Spiritual Survival: Make Your Destination Sure

It's on page 1223, if you're using one of the red-coloured Bibles.

2 Peter chapter 1, and the focus this morning will be from verses 5 through to 11, but we're

2 Peter 1 · chapter mention

going to read from verse 1 through to 11.

Thank you.

2 Peter chapter 1, from verses 1 through to 11.

2 Peter 1 · chapter mention

Let's hear God's word.

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ.

He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate

in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness knowledge,

and to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, and to perseverance godliness,

to godliness brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective

and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But if anyone does not have them, well, they are short-sighted and blind, and have forgotten

that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.

For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom

of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

So, Simon.

Simon.

Well, as Simon, go ahead.

Simon adjusts his, what is it?

It's not a pulpit, is it?

Pulpit.

We'll call it a pulpit.

Mobile pulpit.

For those of you who don't know, this is Simon O'Mahony, his wife, Megan, and Simon is working

for Borgash, which I always find, but in the law area.

Yeah, in the legal department.

Legal department.

So, that's what Simon does.

So, if you have any problems with your gas, you can complain to Simon, and he'll see what

he can do for you.

Simon preached last week, and we're looking forward to him speaking again today.

So, can I pray for you again?

Please, sir.

And then we'll let you speak.

Let's pray.

Father, thank you for Simon.

Thank you for Megan.

Thank you for their involvement and their life here in this church.

And we thank you for the gift that you've given to Simon.

And we pray that you would fill him with your spirit and fill us with your spirit too.

That we may hear your word, not just to understand it with our minds intellectually, but that we

would experience it and know it in our hearts so that we are changed from the inside out to live for Christ

and to follow him wholeheartedly.

And we pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Thanks, Simon.

Never, never will we stop until we have wiped away this scandal from the Christian name,

released ourselves from the load of guilt under which we at present labour, and extinguished

every trace of this traffic.

These were the words of the great emancipator, William Wilberforce, as he condemned the slave

trade before the House of Commons in 1791.

Wilberforce was so passionately opposed to the slave trade that he entered into politics

and dedicated his life to campaigning against the wicked trade.

It was shortly after his death that the British Parliament would enact the Slavery Abolition

Act, which would abolish slavery in most of the British Empire.

The physical and social chains that once bound the people would be thrown off and they would

be welcomed as citizens to live out their new freedom.

Peter too is an abolitionist of sorts.

In the verses we are going to look at this morning, we will see he tells us that we have

been elected by God to salvation from slavery to sin and corruption.

He warns us of the dangers of passivity in the Christian life.

However, we can have this assurance of salvation since fruit is evidence of having been set free

from corruption.

Having this assurance then, we await the rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord

and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In verse 5, Peter begins an exhortation for us to be fruitful in Christlike virtues.

Let's look at verse 5 down to verse 7 together.

Peter.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness knowledge,

and to knowledge self-control, and to self-control perseverance, and to perseverance godliness,

and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Peter said in verse 5, for this very reason make every effort.

For what reason are we to make every effort to grow in Christlike virtues?

It's important that we look at the foundation and grounds of his exhortation to us.

Peter exhorts Christians to live a fruitful life because we have been elected and called

by God's glory and goodness to faith in Christ.

Our understanding of what Peter means when he speaks of election is important

if we're to understand his exhortation to us, and also the warning which follows.

Though the doctrine of election is difficult for us to understand,

for the Christian it's a great source of comfort in knowing that we've been saved perfectly

by Christ's grace alone, completely outside of anything good we have done

or good we can do.

In election we see God's great love, goodness, and glory.

Election, we will see, is the reason for our faith.

Election is God's unconditional calling of a sinner to salvation

based only on God's own glory and goodness.

Look with me back to verse 3.

Peter writes in the second half of the verse

that God called us by his own glory and goodness.

God's calling of a sinner to salvation is not based on anything done by the sinner.

God did not call us because of anything good he saw in us,

nor was it because he saw any potential good in us.

The grounds of his saving call are his own glory and goodness.

Before our series on the Psalms, Johnny preached through Titus,

and before Titus, he preached through Deuteronomy.

A recurring theme in Deuteronomy is God's favour and faithfulness

to an unfaithful and unfavourable people.

I'll read a few verses from Deuteronomy,

Deuteronomy 7:6–8

chapter 7, verses 6 to 8.

If you want to keep a finger in 2 Peter, you can.

You can find it in the Church Bible on page 186.

Starting in verse 6.

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.

The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth

to be his people, his treasured possession.

The Lord did not set his affection on you

and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples,

for you were the fewest of all peoples.

But it was because the Lord loved you

and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors

that he brought you out with a mighty hand

and redeemed you from the land of slavery,

from the power of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

So we see in verse 6 that God chose these people

out of all the people of the earth

to be his treasured possession.

God didn't choose these people based on their own prosperity as a people

or on their faithfulness to God

but chose them out of his own love and mercy.

God's choosing and electing of people today

is on the very same grounds

that he chooses and elects the people in Deuteronomy.

Election is not conditional on anything we have done or will do.

He elects us to salvation

based solely on his own love and mercy.

And it's when we come to correctly see

how undeserving we are of this mercy

that the doctrine of election brings so much comfort and joy.

So we are elected based on God's goodness and mercy

and this is accomplished then by God's divine power.

So if you look with me back to verse 3,

Peter writes,

His divine power has given us everything we need

for life and godliness

through our knowledge of him who called us

by his own glory and goodness.

God has called us

and God's calling of us here in verse 3

is what Peter is referring to in verse 10

and we look there when he says,

Therefore my brothers,

be all the more eager

to make your calling and election sure.

Election and calling mean the same thing.

We see from verse 3

that in election God calls sinners to salvation

and equips them for godly living

by his divine power.

The source of our election is God's divine power.

We're not saved based on a decision we made

at some point in our lives.

We did not decide to be saved

and then we were elected

but we were called from a state of corruption

and saved to godliness.

We were saved by God's divine power.

And it's by this divine power

he has given us the precious gift of faith

which Peter writes in verse 1

comes through the righteousness of Christ.

This faith that we have been given

is fixed on our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

This gift of faith does not originate within us

but is given to us by God.

So faith is a gift given

to all who are called by God.

Just as we read in Deuteronomy

how the undeserving Israelites

were chosen by God

and freed from slavery

to live freely as his holy people.

So too we are chosen by God

set free from the shackles of sin

and called to live a life

that's pleasing to him.

In election God calls sinners

from spiritual slavery and death

to a new life marked by holiness.

Last week we looked at how

Peter contrasted the corruption of the world

with partaking of the divine nature.

Let's look in verse 4

Peter writes

Through these

he has given us

his very great

and precious promises

so that through them

you may participate

in the divine nature

having escaped

the corruption in the world

caused by evil desires.

We have escaped corruption

and we are partakers

of the divine nature.

Participating in the divine nature

means being made more like Christ.

Our old lives were marked

by corruption

and love of sin

but we now live lives

marked by Christ likeness

and are being made more like Christ.

Our love for sin

has been replaced

with a love for Christ.

We were once slaves

but now we are set free.

And Paul writes

in 2 Corinthians 5.17

Therefore if anyone is in Christ

he is a new creation

the old has gone

and the new has come.

Christians

we are new creations

no longer slaves to sin.

We have been elected

to salvation

by the divine power of God

which is based

on his goodness

and glory

and it is to us

as new creations

that Peter charges us

in verse 5

and following

to strive for holiness.

Since we are new creations

having been elected

from corruption

to salvation

and holiness

we bear fruit

according

to our new nature.

The fruit

of our new nature

is Christ likeness.

If we are elected

and are new creations

then our faith

will be evidenced

by fruit.

Fruit

is the evidence

of our faith.

And it's on these grounds

that Peter charges us

in verse 5.

For this very reason

make every effort

to add to your faith

goodness

and to goodness

knowledge

and to knowledge

self-control

and to self-control

perseverance

and to perseverance

godliness

and to godliness

brotherly kindness

and to brotherly kindness

love.

The list that Peter

gives us

isn't a list

which we are meant

to tick the box

as we master each one.

It's not that we

first master goodness

and then we move on

to knowledge

and keep ticking

the boxes

but this is a list

of Christ-like virtues.

Since we are new creations

we are to bear

the marks

of Christ-likeness.

We are to resemble

the one

whom we are being

modeled after.

The Christian life

is a life

marked

by Christ-likeness.

Peter continues

then his exhortation

in verse 8.

So if you possess

these qualities

in increasing measure

they will keep you

from being ineffective

and unproductive

in your knowledge

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Having these

Christ-like qualities

Peter tells us

keeps us from being

unproductive

in our knowledge

of Christ.

So as we

practice these qualities

and as these qualities

are seen

in our lives

we are giving evidence

that we know Christ

in a life-transforming way.

For if we know Christ

these fruits will come

as a result

of knowing him.

Look with me now

in verse 9

his exhortation

changes to a warning

but

if anyone

does not have them

he is short-sighted

and blind

and has forgotten

that he has been

cleansed from past sins.

His warning here

is not necessarily

to the faithful

and fruitful Christian.

His warning

is to the person

who with his mouth

professes to be a Christian

but with his actions

tell a very different story.

There were false teachers

at this time

teaching that

since we are saved

by grace

the law doesn't matter

anymore.

Since Christ

died for us

and has forgiven us

of our sins

won't he keep

forgiving us

no matter how we live?

Why not just

sin a little

and then run back

for a little bit more grace

and keep doing that?

We are under grace

aren't we?

Peter describes

the person

who thinks this way

as being blind.

You would have to be

completely blind

to the grace

and goodness of God

if you think this way.

Grace is not

a license to sin.

It isn't a cheap

kind of token

that gets us

out of trouble

when we sin.

If a person thinks

that because Christ

died for them

they can go on

sinning unashamedly

then they're blind.

not only is he blind

but in verse 9

we read

he has forgotten

he has been cleansed

from past sins.

So not only

are we forgiven

of our sins

but we are cleansed

from them.

If our understanding

of salvation

is that God

merely wipes

the slate clean

and sends us off

on our own way

then we've forgotten

what salvation is.

God saves us

from slavery

to sin

to a new

and precious life

of godliness

and Christ likeness.

In salvation

God does not only

forgive us

of our sins

but he also

gives us

a new heart

that loves

to serve him

and hates sin.

Peter continues

then in verse 10

warning and exhorting

us to be eager

to make our election

sure

so that we do

not fall.

He writes

therefore my brothers

be all the more eager

to make your calling

and election sure

for if you do

these things

you will never fall.

What Peter says

at the end of verse 10

for if you do

these things

you will never fall

he's not saying

that what keeps us

from falling

is our own obedience

or our own fruit.

Remember what we said

about election.

Election is God's

unconditional calling

of a sinner

to salvation

based only on

God's own goodness

and glory.

Our election

is not conditional

on our actions.

Our good works

don't contribute

to our salvation.

What Peter is saying

is that our outward fruit

is evidence

of what God

has done internally.

Our fruit is

evidence

of our faith.

Peter's warning

again is

primarily directed

at the person

who's not bearing fruit

in his or her life.

What Peter is saying

is that the person

who's not bearing

Christ-like fruit

will fall

because they're

giving evidence

that they are not saved.

This tells us then

that there is

a true profession

of faith

and a false profession

of faith.

A true profession

of faith

in the Lord Jesus Christ

will be evidenced

by a turning away

from sin.

True faith

is not merely

a verbal expression

but is accompanied

by living

a new life

of obedience

to God.

But a false

profession

won't have that evidence.

And this is why

we are warned

in verse 10

therefore my brothers

be all the more eager

to make your calling

and election sure.

How then are we

to be assured

of our election?

Well since fruit

is the evidence

of true faith

we can look

for that fruit

in our lives.

A Christian's fruit

is evidence

of salvation.

About twice a month

I go to Dublin

for work

and it's sometimes

awkward

when the train

changes

either at Mallow

or Limerick Junction

I have to gather

all my stuff

and jump onto

the next train

and I sometimes

am left wondering

am I on the right train?

Am I going to miss

my meeting

if I end up

in Limerick?

That won't be good.

They might cut

my contract

a little bit shorter.

So when I'm sitting there

reading my book

or doing whatever

I'm doing

every so often

I'll glance up

out the window

and look for

maybe a sign

or a landmark

that I know

yeah these are familiar

I know these

I know I'm on

the right track

I know I'm on

my way to Dublin

and these landmarks

and signs

that point the way

to Dublin

that are familiar

yes this is the way

to Dublin

they serve as a comfort

to me

I say yes

okay you know

I'm on the right train

here

and these landmarks

they serve as signs

and evidence

that I'm going

the right way

and in the same sense

we can look to the fruit

in our own lives

because they serve

as landmarks

and signs

they give evidence

that we're saved

our fruit

is not what saves us

in the same way

the signs

and the landmarks

didn't get me

to Dublin

but the fruit

serves as evidence

and a signpost

of a heart

changed by God

having been given

a true faith

let us be active

then in Christ

likeness

Peter charges us

in verse 10

be all the more eager

to make your calling

and election sure

he's calling us

to look for fruit

as evidence

and he's warning us

of the dangers

of not having

that fruit

this doesn't mean

we're to wake up

every morning

questioning our salvation

not at all

nor does it mean

we must be perfect

in every way

and anytime we sin

we must question

am I saved

that's not what

Peter's saying

perfection is not

what's expected of us

for when we sin

through Christ

we have forgiveness

of sins

Peter wants us

to strive forward

to be eager

to make every effort

in pursuing

goodness

self-control

perseverance

perseverance

godliness

brotherly kindness

and love

Peter's warning to us

is not meant to

turn us inward

and leave us

in a state of

questioning our salvation

every time we sin

but it's an encouragement

to pursue

that Christ likeness

in full confidence

of our standing

before God

we're not to have

a passive attitude

of thinking

we can let go

and let God

having been saved

we are to be active

in pursuing

Christ likeness

Peter urges us

to be all the more

eager

and make every effort

in order to

spur us on

living a life

pleasing to God

is not passive

but it's active

in good works

are we active

in doing good

and pursuing

Christ likeness

do we see

these virtues

being played out

in our own lives

let's take comfort

let's look back

to verse 3

his divine power

has given us

everything we need

for life

and godliness

he's given us

everything we need

to live a godly life

pleasing to him

armed with this knowledge

let's make every effort

at bearing fruit

what is at stake

if we're not bearing fruit

is not that we'll

lose our salvation

but we'll evidence

the fact

that we don't have

a true faith

in Christ

as our Lord

and Saviour

let us be active

and alert

for if these virtues

are active

in our lives

we have evidence

and assurance

of a true heart

changed by God

election

is the reason

for our faith

fruit

is the evidence

of our faith

and heaven

is the destination

of our faith

the end destination

of this Christian life

is being with Christ

forever

in heaven

we'll start again

at verse 10

and read

therefore my brothers

be all the more eager

to make your calling

and election sure

for if you do these things

you will never fall

and

you will receive

a rich welcome

into the

eternal kingdom

of our Lord

and Saviour

Jesus Christ

Peter motivates us

towards godliness

with the thought

of being richly received

into the eternal kingdom

as Christians

this is our final hope

this is what we strive

towards

being welcomed

by our God

and Saviour

we see

in this passage

that God

who elected us

is also the one

who will bring our faith

to completion

Peter tells us

in verse 1

that God has given us

a precious faith

in verse 2

he gives us grace

and peace

in verse 3

having called us

he gives us

everything we need

for godly living

in verse 4

he gives us

his precious promises

and in verse 11

he gives us

a rich welcome

into his eternal kingdom

God

is the giver

of faith

in verse 1

and the completer

of faith

in verse 11

it is God

who sustains us

and he receives

all the glory

the reason we receive

this rich welcome

is not because

we've earned it

but because Christ

has earned it

on our behalf

he's taken our sin

upon himself

and clothed us

in his own goodness

and righteousness

in 1820

a woman by the name

of Fanny Crosby

was born

from infancy

she was completely blind

her whole life

she devoted herself

to helping the poor

though very often

herself

she was unable

to pay her own rent

she penned

about 3 or 4 hymns

a day

and it's believed

she wrote

over 8,000 hymns

Fanny Crosby

is an example

of a woman

who lived a life

bearing much fruit

evidencing

God's work

in her heart

her full assurance

was in Christ

which inspired her

to pen the hymn

blessed assurance

having been blind

her entire life

she was once asked

if she would like

to be able to see

she answered

no

the first face

I want to gladden

my face

is that of my saviour

may we

like Miss Crosby

be spurred on

in our pursuit

of Christ likeness

as we ponder

the thought

of Christ

gladdening our face

as he richly

welcomes us

with open arms

into his eternal kingdom

let's pray

dear heavenly father

we thank you

for this wonderful

truth of election

that you love us

completely based

on your own goodness

and mercy

and not because

of anything

we have done

we thank you

that because

of the blood

of Christ

we are cleansed

from past sins

we are free

from slavery

to sin

to live

a new life

of obedience

to you

thank you Lord

for the promise

that you will

bring to completion

the work

which you started

in us

I pray you would

give us

every grace

necessary

as we live

the Christian life

Lord we long

for the day

when we will see you

and you will

richly welcome us

into your eternal kingdom

Amen

and you will

acknowledge and

all

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