Alright, let's take our Bibles
and turn to 2 Peter. 2 Peter chapter 1. We're going to be looking at
verses 5 through 10. I've taken my title, or the subject,
from this morning's lesson from verse 10, where he talks about
making our calling and election sure. In the first four verses of 2
Peter 1, The apostle describes true saving
faith as an act of God freely giving to us all things that
pertain unto life and godliness by saving knowledge of Himself
through His Son. And as this knowledge is given,
the believer begins to see himself given the right and privilege
to become the Son of God. And then he comes to see how
such great and precious promises can be received by ruined sinners. You see, here's the problem.
When God saves a man, his first work is to convince that man
of sin. Once that man is convinced of
sin, he now has to be convinced of righteousness. He didn't have
to be convinced of righteousness before because he thought righteousness
was by degrees. He thought righteousness was
something that you could obtain. He thought righteousness was
something that he would be rewarded with for his good works. But
once he's convinced of sin, all ideas of self-righteousness go
out the door. Now, he has to be convinced of
righteousness. Now, God has to convince him
that he has a righteousness, but not of himself. His righteousness
is in another. His righteousness is in Christ.
You see what I'm saying? And that's how this saving knowledge
works. As this knowledge is given, we
begin to see ourselves given the right and privilege to become
sons of God and how these great and precious promises can be
received by ruined sinners and sound reasoning behind it. Sound
reasoning. Why should God save a wretch
like me? Because it magnifies the grace
of God. Now you go back to Arminianism
and you try to find some sound reasoning. There is none. There
is none. Paul said, this is a faithful
saying. This is how faith talks. That's
what Paul's saying. It's a faithful saying. And it's
worthy of all acceptation. It's worthy of every sinner who
truly is seeking the Lord. It's worthy of all acceptation
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom
I am chief. That's what he said. That's sound
reasoning. God has a people He chose in
His Son before the foundation of the world, and according to
Ephesians 1, 5, they are predestinated unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. That's sound reasoning. Sound
reasoning. And every promised blessing is
given to them by way of His Son, Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1 through
8. Every promised blessing is given
to them. It cannot be withheld for any
cause, for any reason, because it's not of them. You see what
I'm saying? And it's not really for them,
it's for His glory. And so Paul tells the Corinthian
church, all the promises of God in Christ are yea and amen. There's no if, and, or but about
it. They're all yea and amen. Salvation
is the free and sovereign gift of God's grace to any and all
that believe. Listen to this Scripture. This
is our Lord talking. He said, this is the will of
Him that sent me. that every one which seeth the
Son, and believeth on him, might have everlasting life." That's
the sovereign will of God. The sovereign will of God. Faith
lays hold on the person of Christ as he's set forth in the Holy
Scriptures and set forth in the preaching of the gospel. Then
here in 2 Peter 1, verses 5 through 7, Peter says this, Besides this,
here's the knowledge of faith. Here's how faith reasons. Here's
how faith is given. It's given through these great
and precious promises of Christ. And this knowledge is all given
through His Son as it's demonstrated in the salvation of sinners.
Now, he said, besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue. And to virtue, knowledge, and
to knowledge, temperance, and to temperance, patience, and
to patience, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness, charity. Now let me tell you something
before we get into this. Peter is not here suggesting, implying,
or even hinting that salvation is a mixture of faith and works. That's not what this is saying.
This is not what this is all about. Our faith, the faith of
God's elect, is by grace. By grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast. And when Peter says, add to your
faith, he's talking about our knowledge and understanding,
which he's been emphasizing all through these first verses. He's
talking about this divine knowledge, which is what faith is. It's
knowledge and understanding of God. And this has been given. But he said, add to this knowledge,
this faith that God's given to you. You add to this knowledge. He's talking about adding to
our understanding of faith all these spiritual graces. He tells
us down in verse 9, he that lacketh these things is blind. He's blind. He cannot see afar off and he's
forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. These things
that accompany true saving faith are fruits and graces of the
Spirit of God who gives this faith. And as James said, faith
without works is dead. It's dead. Why is it dead? It's
alone. It's alone. We're not saved by works, but
true faith is evidenced by works. And so James says, yea, a man
may say, thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith
without thy works, I'll show you my faith by my works. Am I being clear? I'm trying
to get as clear as I can get on this subject. All right, let's
go back and look at some of these evidences and see if this is
our understanding of faith. The first thing he mentions is
virtue. Virtue. Virtue here is not talking
about moral virtue, a virtuous woman. That's not what he's talking
about here. But he's using that word on purpose. He's using it on purpose. And
this virtue that he's talking about is the fruit of God's spirit.
He's talking about one who loves God, who's been vitally joined
together with Christ, their husband. You see what I'm saying? He loves
Christ. He's faithful to him alone, not
sharing his love with other gods and other Christs. Virtue. Is that clear, what he's saying? Add to your faith virtue. This
faith is virtuous. It doesn't lay hold of all these
gods. It doesn't run around in righteous
religious life laying hold of this, that, and the other. It's
not blown about with every wind of doctrine. This faith fastens
on Christ alone. And it doesn't wander. It doesn't
wander. So this faith is virtuous. It's
committed to Him. It's committed to him. Paul said,
the election of the Thessalonians was evidenced by their turning
to God from their idols. That's what they did. They turned.
They turned. And many times, false religion
is described as adultery and fornication. And so here, the
avoiding of these things is called virtue. So you add to your understanding
of this faith that this faith is virtuous. It lays hold of
Christ, and it stays laid hold of Christ. Secondly, he said,
you add to these things, you add knowledge. Believers are
said to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ, and so we do. We'll
grow in the graces of Christ as we grow in the knowledge of
Christ. Knowledge here is not talking
about becoming an intellectual, but it's talking about knowing
and understanding God through the person of his son as this
life was demonstrated in the salvation of sinners. Faith is not blind. It's having
eyes to see. Over and over and over, our Lord
told his disciples, blessed are your eyes for they see. Everybody
don't see. Is that obvious to you? It's
obvious to me when I go to talk to them. Everybody don't have
eyes to see. I can read these scriptures that
are so plain, like in Ephesians chapter 1, and they'll just stand
there and just don't have eyes to see, don't have ears to hear. And then he says, add to this
knowledge temperance. What is temperance? Temperance
means to avoid excess. That's temperance. And here in
particular, it means to avoid excess in eating, drinking, socializing,
materialism, entertainment, or anything which we engage in to
excess which will hinder our spiritual growth. That's temperance. Temperance. Too much TV. Too much going out to eat. Too
much of anything. Excess in anything. Materialism. Anything. Excess. Avoid it. Avoid it. And then he said to
temperance, patience. Patience is a necessary grace
in believers. Why is it so necessary? Because
believers are constantly confronted with reproaches from men, trials
from God, temptations from self and Satan, and besides that,
they're overcome constantly with anger, pride, jealousy, envy,
self-pity, and doubt. We need patience. How do you
get it? You get it through God's deliverance. He delivers from all these things. He delivers His people. And as
He delivers, over time, you begin to understand that God's going
to deliver. And you patiently wait on that
deliverance from Him. Patience. Listen how Paul said
it over in Romans 5. He said, tribulation, that's
trouble, worketh patience. That's how you get it. Going
through the trial, going through the trouble, going through the
persecution, you get patience. Patience. We learn to wait on
God. And then he said, to patience,
godliness. Now, strictly speaking, godliness
is a personal knowledge of our righteousness in Christ and our
reconciliation to God by which a godly fear is produced, which
carries over into everything we do. But especially, it's carried
over into our worship, prayer, attitude, thanksgiving, and submission
to God. Godliness. Godliness. If it weren't for Christ and
his righteousness, where would you be? Where would I be? What hope would I have? All right. Sixthly, to godliness, brotherly
kindness. Verse John 5-1, whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And every one that loveth
him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him. Well, everybody but Lot. No,
Lot too. Well, everybody but that one
guy who just seems to fall into stuff. No, him too. Him too. Be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you. That's brotherly kindness. Of
all the men on this earth, we ought to be kind toward everybody,
but above every man on this earth, we ought to be kind especially
to our brethren. And who do we most harshly judge?
Our brethren. Huh? That's the truth. To godliness and brotherly kindness.
He said, by this we know that we love the children of God when
we keep His commandments. What on earth does that mean?
What is His commandments to us? To love one another. To love one another. To believe
on His Son. Trust in Him. Enter into His
rest. and to repent of our sins, and to be kind one to another." Paul said this. He talked about
that eternal union with Christ and the fact that we were buried
with Him, risen with Him, and seated in glory with Him. And
then he says that, in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. and we're to have brotherly kindness
because brotherly kindness is what we received. Without love and brotherly kindness,
our professions and worship is just a vain show. That's all
it is, just a show. All right, number seven. To brotherly kindness, charity.
What is charity? Charity is active love. It's love that's not just in
letter. but love expressed by giving. That's charity. When hope is given, Paul said
that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost. It wasn't just a love that he
kept in his own purpose and kept in his own counsels, but it was
a love demonstrated, manifested in the death of his son, in the
provisions made in his son, in the righteousness provided by
his son. in the loving care and intercession
of your son in glory even now. You see, that's charity. Active
love. Love engaged in giving freely. Brother Mahan said this, charity
is more extensive in its objects than brotherly kindness because
Charity reaches out to all men, even our enemies. He said, you
love them that love you? A heathen does that. A dog does
that that you got at the house. Take Peter 1.8. For if these things be in you
and abound, They make you that you shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful, now watch this, in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. This is the fruit of knowing
Christ. That's why it's called the fruit
of the spirit. Because the spirit, his mission is to reveal Christ
in us, Christ in you, the hope of glory. And if these things be in you
and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. True understanding
is always followed by experience and obedience. Verse 9, but he that lacketh
these things is blind, cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten
that he was purged from his old sins. I'm going to say something
here and I want you to mull this over in your mind. A man who
has the doctrine of Christ alone, he has the letter of it, he has
the outline of it, he can spit it out at you if you want to
argue about it. The man who has the doctrine
of Christ alone is as close as you can get to salvation and
not be saved. Now that's the truth. Faith is
manifested by obedience, love, and repentance. And a man who
embraces Christ and who embraces the doctrines of Christ will
always manifest this fruit. He can't help but do it. Now
watch this. 2 Peter 1.10, wherefore the rather,
brethren, Give diligence. Give all care. Put everything
else aside and concentrate on this. Give diligence to make
your calling and election sure. You be sure that the faith you
have is the faith being described in the Word of God. For if you do these things, you'll
never fall. How do believers make their calling
and election sure? Well, the first thing is to examine
the object of your faith. Faith rests in the person of
Christ. It rests in the person of Jesus
Christ with the understanding that they're complete in Him.
Now, what Paul said, he said, don't be bewitched by this world.
Don't go chasing after all these carrots and all these things
that religion produces. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him." In Christ
we have an actual representative and a covenant head, one appointed
by God from all eternity. In Christ we have a manifested
Savior. You know, religion always talks
about a salvation that could be. We have a salvation accomplished. I don't have to think about what
it could be. I can see what it is. He actually came. He actually
appeared. He actually kept the law. He
actually atoned for sin. He died on the cross and God
raised Him for our justification. We have a manifested Savior.
That's what Paul told Timothy. He said, God hath saved us, called
us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began. Now listen to this. But is now
made manifested by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel. In Christ, I have a public and
divine justification. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect, God justified them. Go argue with Him. That's
what I tell them. You think you're justified. Well,
you don't? No, I don't think you're. You
take it up with Him. Take it up with Him. Who's going
to lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God who
justifies. It's Christ who died. Paul said this, and I know this
is so. I have a perfect righteousness.
Now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested.
It's manifested. Being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. And so
we make our calling and election sure by examining the object
of our faith. We examine the foundation of
our faith. We believe God. We believe God. We believe God's
messenger, and we believe God, the Holy Spirit, our teacher.
And then thirdly, by examining the source of our faith. Faith
is indisputable gift of God. It is the indisputable gift of
God. And then fourthly, by examining
the quality of our faith, true faith passes through the fires
of trial. passes through the trials of
persecution. True faith enters into the rest
of Christ. It don't talk about rest. It
enters in. It don't come up to the line
and say, well, there's giants over there, and there's walled
cities over there, and there's enemies over there with weapons
we never heard of. We can't go in. No, it enters
in to the rest. Just like old Caleb said, let's
go. It's a done deal. If God tells us to go in, let's
go in. It's a battle already won. That's what faith does. And true
faith is evidenced by works. Not perfect works, but works
done out of love and gratitude to God for the salvation of our
soul. And good works, which God does
in us, for we're His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto
good works. What kind of good work? Faith.
Nobody else, nobody else can exercise faith except that man
to whom faith is given. God works that in him. Nobody
else can repent but that man in whom God works. The goodness
of God leads him to repent. Nobody else can love God, just
that man in whom the love of God is revealed. We're His workmanship
created in Christ Jesus unto good work. Nobody else can worship
God. We are the circumcision which
worship God in the spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus and have no confidence
in the flesh. Works like faith and repentance,
love, gratitude, understanding, and submission. May God be pleased
to help every one of us to understand this better and better. And enter
into it. Rejoice in it. Add to our understanding
of what faith really is.