Acquired Thru Faith-3(:1b)

ACQUIRED Thru FAITH-III—2Peter 1:1b-c+(:1-4)

Attention:

The Christian music group, Casting Crowns, put out an album in 2014 entitled, ‘Thrive.’

On the cover of the album there is a ‘schematic-stylized’ picture of a mature tree with the soil removed to reveal the large size of its root system, & thus the true size of the entire tree. An entire tree, roots & all, is roughly double the size we witness above ground.

•No tree, even the giant Redwoods & Sequoias, can wow us with their girth & height apart from an extensive root system that reaches into an underground area very nearly the size of the tree that we see above ground.

That vast array of roots tap into the intricacies of the tree’s area, supplying everything that the tree actually needs to ‘thrive.’

*Like the tree’s root system, the FAITH of God’s people taps into the vast resources that are only available to them by God’s hand.

*Personal SAVING faith, that is centered in Jesus Christ as Savior & Lord, gains/acquires everything that is essential for living empowered as God has always intended!

Need:

We live in a world that surrounds itself with & seeks to indoctrinate everyone with priorities born of the flesh. Christianity is continually surrounded by & bombarded by that flesh-driven worldview.

Christianity supernaturally opposes the worldview of the world at large. And lets others know that there is a settled hope that is in Jesus Christ alone!

Only God’s people have everything of REAL importance at their disposal by faith! And thru what Christian faith acquires, the Christian’s work & influence presents to a world lost to sin, the ONLY EFFECTIVE opposition to local & global ungodliness!

The apostle Peter informs those who are faithful to Jesus Christ, that they are amply supplied for godly living.

God’s people are completely/amply/fully supplied for godly living thru their faith in Jesus Christ.

?What does saving faith in Christ attain/acquire for God’s people?

9 provisions acquired/obtained thru faith.

So far in this series, we have found that,

A provision acquired thru faith in Jesus Christ, is...

1. TRUSTWORTHY APOSTLES(:1a)[parts-1-&-2]

Today we’ll find that...

2—Another provision acquired thru your faith in Jesus Christ is...

CHRISTIAN FAMILY(:1b)

Explanation:(:1b)

:1b—...“To those who have obtained like precious faith with us...”

*This epistle/letter is directed toward “those who have obtained” a “faith” that is of equal(“like”) value or dignity to that of the ‘trustworthy’ “apostles of Jesus Christ.”

“With us...”

Such particular “faith” is to be equally honored or “precious” because, it empowers everyone who has that “faith”, Even those that are NOT “apostles”! YET, we have the same “faith” as do the “apostles”!

•Keep in mind that, ALL the “apostles” FIRST became God’s children by the very same “faith” as ALL who belong to “God”(Father/Son/Holy Spirit).

•The “apostles”, before answering & embarking on the journeys of their specific calling & equipping, were FIRST Christians, thru “faith” in “Jesus Christ”!

“To those who have obtained like precious faith...”

“Peter” is saying that all the faithful in “Christ”, no matter their apparent giftedness, & no matter their calling by the Lord, the faithful in “Christ”, all share a common bond of the same “faith.”

And so, our “faith” as Christians, is indeed a “like” or ‘same’ “faith” as that of all other Christians, no matter what country they live in,...No matter their lineage,...No matter the native language they speak,...& No matter their socio-economic situation, whether freeing or limiting.

•And in that sense therefore, Christian “faith” is & should be accepted for what it is...as that which is indeed “precious” or of priceless value to each individual Christian!

•But even though Christian “faith”, has a leveling effect of being equally “precious” within the universal family of God, Even so, many people in the world openly thumb their nose at Christianity! HOWEVER, praise God!— the secular flesh-driven world’s perception & understanding of what holds true value, is NO DETERMINER of reality!

The “faith” that is common or shared among all true Christians, OVERCOMES all that the world is immersed in, proffers, & formulates around what they(flesh) suppose is ‘important’ or joyous, or fulfilling, or even ‘troublesome.’

•Christian “faith” overcomes all that! Because “faith” in “Christ” invites God’s power into our circumstances!

Jn. 16:33—Even before His crucifixion & resurrection, Jesus said,—“These things I have spoken to you[His disciples], that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Php. 4:6-7—“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer & supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; & the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts & minds through Christ Jesus.”

Jn. 14:26, 27—“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, & bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. “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.”