Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Peter addresses his second epistle
to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through
the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. That
faith which they are said to have obtained through no effort
or ability of their own is the gift of God and is completely
based on that which Christ Jesus the Lord has performed in their
behalf. He is the object of that faith.
Even as he said, I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he
shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture. He
is a fixed point, and it is in Him that those who are called
have believed. The faith which they are given
arises out of the same source and purpose that their election
unto eternal life does. We see this illustrated in the
book of Acts as the Lord opened the ears of the Gentiles to hear
the message of Paul and Barnabas. And when the Gentiles heard this,
they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as
many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Predestination
to life resulted in faith. This was not a process, but rather
the fulfillment of the purpose of God in calling those whom
he had chosen before the foundation of the world. The Lord reveals
those who are His by the manifestation of faith. The salvation of the
sons of God is positionally fixed, even as the Lord declared, All
that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh
to me I will in no wise cast out. Their number cannot be increased
or diminished by any effort or failure of men. The man who is
convinced that he is a helpless sinner, who is worthy of nothing
but to be cast into the pit of destruction, will find solace
in knowing that his hope of salvation rests alone in the hands of him
who says, Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel.
I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One
of Israel. He is that one who has not simply decreed the salvation
of his people, but who has trod the winepress of God's wrath
in their behalf, and has obtained eternal redemption for them by
the shedding of his blood. So the faith which is brought
to the sons of God according to his purpose is given to them
as a means of comfort. Their hearing and believing is
the work of him who gives his people all things richly to enjoy.
Peter goes on to say, Grace and peace be multiplied unto you
through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. This is
multiplied to them on the basis of what he has done for them.
He is the door through which these blessings come to the sons
of God. They are not comforted through any contemplation of
that which they are able to perform for Him, but rather their manifold
blessings multiplied by the thousands arise to them as they know what
He has provided for them. 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 is sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God. Again, Peter says, according
to 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." Here he is speaking
of the avenue or means whereby this salvation is enjoyed by
them. The scripture speaks of the salvation of God's children
being decreed by Him from the foundation of the world. This
redemption was accomplished by the offering up of the body and
blood of Jesus Christ once and for all. Thus He has forever
fixed and supplied the everlasting salvation of all of those whom
He hid in the bosom of Christ. This is indeed a glorious salvation
which is fixed in eternity, but is now manifested in the present
time through the unfolding of the riches of His grace by the
continual operation of the Holy Ghost in the sons of God, causing
them both to will and to do of His good pleasure. All of the
works of the children of men are tainted with sin, even as
Isaiah said, but we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a
leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away.
Yet he who works in the sons of God does sanctify them by
giving to them all things pertaining to life and godliness, as he
leads them into all truth by causing them to desire truth
and holiness in the inward parts. Paul declared this in the book
of Romans, saying, For I delight in the law of God after the inward
man. Though they are still beset by their sinful flesh, yet he
does cause a warfare to develop within them, whereby he makes
manifest their righteousness through their knowledge of him
who has called them to follow in his steps. This is a battle
which often leaves them bloody and nigh unto death, yet because
of his constant and faithful supply, they cannot be overcome. And the very God of peace sanctify
you holy, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body
be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.