Trust the Process - Introduction

We are starting a 5-Week Series titled “Trust the Process”

The theme is Progressive Sanctification, which is the essence of the Christian life here on earth.

It is the process by which we are transformed into the image of Christ.

You should have this chart on your notes that shows you exactly what we will be studying

(This is from The Biblical Counseling Center in Chicago, where I am currently training to become a certified biblical counselor. You can find more information at the website there on the screen or on your notes.)

Notice that this is a progression…it doesn’t happen all at once

IT IS A PROCESS - and we need to Trust the Process [say it together]

You may have heard this phrase used in an athletic scenario or any goal that requires a disciplined process.

This is a good frame of reference for us to consider - we have a process with a goal in mind (look to the far right of the chart: Our goals are “godliness”, “brotherly kindness”, and “love”. That's the payoff!!

So let’s see what Coach Peter has to say to us.

Notice that there are three main parts of this process:

The Foundation: The basic truths that we stand on

The Hard Work: The disciplines that are necessary for sanctification

The Payoff: The results of the Foundation and the Hard Work - Sanctification

So we see that sanctification is both a process and a goal to be attained.

And we also see that while God is the One doing the transformative work, this process requires that we also work in cooperation with God in order to be sanctified.

And so the Apostle Peter - our coach for this process - is going to show us these eight steps of progressive sanctification, but Peter is really only our assistant coach (maybe our strength and conditioning coach)…Our head coach is Jesus Christ, working through the Holy Spirit in our lives.

So I would like to start by reading the passage, and I encourage you to follow along by following this chart of Progressive Sanctification.

[read 2 Peter 1:1-10)

Before we begin with the foundation, I would like to set up some context for us by spending this week in verses 1 thru 4 as a way of introducing this text.

In order to grasp the truths in vv.5-10, we need to see some things in vv.1-4 first.

So we will look at Who We Are, What We Know, and What We Have

Trust the Process - Part 1

I. Who We Are

II. What We Know

III. What We Have

I. Who We Are

Our Sanctification Power

I. Who We Are

A. People of Faith (v.1a)

2 Peter 1:1a (NKJV)

2 Peter 1:1 (NKJV)

1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith...

Our faith in Christ is the same faith that the apostles had. (their faith has now become sight)

This word “obtained” has garnered much attention by scholars over the years, which we will not try to dig up in this class

However, we do need to understand that without God’s plan to provide Jesus Christ as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, we would have nothing/no one to place faith in.

It would not be a solid faith because only Jesus provides a foundation that we can trust in completely.

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is the common bond - WE ARE PEOPLE OF FAITH!

Our Sanctification Power

I. Who We Are

A. People of Faith (v.1a)

B. People of Fellowship (v.1b)

2 Peter 1:1(NKJV)

1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Notice that phrase, “with us” -

We have an identity with Peter and the apostles that lived 2k years ago!

Ephesians 4:4–6 (NKJV)

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

We are in the same company as Peter, James, John, Paul, Mary, Martha, Phoebe, and Priscilla!

Just because many of them SAW Jesus face to face, they do not have an advantage over us in regards to FAITH!

There might be a tendency among modern day believers to look with some sanctified envy on the apostles because of their proximity to Jesus - but we should not!

We must understand from this passage that our Christ shows no partiality with His blessings

Jesus looks on Peter with no more love than that with which He looks upon you!

Whether you have been saved several decades or you got saved today, all the same blessings and benefits are available to you that were available to the apostles! (Only caveat would be the official office of apostle and the sign gifts, which we believe have ceased from use at this time)

These men and the women we read about are our brothers and sisters! - NOT some distant relative or acquaintance!

The Christian experience is a family experience.

“one Spirit” - this brings up an important point to ponder:

Where is the Holy Spirit dwelling today?

Is the same Holy Spirit in ALL Christians?

Can the HS ever contradict or argue or refute Himself?…or His Word?

We all have the same Spirit living inside each one of us

The Holy Spirit in me is never going fight against the Holy Spirit in you.

If there is fighting, disputes, anger, or other sinful division - it’s us, not Him. (sometimes the Spirit might be urging us to stand for the truth, even with another believer - but even then it is in love, a fruit of the Spirit)

Does this mean it is wrong to express one’s opinion and try to change or persuade the other party?…no, but we must stop when a difference of opinion threatens to undo the relationship.

And how do we know when a conflict is a “good” conflict and when we need to let it go?…what is the standard?…Scripture!

This truth has a way of deflating our egos and allowing peace and unity to prevail.

So, We are a People of Faith and...

We are a People of Fellowship!

Our Sanctification Power

I. Who We Are

A. People of Faith (v.1a)

B. People of Fellowship (v.1b)

II. What We Know

2 Peter 1:2 (NKJV)

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

The words Know or Knowledge are used at least thirteen times in this short epistle!

Notice that Coach Peter wants Grace and Peace to be multiplied to us

Grace is God’s free, unmerited gift to us, but it is also empowerment to accomplish what Peter is about to ask us to do - Grace must permeate everything we do and say....it must be multiplied.

Peace is not only an absence of disunity, but also a completeness (shalom) that we find only in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Here is a quote from Warren Wiersbe’s commentary:

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Fourteen: Heart Trouble (John 13:36–14:31)

Shalom—peace—is a precious word to the Jewish people. It means much more than just the absence of war or distress. Shalom means wholeness, completeness, health, security, even prosperity in the best sense. When you are enjoying God’s peace, there is joy and contentment. But God’s peace is not like the “peace” that the world offers.

Now here is the punchline of the quote that we need to understand:

Both Grace and Peace are necessary ingredients to the process of progressive sanctification…without grace and peace, sanctification will struggle and ultimately fail.

So, how do we experience the multiplication of Grace and Peace?…by understanding that Grace and Peace flow from the Father and the Son!

(They also flow from the Holy Spirit, but we are going to stick with the text here, which limits us to the Father and the Son - Personally I believe it is the Spirit that reveals these truths about the F&S through His Word)

Our Sanctification Power

I. Who We Are

II. What We Know

A. Knowledge of God the Father (Theology Proper - v.2a)

Theology Proper is the official doctrine of God the Father - Let’s look at how our Heavenly Father provides GRACE and PEACE

II. What We Know

A. Knowledge of God the Father (Theology Proper)

God the Father Provides Grace (2 Corinthians 9:8)

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Grace is certainly unmerited favor, but grace is also our empowerment to do the things He has commanded.

“By the grace of God_______.” - We use this phrase often, and it is more true than we sometimes realize.

2. God the Father Provides Peace (1 Corinthians 14:33)

1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

God designed peace - it is part of His character and personhood

Judges 6:24 NKJV

24 So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

One of God’s names is “Jehovah-Shalom”

God wants peace in our lives, families, and churches

Grace and Peace should resonate outward into our community and beyond, but its source is God alone.

Our Sanctification Power

I. Who We Are

II. What We Know

A. Knowledge of God the Father (Theology Proper)

B. Knowledge of God the Son (Christology - v.2b)

Jesus Provides Grace (Acts 15:11)

Acts 15:11 (NKJV)

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

Jesus is the embodiment of the Grace of God

Jesus demonstrates God’s Grace on the cross

Jesus offers us His grace when we are in need:

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

2. Jesus Provides Peace (John 14:27)

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.

Jesus provides a peace that is unmatched by this world - There exists no person or power that can bring peace like Jesus

The Father and the Son provide eternal Grace and Peace:

Ephesians 2:7 (NKJV)

7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

III. What We Have

And now we come to our key verse for today, and possibly for this entire study:

2 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)

as 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,

III. What We Have

A. Divine Power (v.3)

2 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)

3 as 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,

Notice the power-packed language that Coach Peter has written!

We sit together in the locker room, it’s almost time to head out onto the field, and Coach Peter is giving us the pre-game speech - something to get us focused and to remind us of the most important truths that will come into play during the battle.

Notice that the power is for all things that have to do with “life and godliness”…or, progressive sanctification!

Let’s look back at our sanctification process chart - does this seem daunting to anyone else?…that’s because it is!

We might look at this and say, “How is that all ever going to happen in my life?…I don’t have the ability or strength to accomplish all of that!”..

Well, the truth is we don’t have what it takes on our own!

We need the power of God in order to be justified, sanctified, and someday glorified!

Notice that this power comes through the knowledge of God.

2 Peter 1:3-4a (NKJV)

as 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, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises...

We have already looked at some of the knowledge that Scripture has for us about God the Father and God the Son…and that’s just a tiny morsel of knowledge compared to what the Scripture has in store for us.

FACTS > FEELINGS

And that brings us to this very point - it is the Scripture that we need to use as our knowledge source - and nothing else!

And we know it is Scripture that Peter is talking about based on the the next phrase in verse 4 - “precious promises”

Where is the only place that we can learn of God’s promises? - the Bible!

We call this the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture

The Sufficiency of Scripture

The Bible is sufficient to give us the wisdom we need to live a godly life1

Only Scripture contains the promises of God - these are truths that we can count on as being true, even if we have not experienced them yet.

One example that I personally found encouraging is in Paul’s letter to Philippi:

Philippians 1:6 NKJV

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

This promise from God tells us that the progressive sanctification process is going on right now - we can be a part of it and reap the may benefits, but God is at work in our lives!

There are many other promises in the Bible, but the point is that God’s promises should become our motivation to trust Him and step out by faith to grow in our sanctification process.

III. What We Have

A. Divine Power (v.3)

B. Divine Nature (v.4)

2 Peter 1:4b (NKJV)

4…that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Not only do we have God’s power at hand, but we are also able to experience God’s nature.

Here in 2 Pet. 1:4, the word “partakers” means partners or sharers

Luke 5:10 (NKJV)

10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”

Here the same Greek word is translated “partners”, meaning that the two families each participated in the work, cooperatively, in order to have a successful fishing business.

This means that as we live our lives according to the “precious promises” we find in Scripture, we “partner” with God, cooperate with God, and get to enjoy His divine nature!

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)

18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Obviously, there are certain qualities of God that we cannot experience (i.e. omnipresence, omnipotence, etc.)…but we can experience God’s grace and peace (which we discussed earlier), and we can experience victory over sin!

Which is what the last part of verse 4 tells us:

2 Peter 1:4b (NKJV)

4…that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The results of partnering with God and His divine nature are right here in the verse: escape from moral corruption!

When we partake of God’s nature (by believing in the promises of Scripture and applying them to our lives)…we will escape lustful corruption!

III. What We Have

A. Divine Power (v.3)

B. Divine Nature (v.4)

Next week, Lord willing, we will study the Foundation of Faith, Virtue, and Knowledge!

Trust the Process - Introduction