Blessing of Godliness

The previous lesson was entitled Blessing amid trials. We learned that once the heart is carried away from that which is good , and cleave to that which is evil , it is first by corrupt inclinations or by lusting after or coveting some sensual ,or worldly thing , estranged from the life of God . Once we conceive or give birth to this lust it bringeth forth sin .The solution for temptation is to be found in a close relationship with the Father and a constant response to His Word. One must rest in the unchangeable Lord of light and rely on His life-giving “Word of truth” (cf. See Eph. 1:13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” This lesson has brought home some very important truths. The Christian goes through trials for a divine purpose . The crown of life waits him when he has finished the race. It is through those times of trials and temptations that God develops Christian character in each of us . With wisdom from God we can endure even the most difficult of times. He has promised to stay with us to the very end.

SEE A Col. 1:5 “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”

See 2 Tim. 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

TODAYS AIM

Facts : To show the resources we have as Christians to live godly lives.

Principle: to understand that God has already provided us with all that we need to live godly lives.

APPLICATION : TO learn to use the resources God gives us to live the way God wants us to.

INTRODUCTION

While the old Testament took , over a thousand years to be completed , the entire New Testament was written in only about a fifty-year time span. Since there were other books circulating in the early church(Luke 1:1-4) Certain tests were applied to decide whether a book was canonical. (which means included in the list of sacred books officially accepted as genuine) Among these were apostolicity, orthodoxy , and universality This meant that a book came from an apostle or one closely associated with an apostle, contained sound doctrine , and was universally accepted by the church. For whatever reason , II Peter was not as well -known or as quickly accepted as Peter’s first letter, , But none of the reasons offered to argue that Peter is not the author are ultimately convincing . In time, II Peter was recognized as canonical.

OUR Lesson the week reminds us that the Christian life is truly difficult to live out every day , but as Christians we are also provided with all the tools and resources we need in and through Christ Jesus so we can be successful in any situation . Our lesson reminds us of the power of God’s word to build us up and provide us the victory we need daily .

I OUTLINE : DIVINE POWER II Peter 1:3-4)

1 VERSE II Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” Life ; as noted in Acts 17:28 “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Peter is saying that everything we need comes through knowledge of Him being Jesus, who has already given us everything we could ever need when we were born again.. I Co. 1:30 “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” SEE John 1:16 “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” See also Col. 2:9-10 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” We don’t need to get something new . We just need a revelation of what we already have in Christ . See Phil. 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” All that believers need for spiritual vitality (life) and godly living is attainable through Him (Christ) who called us to this life of godliness by His own glory and goodness .Christ is the source of spiritual power and growth. See Phil. 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;” See also Col. 1:9-10 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

2 verse II Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Peter is saying through these things I just mentioned , though his glory and goodness he called us and then gave us by his divine power everything we need to live a life that pleases . him , one that brings him glory and honour . So he has chosen us by his glory and virtue so that we could bring him glory and virtue by living our lives for him ,. He promise us that by these thing we are partakers of his divine nature . SO the knowledge of God has given us all the promises in the word oF God for the purpose of allowing us to partakers of God’s divine nature . What a deal . So not only are we recipients of His divine power , but we are also partakers of His divine nature which is evident by the fruits of the spirit. See Gal. 5:22-23. Peter speaks of promises.

Some of the promises mentioned but or just to name a few:

Eternal life 1 John 2:25 “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

answered prayer I John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”

The forgiveness of sins Acts 10:43 “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

The presence of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” See also Acts 5:32 “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”

Gods’ providential care Rom .8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

II OUTLINE :DISCIPLESHIP PRIORITIES

II Peter 1:5-9)

4 Verse II Peter 1:5 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;” Peter is saying beside this, indicating that there is something beyond the new birth , which absolutely requires faith , but then that faith should be added to in other words there is growth it is not enough to be born into God’s family , we must also grow spiritually . This demands diligence and earnestness; A lazy Christian is a Christian but not a spiritually growing Christian.We’ve all been given a measure of faith but this faith must grow and develop, ROM. 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. A lazy Christian spiritual growth is stunted . Peter proceeds to lists the spiritual characteristics that ought to be seen in the believers life. He is not suggesting that we add these virtues the way we add beads to a string. Rather , each virtue helps us develop the next one. They are like sections of a telescope ; one leads into the other /. Virtue is seen as goodness or moral excellence, So we add to saving faith virtue .The only way to prove our faith is by living a life of virtue. Next we add to moral excellence knowledge or moral discernment or wisdom to distinguish good from evil. As Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” See 1 Tim.6:20-21 “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”

6 verse II Peter 1:6 “And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;” Peter is saying once knowledge is added , we will be able to add temperance or self control. Temperance has often been understood in reference to alcohol . Although this is included , temperance is not limited to self- control in just his one area. It meant controlling the passions instead of being controlled by them . The apostle described the false teachers as anything but temperated They are depicted as presumptuous , sensual ,animal-like , filled with adulterous thoughts , and servants of corruption .Self -control lead to patience or endurance . Peter was dealing with steadfastness . AS 1 Corinthians 15:58 .We have to strive to be steadfast , unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord.This is the staying power of Christians in times of trial.When Christians bear afflictions patiently, they get an experimental knowledge of the loving-kindness of their heavenly Father. Next we add to or stedfastness or patience ; godliness. Godliness is the very thing which is produced by patience , for that works experience see, Rom 5:4 “And patience, experience; and experience, hope:” . Godliness means piety or living a life that is like GOD, or being devout , which was said of Cornelius in Acts 10:2. This word means right worship or a dependence on God that reveals itself in a devoted life.We read earlier that Christ has given all believers everything to live or be godly and yet Peter is saying believers have to pursue godliness . IN other words They have to be conscientious of how they are living. . Rom 2:4 .says For it is the goodness of God that leads one to repentance or a change or heart and mind.But James say it is the Grace if God that teaches us godlinessSee Titus 2:11-15 .“

7 verse II Peter 1:7 “And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” Next Peter says brotherly kindness is to be added to godliness , this simply means a love for the people of God . As Gal. 6:10 says as we therefore opportunity , let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. The final virtues Peter names is charity or love, which wraps all the virtues together into one. Just as christ gave the greatest commandment which wrapped all the written law into two. SEE Matthew 22:36-40 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” As Paul mentioned in See I Co. 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” Any and everything we do without charity or apart from charity profits us nothing .

8 Verse II Peter 1:8 “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here the apostle sets forth the advantages that redound to all who successfully labour so as to get these things to be and abound in them vs. 8-11. They will be fruitful in the knowledge or the acknowledging of our Lord Jesus Christ owning him to be their Lord and evidencing themselves to be his servants by their abounding the work that He has given them to do. This is the necessary consequence of adding one grace to another ; for where all Christian graces are in the heart , they improve and strengthen , encourage and cherish one another ; so they all thrive and grow, and wherever grace abounds there will be an abounding in good works,

9 Verse II Peter 1:9 “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” Here the apostle sets forth how miserable it is to be without those quickening graces,; for he who has not the aforementioned graces , or though he pretends or seems to have them , does not exercise and improve them, is blind , that is as to spiritual and heavenly things, as the next word explained it ; He cannot see far off. This present evil world he can see and dotes upon , but has no discerning at all of the world to come , so as to be affected with the spiritual privileges and heavenly blessings thereof, . They have no vision and are so preoccupied with the temporal that they can’t see the eternal. They even forget the wonderful salvation that they have recieved,

You can usually tell when Christians are not growing for they have these three characteristics;

They are barren , or idle, that is they will not work for Christ,

They are unfruitful, that is their meager knowledge of Christ does not produce fruit in their lives.

They are blind lacking spiritual insight, spiritually ‘’NEARSIGHTED” Behind this lack of spiritual development is a poor memory , forgetting what God has done for them through Christ. Peter had once been forgetful and he remembered the word of the lord, See, Luke 22:61.Peter is saying be diligent . The Christian does not save himself or keep himself saved; but it is his responsibility to be sure he has the marks of a true believer . See I Thes. 1:4-5 “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

III. OUTLINE DELIGENT PERSEVERANCE II Pet. 2:10-11.

10 Verse II Pet. 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” Sure here means BEBAIOS That greek word means stable . So those who are not living godly or holy lives are unstable, The apostle is saying being diligent in adding these graces on ones faith enables them to make their calling and election sure. Not that it saves them but the life they live is their story or proof to a fallen world that the life they live is not their own for it belongs to the Lord, and also by being diligent in adding these graces, they will never fall from grace , where Christ and his promises are no longer effectual for them . See Gal. 5:4. Someone has said the the proof of the profession is in the perseverance of the professor.Even though election comes from God alone, man’s behaviour is the proof or disproof of it. Abounding in Christian virtues , gives us assurance that our profession of faith is genuine.

11 verse II Pet.1:11 “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Here the apostle continues to set forth the advantages that redound to all who successfully labour so as to get these things to be and abound in them. We must remember our salvation is gift (Rom.6:23) We can’t earn it , but according to these verses ,there are things we can do that will make our salvation stable or sure . Paul mentioned the grace of God and his labouring in the same verse. SEE I Co. 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” This sounds like an oxymoron. Why labor to rest?If you understand clearly what the rest of the Lord is then it takes effort to rest in the finished work of the Lord. Our human nature wants to do something to be worthy of the Lord’s blessings, but the truth is that we can never deserve the goodness of the Lord. We have to cease from trusting in own works and rest in what Jesus has freely provided by grace. That takes effort . It will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done to quit relating to God on the basis of your own works and start trusting totally in what Jesus did for you .You have to labor to rest . This will allow you to diligently add to your faith the needed graces that make your calling and election sure and enable you to live a godly life even Christ said in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Jesus is saying when we learn or obtain this knowledge of him , we shall find rest unto our souls . While resting in him we diligently persevere in adding these graces to our faith and in doing so we shall have a triumphant entrance into glory ; of those few who get to heaven Peter says are scarcely saved See 1 Pet. 4:18 “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Meaning with a great deal of difficulty even as by fire SEE I Co. 3:15., but the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us See, Rom. 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Peter is saying those who are growing in grace , and abounding in the work of the Lord , shall have an abundant entrance into the joy of their Lord , even that everlasting kingdom where Christ reigns and they shall reign with him for ever and ever.

IV. OUTLINE DEPARTURE PREDICTED II Pet. 1:12-14.

12 Verse II Pet. 1:12 “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” The importance and advantage of progress and perseverance in grace and holiness made the apostle to be very diligent in doing the work of a minister of Christ , that he might thereby excite and assist them to be diligent in the duty of Christians. If ministers be negligent in their work, it can hardly be expected that people will be diligent in theirs; Therefore Peter will not be negligent . This is the office of the best ministers , even the apostles themselves they are the Lords’s remembrancers SEE Isa. 62:6 “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, Which shall never hold their peace day nor night: Ye that make mention of the Lord, Keep not silence,” Notice that Peter was telling these people things they already knew and were established in. This makes the point that we need to hear the truth over and over . Faith comes by hearing , not by having heard, See, Rom. 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” We don’t get all the revelation of any truth all at once. We have to meditate on truth over and over and each time we do, the revelation becomes deeper and more established in us .

13V erse II Pet. 1:13 “Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;” Here the apostle Peter is now imparting more understanding of why this is so important . Hearing things we’ve heard before quickens our memory and memory stirs us up, II Pet.3:1 “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:” Peter is saying as long as he’s alive he will stir then up by putting them in remembrance and here are two reasons this is necessary ,

we need to be put in mind of what we already know to prevent our forgetting it , and to improve our knowledge , and reduce all to practice.

We must be established in the belief of the truth , that we may not be shaken by every wind of doctrine , and especially in that which is the present truth , The great doctrines of the gospel, that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved, and all that believe in God must be careful to maintain good works—these are truths the apostles insisted on in their day; these are faithful sayings, and worthy of all acceptation in every age of the Christian church. And, as these must be constantly affirmed by ministers. See Tit. 3:8 “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

14 Verse II Pet. 1:14 “Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.” Peter nearness to death made him even more diligent in the business of life. He bestirs himself with even greater zeal and diligence because his time left was short. He must soon be removed from those to whom he wrote and his ambition being that they should remember the doctrine he had delivered to them , after he himself was taken away from them. He commits his exhortation to writing . HE was saying that his death was coming soon . Its unclear if this was some recent communication the Lord had given Peter about his death , or if Peter was referring back to what Jesus said to him in John 21:18-19 “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.” In this passage the Lord does reveal to Peter that he would die a martyr’s death. Tradition says that Peter was crucified in Rome and that he asked to be crucified upside down because he didn’t think himself worthy to die the same way the Lord had died. ALSO notice how Peter talked about his death .He would put off his tabernacle or body , In this statement , he clearly identified his true self as the inner man . His body was nothing more than a tent he resided in , This is also a great revelation . Death is nothing more than our soul and spirit leaving our bodies an going into the presence of the LORD. See Ecc. 12:7 “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” See also II Co. 5:1-8 “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” OUR bodies are the only part of us that is waiting for redemption . When we die our bodies will be laid up in the grave, or the sea, or ashes what ever the case maybe till the morning of the resurrection . FOR SAINTS THAT WILL BE the rapture when the dead in Christ shall rise first and all those that are alive shall be changed in the moment and twinkling of an eye See I Thes. 4: 16-18 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

In conclusion not only did God save us but he imparted everything we needed to live a life that brings glory and honor to his name. In the end he will present the church to himself holy, and without blemish and only He can make that possible. See Eph. 5:27 “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” With God all things are possible . Even when Jesus told his disciples that easier for a a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter in the kingdom of God . They asked Him , who then can be saved, and Jesus looked at them and said to them with Men this is impossible but with God all things are possible see Matt.19:24-28.Where God lead you to He will always see you through. He always will equip you with what you need to fulfill the destiny he has planned for your life,. Strength in the christian life comes only by drawing close to God as we allow him to speak to us as we study his word. When we neglect the truths of scripture we become weak christians , We soon become ineffective in our Christian lives and in our daily task of witnessing to others. The body of Christ is only as strong as the individual members,.When we seriously study the word , it makes the entire body stronger.

I think this passage of scripture is becoming to conclude this lesson.

Titus 2:11-15 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”