Closing Remarks

CLOSING REMARKS -- "STAND FIRM IN THE TRUE GRACE OF GOD" OUR FUTURE GLORY IS GUARANTEED BY THE GOD OF ALL GRACE

INTRODUCTION:

Alarming to see how some people present the gospel -- How they explain the marvelous grace of God and what that will mean for your Christian life

1) Easy Believism -- just say the magic words -- "I trust in Jesus" -- no commitment; no repentance; no change in who you recognize as the ultimate authority in your life; not much different than rubbing a rabbit’s tail; No genuine faith involved -- just mouthing some formula and hoping for the best

2) Legalist -- Like the Pharisees back in Christ’s day; or like some of the present day teachings of the Roman Catholic Church; God’s Grace is available; He wants to freely give it to you; but you need to do your part and earn it by cooperating with God. Say some more prayers; get some more grace. Partake in mass daily, get more grace; give money to the church, get more grace. Do, Do, Do in order to Get, Get, Get.

3) Health and Wealth Gospel -- God has all sorts of goodies in this life ready to hand out to you -- sort of like Halloween candy -- all you need to do is go spiritual trick or treating -- Name and Claim what you want; deliverance from any type of physical problems; financial prosperity; your favorite sports team will always win -- you name it = A Perverted presentation of the Grace of God

yes, God is a good God

yes, God delights to give good gifts to His children

yes, God is powerful enough to give you any of these things

NO, this is not God’s design for how you will best grow spiritually or how He will receive glory from your life and testimony

Our study in 1 Peter -- if it has taught us nothing else -- should have taught us that we should expect to follow in the footsteps of Christ and experience some level of suffering before we enter into eternal glory

5:14 -- THIS IS THE TRUE GRACE OF GOD. STAND FIRM IN IT!

"On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking stand"

The foolish man built his house upon the sand; build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ

OUR FUTURE GLORY IS GUARANTEED BY THE GOD OF ALL GRACE

This is what gives us security both now and for the future -- the wonderful grace of Jesus

many of our problems come from being insecure

we are afraid, so we don’t step out in faith and do what we need to do

we are insecure about whether God really loves us and cares about us, so we get caught up in a works mentality trying to earn God’s favor

we are insecure about God’s forgiveness, so we live with the weight and paralysis of guilt

I. THE PROMISE OF FUTURE GLORY MADE BY THE GOD OF ALL GRACE

"called you to His eternal glory in Christ"

A. God makes some amazing promises

Matt. 19:27-30 Peter had some moments of insecurity when he questioned whether it was really worth it to make such sacrifices and commitment to follow the path of discipleship

"It will be worth it when we see Jesus"

B. Effectual Call -- 1:3 "according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope"

We didn’t start on this journey by our own self-effort or works --

Likewise, our confidence in reaching our final destination is in the grace of God

James 1:18 "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures"

Rom. 8:18-39 "the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us --whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified"

(cf. the glory of the most beautiful jewelry to the cheap plastic rings given to kids by dentists -- you can't even make such a comparison -- not in the same league)

1 Cor. 1:7-9 "awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord"

2 Thess. 2:13-14 "But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brethren, STAND FIRM!"