2 Peter, Part 1
Notes
Transcript
2 Peter 1:1-11
· Recipients: Gentile Christians in Asia Minor
· Purpose: It is evident from 2:1–3, 14, 18 some from within the church, claiming to be Christians. Peter viewed them as false teachers.
· Apparently they initially gave evidence of being converted but began to live and teach in a way that revealed their apostasy.
o Their central teaching was a denial of a future coming of Christ (1:16–18; 3:4–7) and future judgment (2:3–10).
o Either this opened the door for a libertine lifestyle (2:1–3, 11–16) or perhaps they began by living licentiously and then defended their lifestyle theologically by denying a future judgment.
Peter’s goal is to clarify how the gospel works in light of this false teaching and why your lifestyle matters in response to the gospel.
(1) a. Equality in salvation. No ranks. All have “received” and made 100% righteous through Jesus Christ.
“Received” is the foundation of Peter’s teaching, preventing it from becoming pietistic legalism. Salvation cannot be earned and works do not add to or contribute to your justification. It only helps in your sanctification and ministry to others.
b. Diety: Jesus is clearly identified as GOD and Savior.
(2) Definition, object, and role of “Knowledge”
Peter is talking about “gospel knowledge” –
· Knowing the gospel and
· Experiencing the Gospel
· Living the Gospel
All 3 are essential:
James 2:19 - You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.
James 2:19 (CSB)
19 You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.
Knowledge about God doesn’t save but it is the vehicle through which salvation comes – Romans 10:13-17
13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?
15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.
16 But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?
17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
Faith is received through hearing the gospel (14), but clearly not just being under the sound since not everyone who who hears responds – it is the one who believes the gospel (16ff) and then lives according to it.
Experiential knowledge of God provides:
1. (2) Grace and peace
2. (3) His divine power working to grant us all things pertaining to life and godliness – everything needed to actually live godly lives and remain faithful to the end.
“Well, I just can’t – it’s too hard – I give up” can never be an excuse for a follower of Jesus. Peter was concerned about those who had fallen away and others at risk of falling away. So he reminds us in verse 4 of the 3rd provision to overcome this:
3. (4) God’s great and precious promises: Through them…
a. We can escape from the corruption of the world. Though it feels like it’s closing in on us, we do not have to submit to it.
b. Not just survive but thrive! In spite of it all, God’s power in us can make us look and live even more like Jesus, even when the world is trying to press us into its mold, which would destroy our faith.
Four quick examples of God’s great promises:
Phil. 1:6 – He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.
6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Phil. 4:13 – I can do all things [I’m called to do] through Christ who gives me strength.
13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.
1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.
13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.
1 John 4:4 – Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
(5a) For this very reason, (justified you, strengthened you, and now is sanctifying you) make every effort to…
Since justification is a completed gift, but sanctification is an ongoing process, Peter says that with the knowledge of the promises of God firmly in mind and through the power of our new nature that has delivered us from the corruption of the world (ie we’re now IN the world but not OF the world), make every effort to apply what is already yours through His divine power of Christ within you!
In other words, what God has given you already is enough to take it and apply it – but it takes great effort grow in godliness, and that growth is evidence of your redemption. It’s what separates transformation from “Religion”.
In 10-11, Peter will write, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.
The desire to be holy/Christ-like fuels the “great effort” required for sanctification which includes the two-part process of “mortification” (put to death) of sin and “vivification” (giving life to/strengthening) of Christlike qualities in us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
So, though I have to work at killing (mortifying) sinful desire and growing in , I now want to kill sinful desire because of Christ in me.
Having been regenerated (justified, transformed, re-born), the Spirit of God now convicts me through my conscience when I do sin and makes me remorseful, leading me to repentance (turning away from).
Lack of any growth (especially the desire to grow) most likely indicates lack of justification because a divine “want to” (desire) to leave sin behind and grow in Christlikeness has to be part of what Peter describes as “everything needed for life and godliness.”
If that’s missing, then the divine nature is missing. If it’s present to any degree, to use one of Paul’s phrases, “fan it into flame!”
(5b-7)
Peter says make everyeffort (full throttle, all in, complete focus) to supplement/build onto your faith – remember, faith is what we build onto because it’s what we receiveso it’s foundational because it is our salvation from Christ – build these 7 qualities on top of it (and they make sense together):
Goodness/virtue – “excellence in character”
Phil. 4:8 – same word for “moral excellence”
1 Peter 2:9 – same word for “praises” – eg a characteristic of God we are to see in our own lives.
Let’s be clear: we’re talking a biblically moral life.
Means that SCRIPTUREdefines morality, not you and not culture/world.
NOT moralism - Only what the Bible calls sin.
NOT Cherry-picking - Everything the Bible calls sin.
Means you have to fight every day not to be shaped by values you’re bombarded with.
Strategy: Limit your exposure to it or you will be influenced by it. Replace mindless scrolling with the things that build godliness into your life.
Knowledge – “Understanding”; knowing what is good, bad, right, wrong.
Source: Colossians 2:3 – “In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
This “ practical knowledge” on how to live is found in his Word.
Self-control – Saying “yes” and “no” at the appropriate times, regardless of what you want or how you feel in the moment. “Understanding” is essential, but it has to be lived out. Goodness will not happen if there is no self-control.
Saying “no” to sin is part of dying to yourself that Jesus was talking about when he said, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mt 16:24)
Perseverance/steadfastness – we have to understand this word in light of Matthew 11: 28-30 since it means literally “to walk under the load.” Jesus said for the burdened to come under his load because it's easy. He shoulders the weight but puts his yoke on us to train us. This implies rest in the time of burden and peace and joy because he's teaching us through it.
With that understanding, how can I not persevere and do so with a good attitude? As opportunities to practice perseverance arise and we go to Jesus time after time, we grow in our ability to continue in perseverance to the end. We keep holding on to Jesus because we're being held onto by Jesus as he continues to say, “come.” By this the true believer cannot lose his faith, but nor can they continue walking in sin because they won't want to - they will hate it even as they struggle with it; even as their flesh longs for it. They will persevere in the struggle, turning back to Jesus, until it's dead in them.
John Murray: “Perseverance means the engagement of our persons in the most intense and concentrated devotion to those means which God has ordained for achievement of his saving purpose.”
We see this in Peter's own life with Jesus: Luke 22: 31-32
31 “Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.
32 But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Satan has asked permission to severely strain their faith (plural) to see if he can make them fail; destroy their faith.
But Jesus has prayed for Peter (singular) that his faith may not fail (ekleipw - “to come to an end; to give out”) Where we get our word, “eclipse” which we’ll see one tomorrow.
Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not utterly give out, even if for a time it was brought into darkness. Though Peter became faithless for a time (temporary eclipse), it did not give out and we see he did strengthen his brothers.
How encouraging that Christ “is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because he always lives to intercede for us”!
Godliness – “right belief about God and appropriate practice in keeping with those beliefs” – has to do with good theology (“theological knowledge” that shapes your thinking and impacts your living).
Doesn’t mean you have to have perfect theological knowledge, but that you’re growing in the knowledge you have, and it’s shaping your life as you mature in it.
Then, what these first five look like in action:
brotherly affection – “Philadelphia” - Reflect a common love among believers that wants to serve and honor each other constantly.
It also works to preserve unity which means avoiding divisiveness like gossip, slander, etc, while promoting love and respect throughout the body.
10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.
Love – “agape” – the kind of sacrificial love Christ has for his church. This is the deepest kind of love where we value another's life more than our own To the point of sacrificing ourselves for them to 1° or another.
Romans 5:8 - God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 15:13 - No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.
(8) the good news here is that if these qualities are in some way evidenced in your life, the spirit of God is working in you to become a fully mature believer in Christ.
Notice the term “in increasing measure”-- peter's words of encouragement are that you don't start out fully mature, so that even if you feel weak in any of these, you grow into them as you cultivate them the way you work and cultivate a garden. Don't be discouraged, be diligent! You will grow and you will be fruitful!
Remember, even Peter had to be rebuked and held accountable by Paul!
(9) the concern is if you don't see these qualities evidenced in your life.
Two general possibilities:
( 1 ) you are a very immature believer.
· Blind
· Short-sighted
· Forgotten previous cleansing .
Carnal – Greek word sarkikos, which literally means “fleshly.”
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Paul’s answer: Colossians 3
Put off old self - 5-10
Put on the new – 11-14 (sounds similar to Peter’s list!)
In a word, repent(turn about face!)
(2) you have not been converted; not justified as we mentioned earlier. Result: apostacy
You live like a believer for a time, but eventually either fall away or simply depend on being a “good person”
Good news is if you become convicted, the Spirit is working in your life to change you. If so, humbly submit to Him and repent!
When the Spirit is working:
1. The desire to throw off sin. You’ve repented (about face)
2. The desire to grow.
3. The presence of fruit [though imperfect] in your life (Galatians 5:22-25)
In short, how we live our lives on the outside confirms what has happened on the inside.
The confirmation of your calling and election is less dependent on the level of these qualities in your life and more that they are present and you desire to grow in them and you are working to cultivate them in your life. Remember, this is the fruit of your salvation, not the root of it. The root is the faith you have received.