International Sunday School Lesson
Mailing Address for Donations:
Lindsay Poteat
P.O. Box 575
Newport News, VA 23607
22 NOV 09 EQUIPMENT FOR THE BATTLE FOR TRUTH 2 PET 1:3-15
1 Peter was written to comfort sufferers, & what comfort it gave! 2 Pet
goes out to those who are soldiers, battling the false doctrines of
heretics. Jude is a companion volume with many similarities. They are
certainly appropriate for our day when so many false doctrines are
abroad. In our own country they all seem to get a hearing, while the
truth in Christ is shut out of much of public life. We need the
knowledge
& strategy of these books for our battles. While sufferers need grace
(emphasis in the 1st letter), soldiers in faith’s battle need
"knowledge"
(found13 times in 2 Pet.).
ACKNOWLEDGING GOD'S BENEFITS
3) As we face the battle for truth, Peter reminds us that we have all
the
equipment we need for the fight. "Half of one’s education is knowing
where to find the other half." We can find in the knowledge of Christ
all
we need to live and to walk a godly life. This bestowment by God is
final. He Who called us also equipped us to answer.
4) Because God is so good & glorious, He has bestowed upon us the
promises of His Word - they are great because He is great, & they bring
great things to us; they are also precious, meaning we cannot calculate
their value. The promises enable us to become new creatures in Christ,
sharing in His nature; this new nature gives us new appetites, helping
us
have victory over the old desires of this sinful world. We are new
creatures in Him.
ADDITION OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER
5), 6), 7), The Christian life begins with the new birth, but it does
not
stop there. Many things are added that fill us up and help us to grow
toward maturity in Christ. While spiritual growth is the work of the
Holy
Spirit in our lives, this text reminds us that we as believers must
exert
every effort in chorus with the Spirit for real growth to take place. To
the faith that brings the new birth, we should strive to add the
following things: 1, goodness: a high standard of moral excellence; 2,
knowledge: practical application of spiritual truth in living; 3,
self-control: Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:32 that "He that is slow to
anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he
that taketh a city." We must never be out of control; 4, perseverance:
used 32 times in NT, this word means to "abide under," to "stay at the
task." Don't be a quitter! 5, godliness: which speaks of "piety, man’s
obligation of reverence toward God." A pious person will seek to do
God's
will while blessing men around him; 6, brotherly kindness: letter for
letter, our word "Philadelphia." This is a special affection for those
who belong to the family, along with its practical results; 7, love:
here
is the famous word, "agape." It sees an object and works for its
welfare,
even in the face of rejection, and without hope of getting anything in
return. It loves without cause, without there being a reason to love. It
is God's love in John 3:16.
8), 9), Four negative qualities are to be avoided. In the knowledge of
Christ, we can be ineffective: this means to be idle, to do nothing with
our faith! Unthinkable! If we are idle, we shall also be unfruitful:
fruit-bearing requires effort; a lazy farmer harvests no crop. Adding
the
seven qualities in vss 5-7 will prevent these two negative qualities.
Failing to grow in the seven virtues will guarantee that a person will
have two more defects - 1, Spiritual nearsightedness - Peter says such a
person is blind in a specific way, being unable to see the big picture
or
take the long view; 2, forgetfulness - not remembering the precious work
Christ did for us.
ASSURANCE FOR THE FUTURE
OUR SOULS
10), 11) False teachers and false teaching can send weak and carnal
believers into a spiritual tailspin of doubt and insecurity. A life may
be robbed of its fruitfulness and the abundance of reward in heaven.
Peter here urges the readers to strive to live so as to give themselves
assurance of the security that is theirs in Christ. God's election and
calling make us secure, but it is the outworking of grace in our lives
that makes us assured. There is a present benefit of such striving for
godliness, as well as a future one. Presently, we may be spared from
stumbling in our walk, damaging God's testimony. In the future, we will
enter the port of heaven with a great cargo of blessing (many rewards)
rather than being saved "by the skin of our teeth." Contrast 1 Cor 3:15.
OUR SERVICE
12), 13), 14) Peter emphasized the necessity of our being reminded. How
soon we forget things we do not repeat and cherish in our minds. Peter
was writing Scripture that would last long after he was gone, a tool God
could use even then! They had knowledge and a good foundation, but they
needed to be reminded - as we all do. One well-known black preacher said
of repeating a sermon, "If it didn't bear repeating, I shouldn't have
preached it the first time." Repetition is a great teaching tool. As
long
as Peter was in the flesh, he planned to stir up their minds by way of
remembrance. Peter was aware of the temporary nature of his ministry. He
knew he would one day die, and he felt that the time of his departure
was
near (compare Paul in 2 Tim 4). Jesus had told Peter that he would lay
aside his body, a beautiful image for death. His teaching would outlive
him in the Word.
15) Here Peter uses a 2nd image for death - departure, "exodus." Peter
would be set free from bondage to his flesh, fleeing to God's presence.
It has been said that "God buries His workmen, but His work goes on."
This was Peter's heart, and it should be ours. What are you doing that
will live when you are gone? God help us!
"Mr. Wesley Memorial" - Charles Burley
The space for this web site has been provided courtesy of