (NKJV) 5But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.


The qualities listed here are for everyone. (Virtue can be translated as goodness.) So, here is the list: 1) goodness, 2) knowledge, 3) self-control, 4) perseverance, 5) godliness, 6) brotherly kindness, and 7) love.


As we’ve begun this series, we’ve seen that we are made partakers of the divine nature through our knowledge of God. The knowledge that is listed among these virtues is not the same kind of knowledge. The knowledge that leads to salvation is a personal experience or contact knowledge. The knowledge that we are to grow in as a virtue is understanding. The word Peter uses is different from the word he has been using this far. He uses the common word for knowledge. In other words, remaining ignorant is not a virtue. 

 

We must grow in our knowledge of Scripture and doctrine. We must grow in our knowledge and understanding of life in general. This knowledge would include science, history, literature, culture, and whatever is of benefit. 


The list is easy to understand but harder to put into practice. Therefore, Peter explains to us the importance of building these things in our lives. He says:

2 Peter 1:8–9 (NKJV) 8For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.


Here we are given a positive and a negative reason for building these virtues in our lives. 


First, they will make us fruitful. Even if we suffer for being good, in the end, it will benefit us. There is no downside to being good.


Second, if we lack these virtues, it reveals that we are shortsighted.


Going back to the question I asked: “If God has delivered us, why do we choose to live according to our lusts?”


Have we forgotten?

Romans 8:13 (NKJV) For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.


Choose life. We have been delivered from the corruption that is in the world through lust. So, why do we choose to live controlled by the desires of our flesh?

Thursday, September 9, 2021

Multiplied Grace



2 Peter 1:2-5


 2 Peter 1:2 (NKJV) Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.


Is “grace and peace” just a standard greeting, or is there more meaning to this?


Peter is greeting us, to be sure, blessing us with both grace and peace. But, there is more to this than just a greeting. Peter says, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you,” and then he tells us how grace and peace can be (or are) multiplied to us. God gives grace in abundance. He favors us. But, there is always a more abundant supply of grace. Multiplication implies a doubling, tripling, quadrupling, or even increasing a hundredfold. 


However, before we consider how grace is multiplied, we must understand our need for grace. Do you understand our need for grace and peace?


We need grace for this life and for the life to come. Let’s consider our need for grace for the life to come first.


We all live with the reality that we will die someday. We do not know when or how, but we know it will happen. (I will put in at this point the exception that I do not expect this generation of God’s children to die. I expect that we will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. And, this makes the need for grace even more urgent.)


People of all times have wondered what happens after death. As far as I know, every culture and every people group believes in an after-life. Communism has unsuccessfully tried to stamp this out of the people and places it has under its control.


The Bible, and thus God, says:

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…


Judgment is a reason we need grace. Look at the point Hebrews 9 is making. 

Hebrews 9:27–28 (NKJV) 27And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.


Jesus dying so that we will not have to suffer the penalty for our sins is pure grace. Eagerly waiting for Him is an indication that we have received this grace. The truth of God’s grace demonstrated in Jesus is expressed in a well-known verse.

John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.


God loved us and sent His Son. This act is the very definition of grace. Grace is undeserved favor, and grace is the premise of the gospel.


This world is at enmity with God. It is hostile toward God. In fact, we were all God’s enemies. Romans 5:10 tells us.

Romans 5:8–10 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. … For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, …


God says we were sinners and His enemies. This hostility toward God is part of the reason there is evil in the world. We desperately need to be reconciled to God. We need peace. We need peace with God and peace in our hearts and minds.


Grace and peace with God are not just for the judgment or the afterlife. We need peace with God here and now for this life, and, in fact, we experience God’s grace with every breath we breathe. 


Do you enjoy a beautiful sunset? That is a gift from God. Do you enjoy a glass of orange juice? This also is a gift from God. We experience God’s grace in countless ways, including peace. We experience peace beyond comprehension when we leave all our cares and anxieties with Him. Philippians 4:6-7 speaks of this peace.

Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV) 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


We can take everything that concerns us and weighs us down and ask God for what we need. Jesus told us:

John 14:27 (NKJV) Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.



The question for us today is, “If Jesus has given us His peace, why are our hearts troubled? Why are we not experiencing His peace?”


Just before He said He gave His peace, Jesus gave one answer to this question. He said:

John 14:1 (NKJV) Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.


From this verse, we understand that a key to peace is faith. We must believe in God and our Lord Jesus Christ.


Here is where we learn how grace and peace are multiplied to us. Let’s look at 2 Peter 1:2-3.

2 Peter 1:2–3 (NKJV) 2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3as 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,


In verse two, the Scriptures say, “…in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” In this context, the word “in” could also be translated as “by.” However, verse three connects to this thought and says all things have been given us “through” the knowledge of Him.


From this, we gather that we find grace and peace multiplied to us through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.


I think I can illustrate this through an incident that happened when Peter was with Jesus. On this occasion, Jesus and His disciples were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberius). 

Matthew 8:23–27 (NKJV) 23Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

26But He said to them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27So the men marveled, saying, Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”


They marveled because they did not really know who Jesus was. And, this was the reason for their “little faith.”


When Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life, the following discussion occurred.

John 14:8–9 (NKJV) 8Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, Show us the Father?


The disciples were troubled and afraid because they did not know Jesus, who and what He was and is. They lacked faith for the same reason. 


They had two things that were obstacles to their understanding. First, they only saw Jesus in His physical form. (The exception being one event on the Mt. of Transfiguration.) He walked like them, talked like them, slept like them, and ate like them. So, for all they saw, He was one of them, except for the miracles. 


The second obstacle was that the Holy Spirit had not yet been given. On the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given, they were transformed. In an instant, they went from cowering in hiding places in Jerusalem to changing the world for Christ. One reason for this transformation is explained in John 16.

John 16:13–14 (NKJV) 13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.


They had first-hand experience of Jesus, but they needed the Holy Spirit to make the truth clear to them.


I fear that many of us lack firsthand experience with Jesus. 


We get this experience by spending time with Him. There is no substitute for spending time in the Word of God for yourself.


It has always been easy to let other things crowd Jesus out, but it is especially so today. For example, consider this statistic.

According to a survey conducted in February 2021, nearly half of the respondents stated that, on average, they spent five to six hours on their phone on a daily basis, not including work-related smartphone use.


Fewer than five people in a hundred said that they spent no time or less than an hour a day on their phone. The point is that we spend much more time with social media than we spend with our Bibles, with Jesus. 


Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit, and He told us that abiding in Him means abiding in His words.

John 15:7 (NKJV) If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.


We can trust His promise to provide the Holy Spirit, but we must make time to be in His word. Psalm 1 tells us that the blessed or happy person meditates on God’s word day and night.


I am not trying to push a legalistic requirement. But I am trying to urge you to consider a path of multiplied grace and peace. 


Nothing in this life or the next is more valuable than knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. In Jeremiah, the Lord says,

Jeremiah 9:23–24 (NKJV): 23Thus says the Lord:

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,

Let not the mighty man glory in his might,

Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;

24But let him who glories glory in this,

That he understands and knows Me,

That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.

For in these I delight,” says the Lord.

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Like Precious Faith



2 Peter 1:1


2 Peter is a letter written to remind believers of the truth of the gospel and the danger of false teachers. Peter wrote this letter near the end of his life. In 2 Peter 1:13-14, Peter mentions that our Lord Jesus showed him that he would die soon.

2 Peter 1:13–14 (NKJV) 13Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.


Knowing that shortly he must put off his tent, Peter desired to stir us up. He does not want to unnerve or upset us; his purpose is to wake us up and cause us to be alert. He is aware that he has one last chance to do this before he moves on. 


Peter knew that he must soon depart, and he also knew that persecution was increasing. So, not only did he write because it was his last chance, but he was also moved to write because he knew that the truth would be attacked. The attacks were coming and would continue to come from more than one direction. Waking us up was necessary because of the ferocity and number of attacks that were coming.


An example and foretaste of what was coming was the persecution of the Church by Nero. Historical tradition says that Peter was crucified sometime between AD 64 and 68 by the emperor Nero. (The Apostle Paul was also martyred around the same time.) We think Peter wrote his first letter around AD 62 and this second letter around AD 64.


This letter then represents a final communication from the great apostle, who knew that he would die very soon. Therefore, in explanation of why he wrote these two letters, Peter says:

2 Peter 3:1–3 (NKJV) 1Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts.


Peter was not the only one moved by the Holy Spirit to warn of false teachers and scoffers. Around the same time that Peter wrote 2 Peter, Jude wrote his brief letter. The two letters are very similar, which causes some to think that Peter borrowed from Jude or Jude borrowed from Peter. (A third possibility is that Peter and Jude both used sayings common among believers of their time.) Whatever the reason for the similarity, the fact that the Holy Spirit says much the same thing through two sources at approximately the same time adds to the weightiness of the message. 


The message of 2 Peter is crucial because of the attacks on the truth that come from both inside and outside the Church.


Peter begins his letter by identifying himself. This was the common practice in letters of the day, but it was also necessary to establish the authority of the letter. In defining who he is, Peter gives us reasons why we should listen to him.


Peter starts by saying:

2 Peter 1:1 (NKJV) Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ…


In saying this, Peter establishes his close relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship with Jesus is the foundation of his right to address the Church. In both 1 Peter and 2 Peter, knowledge is stressed. In 1 Peter, he stresses truth, as stated in 1 Peter 1:22 and 1 Peter 5:12. Now, in 2 Peter, he emphasizes “knowledge,” starting with verse 2.

2 Peter 1:2 (NKJV) Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.


We must understand what Peter means by “knowledge” in this sentence. The word he uses means specific knowledge, knowledge gained through first-hand relationship. Another way to describe it would be to say it is “contact-knowledge.”


This “contact-knowledge” of Jesus our Lord defines a Christian. A person without this knowledge cannot be considered a “Christian” in the true sense of the word. By stating that he is a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, Peter establishes that he has this “contact-knowledge.”


An apostle was one who was with Jesus from the beginning of His ministry and who was also specifically chosen by Jesus for that office. (The only exception being the Apostle Paul, who, although he was specifically chosen by Jesus and recognized by the other apostles, was not with Jesus during his ministry.) Peter’s “contact-knowledge” of Jesus was matched only by John and James, who were, along with Peter, the three disciples closest to Jesus.


Along with his apostleship, Pete states that he is a “bondservant” of Jesus. 


Remember, Peter was writing in Greek, which is different than English, and he was writing 2,000 years ago in a culture different from ours. The word translated “servant” or “bondservant” in our modern Bibles was used for a slave in Peter’s culture. However, because of the different time and language, Peter had a different picture of slavery.


Slavery was common in Peter’s day, with about 40% of Italy’s population being slaves and about 15% of the total population of the Roman Empire being slaves. Slavery at that time had nothing to do with race as it did in early American slavery. The thing that ancient slavery had in common with early American slavery was that the slave was not his own person. He was another person’s property. 


A person could become a slave through a number of different means. Financial hardship or even bankruptcy could cause a person to be sold as a slave. Military conquest was a source of many slaves for the Romans as conquered people were often made slaves. Many people were born slaves and were slaves simply because their parents were slaves.


A bondservant in Jewish tradition differed from a slave in that a bondservant was a person who willingly subjected himself to another to work without wages. This happened for different reasons. For example, a person could subject himself to his neighbor to pay off a debt. Sometimes it was the case that a person was better off being a bondservant and would choose to stay in service to the master because of love for the master. In Israel, an Israelite could not enslave a fellow Israelite. In addition, in Israel, all Israelite bondservants (slaves) were released from servitude every seventh year. The only exception was that the servant could choose to remain in servitude, and this was to be carefully monitored so that the decision was truly that of the servant and not forced but freely made.


This rule of the bondservant is why our translators prefer to use the word bondservant or servant instead of slave. God invites us to come to Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is our choice, freely made. However, the consequences of rejecting God’s call are horrible.


Paul gives us some insight into our slavery to Christ when he says:

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NKJV) 19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are Gods.


Look at these verses carefully. “You are not your own.” “Your body and your spirit are God’s.” “You were bought at a price.” We know what love is because God first loved us and gave His Son to die in our place and take the punishment for our sins. Anyone who has experienced this love willingly submits to becoming a bondservant. In fact, we want to be his servants and never be separated from Him, which makes us bondservants in the true sense of the word. But, since we are purchased, are we bondservants or slaves? Romans 6:19-20 says:

Romans 6:19–20 (NKJV) 19For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.


We present ourselves to God to be His slaves. If there is one thing I want to leave with you today, it would be this admonition, “so now present your members as slaves of righteousness.” As Paul says in Romans 6:16:

Romans 6:16 (NKJV) Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that ones slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 


In 2 Peter 1, Peter says he is a slave of Jesus Christ. He uses the word “doulos.” “Doulos” can be translated as bondservant, but its normal (common) meaning is “slave.” It is characteristic of both Paul and Peter that they considered themselves slaves of Christ.


With this in mind, look at who Peter addresses.

2 Peter 1:1 (NKJV) To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.


Look at the word “obtained.” When we think of “obtaining” something, we think of achieving that thing. But let me show you another place in the New Testament where the word that Peter uses for “obtained” is used.

John 19:24 (NKJV) They said therefore among themselves, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.”


That was the soldiers at the cross of Christ deciding who would own Jesus’ cloak. The word for “cast lots” is the word that 2 Peter 1:1 uses that is translated as “obtained.” 


I stress this meaning because we must understand that our salvation and our faith are not something we achieve. Salvation is a gift. Even our faith is not from ourselves. It is a gift from God. There is nothing we can boast of since we were slaves to sin. Ephesians 2 says:

Ephesians 2:8 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.


Our faith is a gift from God. I would compare the “obtaining” that Peter speaks of to winning the lottery, but it is far from that. First of all, there is no “chance,” and there are no “odds.” Lotteries are, for the most part, evil because they prey on greed and take advantage of lust, stirring them up. Salvation is not a lottery. Peter says we obtained it by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. We know that our sins are washed away, and we are made the righteousness of God in Him, but there is so much more. Ephesians 1 speaks of this precious, most valuable treasure when it says:

Ephesians 1:3–6 (NKJV) 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.


He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, heavenly blessings. We received (obtained) this because He chose us before the foundation of the world. He has made us holy and without blame. Peter calls this “precious” (meaning valuable).


Because of what God has done for us, I am happy to be His slave.


If you are not a slave of Jesus Christ, you are a slave to sin. The wages of sin are death. The end of sin is an eternity of suffering away from the presence of God and everything good. This is another reason our faith is so precious. Not only are we no longer slaves to sin, but we are set free from the cost or wages of sin. Our future is in heaven in the presence of God, where there will be no more suffering.


If you do not have that “contact-knowledge” of Jesus Christ that Peter speaks of, I would like to introduce you to Him. Do not let this day pass without being sure you know Him. 


Pete speaks of “like precious faith.” Like means of the same kind. 


Like Peter, we all know for sure that we will face the day of our death. And even if you are young, believe me when I tell you it will be sooner than you think. If you want to be ready for that day, you must have the same precious faith that Peter had, that all true Christians have. This comes only through “contact-knowledge” of Jesus Christ. If you ask Him, Jesus will free you from slavery to sin. 


Ask.

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Grace Means…Truth



1 Peter 5:12-14


The early Church had conflicts!


I know you are shocked, but they were human, just like us.


As the Church was starting, one of the first conflicts was over the subject or issue of circumcision. 


Circumcision is essential to the Jews. From the time of Abraham, Judaism emphasized circumcision as the sign of God’s covenant with the people and nation of Israel. 


The birth of the Church came from the Jews. God gave the Old Testament scriptures through the Jews, and Jesus was born a Jew according to the flesh, a descendent of David of the tribe of Judah. The first believers were all Jews. Then in Acts chapter 10, the Holy Spirit opened the door to the Gentiles. From that time until the present, the gospel has been preached to the non-Jewish, Gentile world. 


Preaching to the Gentiles bordered on the unthinkable for the Jews. And, in Judaism, any convert had to be circumcised, obey the law of Moses, and become a Jew in practice. So, going to the non-Jew with the gospel was a huge step.


The Church sent Paul and Barnabas out as the first missionaries to the Gentiles. And in a very un-Jewish way, they preached salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and did not require circumcision or the practice of the traditions of Judaism. Many Gentiles came to faith in Jesus through Paul and Barnabas’s ministry. Their success drew other would-be teachers to their ministry. Among these were certain Jews from Judaea who began teaching that the new believers had to be circumcised according to the traditions of Moses. Paul and Barnabas opposed this vehemently. 


Paul and Barnabas took this issue to the apostles and the elders of the Church in Jerusalem. This was a significant undertaking, requiring many months of travel and work. I point this out to emphasize how crucial this issue was. Acts 15 gives the account of what we call the Jerusalem Council. There the question of Christian circumcision was discussed.  The council decided that the only requirement for salvation was faith in Jesus Christ. They could not and would not add any other requirements to the Gospel.


Having made this decision, the Apostles and Elders sent Paul and Barnabas back to the Gentiles with the message that salvation was through faith in Jesus and nothing else is required, including circumcision. 


Since the conflict started between Jews from Judea and Paul and Barnabas, the council of Jerusalem sent Silas and Timothy with Paul and Barnabas as affirmation and validation of their message. That way, those who disagreed with Paul did not have to just take Paul’s word for it. Silas and Timothy were chosen for this role because they were respected leaders in the Church, and they were also Jews. So, the hope was that the Jews from Judea and the Church among the Gentiles would accept the decision. 


Thus, Silas is introduced to us in the role of confirming the message of Paul and Barnabas.


We next see Silas ministering with Paul and Timothy in Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth. Silas suffered persecution alongside Paul and Timothy, and Paul mentions Silas in his letters to Thessalonica and Corinth.


The question of the true gospel continues to be an issue. I recently read an article that argued that Paul twisted the message of Jesus and taught a different gospel. I have also spoken with Muslims, Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Mormons, who all teach a different gospel.


When Peter sent his letter to the Church scattered throughout Asia Minor, he did not use the Roman postal service. He had Silas carry the letter. This is why 1 Peter 5:12 says:

1 Peter 5:12 (NKJV)  By Silvanus [Silas], our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 


“By Silvanus…I have written to you briefly” does not mean that Silas wrote the letter. “By Silvanus” means that Silas carried the letter. Please notice that Peter considers Silas a “faithful brother.” By using the word faithful, Peter says that Silas is trustworthy and that he is “full of faith.” In other words, Silas was a true believer. His status as a true believer is also confirmed by Peter calling him a “brother.”


Peter says he wrote briefly “exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.”


Peter was writing to give his testimony to the truth of the gospel as it was being preached. By including Silas, he tied his teaching to the teaching ministry of the Apostle Paul. In this action, He gives his support and affirmation to what Paul and Silas were teaching. He shows that he and Paul are in agreement. In case there is any question, Peter says, “our faithful brother as I consider him.”


However, Peter’s concern went beyond his agreement with Paul. He wrote a second letter, and in that letter, he speaks of one way the devil devours people. In this, he reveals his overriding concern.

2 Peter 2:1–3 (NKJV) 1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.


Please look at these verses carefully! “There will be” means “there are” now since we are living in the future Peter was pointing to. Verse 2 says, “And many will follow their destructive ways.” 


This is true. It is a present reality in the world. Throughout the earth, wherever you look, false teaching abounds. This is why the admonishment of 1 Peter 5:8 is so crucial.

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.


We must be sober and vigilant concerning the teaching we listen to and believe. Look again at 1 Peter 5:12.

1 Peter 5:12 (NKJV)  By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 


Concerning the true grace of God, Peter exhorts us. “Exhort” can be translated “beg,” Peter begs (exhorts) us three times in 1 Peter.


First, in 1 Peter 2:11, he begs us to abstain from fleshly lusts because they war against our souls. Second, he begs elders to shepherd the flock in 1 Peter 5:1-4. And now, he urges us to continue standing in the true grace he has written about.


Along with his appeal, Peter testifies to the truth. His purpose in writing was to testify to the truth. Peter was an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ life. He was with Jesus from the beginning of His public meeting, starting with the days following Jesus’ baptism by John. In 2 Peter 1:16, he says this about his experience:

2 Peter 1:16 (NKJV) For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.


However, Peter did not trust his eyes alone. He also says:

2 Peter 1:19–21 (NKJV) 19And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.


The prophetic word confirmed by what Peter saw with his eyes is the Old Testament.


We have the testimony of eyewitnesses in the New Testament. The Bible was compiled over the years as Moses, Samuel, and the prophets wrote. Then as Jesus fulfilled the prophecies given through Moses and the writers of the Old Testament, the witnesses of those events wrote them down. These things are all a matter of history. They are not fiction because the historical record exists. In the present, we are seeing prophecy being fulfilled in the Middle East. Thus, we know that we are not following cleverly devised fables.


The Bible is the word of God, and it is the authority upon which our faith is built. Because of this, the Bible is the most published and most attacked book on the planet. But it is okay, as God’s word, the Bible will not fall. And, there is an important truth stated in Isaiah:

Isaiah 8:20 (NKJV) To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.


Look again at 2 Peter 1:19 -21.

2 Peter 1:19–21 (NKJV) 19And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.


We are not free to attach any meaning we want to the words of the Bible. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are to work to discern what God is telling us. Many times I have heard it said that a person can make the Bible say anything they want it to. And this is true. And this is exactly why we must read and know the Bible for ourselves. Please remember the admonition of 1 John 2:26-27.

1 John 2:26–27 (NKJV) 26These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.


Would you please notice that John is speaking about those who try to deceive us? Just like Peter, John knew there are false teachers, and we must know and understand the truth, which is why Peter writes. He says:

1 Peter 5:12 (NKJV)  By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.


In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul tells us:

Ephesians 6:13–14 (NKJV) …and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth.


It is urgent and essential that we stand firm in the truth. The evil one, the roaring lion of 1 Peter 5:8, is making a three-pronged attack on us. The first is through the deceitfulness of false teaching, the second is through temptation (fleshly lusts that wage war against the soul), and the third is through persecution.


 At the time Peter wrote 1 Peter, Rome was persecuting the Church. Persecution was responsible, in part, for the dispersion that Peter talks about in the opening verses of his letter.  As Peter closes the letter, we see evidence of persecution. He says:

1 Peter 5:13-14 (NKJV) 13She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. 14Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen. 


“She who is in Babylon” is a reference to the Church in Rome. Tradition has it that Peter died in Rome under Nero. It was not safe or wise to alert the government in Rome to a large number of believers living in the city. So, the early Church began to call Rome “Babylon” because Babylon represented the kingdom of Satan and the values of the world.


This is true even in the present. The whole world lies in the power of the evil one and thus is opposed to the true grace of God.


We need the truth to stand in the face of the temptations we experience, the persecution we endure, and the lies we confront. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. We meet Him and know Him through the pages of the Bible. The Old Testament told of His coming, and the New Testament speaks of His life. Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, you must read the Bible to know the truth.

The Fifth Seal, The White Robes Revelation 6:11

Revelation6:11 (NKJV) Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, un...