Life and Godliness
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
In life, we go day-in and day-out with our mundane tasks and try to make life as enjoyable for ourselves and others as possible. Yet, in our interactions and being caught up in the busyness of life, we can forget our purpose in being.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
This verse clearly shows us that we have been created NEW in Christ Jesus, for a purpose...to walk in the good works that God has prepared for us.
Are we faithful to remember this reality in our day-to-day endeavors?
Oftentimes, that is not the case. We blend in with the world and no longer have a real distinction. Yet, looking at...
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
When we come to church, we are being equipped for the work of service (Ephesians 4:12), to do the good works we are created to do (Ephesians 2:10), as spiritual sacrifices to God (1 Peter 2:5) and witnesses to people of His goodness.
How do we go about being consistent in this approach? How do we go about doing what we are designed to do?
At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, taking up personal residence (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and with His presence, He brings His power.
This week, we are going to continue our study in 2 Peter, by seeing how God has granted all things pertaining to Life and Godliness.
Read 2 Peter 1:3-4.
All Things Pertaining To Life
All Things Pertaining To Life
verse 3
Life is not easy!
Everyone has to deal with the difficulty of life.
We have to deal with temptation, sin, failure, rejection, loneliness, fear, loss, etc.
And since life is not easy, man is always looking for a way to cope with it
Counselors, psychologists, medication, drugs, addictions, isolationism, etc.
All these are things that man does to try and cope with their problems
The good news for all believers is found in 2 Peter 1:3: we have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness.
There is no lack!
We have it all!
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours.
We look at life, and we see everything in life, and we see all the trials and troubles of life – listen, there is no reason if you’re a Christian to imagine that you’re not sufficient.
The Word of God perfectly fulfills our need for wisdom and guidance in all matters.
This world offers nothing that God has lacked in giving.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
It is our job as Christians to exemplify Christ to a lost and dying world.
It is God’s will that we become like Christ, and He has given us all we need to do it.
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Not only has He given us what we need, He has given us people to help equip us to do it (Ephesians 4:11-16).
Ephesians 4 instructs about unity and oneness in Christ and the building up of one another to become more like Christ
All Things Pertaining To Godliness
All Things Pertaining To Godliness
verse 3
The unsaved sinner is dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), and only God can make him alive through Jesus Christ.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.
Think of a newborn baby. They have all the equipment they need in order to grow (properly functioning cells, organs and body systems working in unison, DNA coding to ensure the body can continue to build and grow).
When you are born into the family of God by faith, you are born complete...there is nothing that needs to be added.
and you have been filled in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation
Believers are “genetically structured” to become like Christ
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Warren Wiersbe
We should not wait until we get to heaven to become like Jesus Christ! In our character and conduct, we should reveal His beauty and grace today.
So, do what you can to learn from Him!
Seek His Word and seek to know Him more. God’s power has brought us into His family as adopted sons and daughters; and as such, He has granted to us all things pertaining to life and godliness.
Having Escaped Corruption
Having Escaped Corruption
verse 4
According to verse 4, when we seek His nature in His Word, we escape the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. This corruption is enticing and is what makes us flabby Christians.
It tempts us because it appeals to the lust of our flesh and draws us to sin against our Lord. It is not good for us, and we need to seek to curb it from our life.
ILLUSTRATION
“One night, a mother fixed a special meal for her family: turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, and apple pie for dessert. It was everyone’s favorite meal, especially when it came at a time other than Thanksgiving. The aroma filled the house, and as the children came in from playing they could hardly wait for dinner to begin.
The last child appeared only a few minutes before dinner time and sat through the meal without eating, even though he especially loved those foods. Why? Because he had filled up on junk food at a friend’s house.
In settling for something good, he had lost his appetite for the best. The same applies to our spiritual appetites. Some people don’t have much of an appetite for spiritual truth because they have satisfied themselves with lesser things.”
When some Christians refuse to live holy lives, they dishonor the sacrifice of Christ on the cross that cleansed their past sins!
We can choose to live to self and be a slave to sin. And this happens with feasting on fleshly desires.
We can choose to live holy lives and be a slave to obedience. And this happens with feasting on the Word.
Efforts to become spiritually mature fail when they are not grounded in the One who calls and enables His own to live holy lives.
It is through God’s divine power that our minds are transformed into His likeness.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
In this epistle about knowing the truth and living it, the Apostle Peter points to himself as an example for believers to follow: a bond-servant of Christ.
As believers desire to serve Christ, they must recognize their unity in their faith and seek to grow in their knowledge of God, as they have been given everything they need pertaining to life and godliness.
We are to build one another up for the work of service.
