The PROMISE Of LIBERTY-III—2Peter 2:17-22
Attention:
Car Curfew—
A young man was elated when he turned eighteen in a state where curfew is 11:00 p.m. for anyone under eighteen years of age.
He happily announced the news to his Dad about how he didn’t have to be in by 11:00pm!...all the while hoping for some sympathy & leniency from Dad.
Surprisingly, Dad said, “Son, you can stay out as late as you want...BUT there’s one string attached. You see, the car is under seventeen & it has to be in the garage by eleven.”
There are many purveyors of false ‘truth’ who are infecting & effecting our great country’s government. In fact, because we are not a ‘Christian nation’ per se, but are rather a ‘Christian influenced’ nation,
The politicos promise happiness, prosperity, peace, freedom, wellness, care, etc. within a background of the church...BUT is their’s True(real/actual) Liberty/Freedom?
We must ask ourselves a question in all seriousness...
Is Liberty/Freedom a reality for you?
Peter revealed that a false liberty had been presented to the Church.
The true Church yields to true liberty.
But panderers of false Liberty/Freedom can mislead the Church.
Why must the Church yield to God’s liberty?
9 distinctions/functions/invitations/stipulations of true Liberty...God’s liberty.
We have found previously that...
True Liberty...God’s Liberty stipulates/assumes...
1. A QUENCHED THIRST(:17a)“wells without water”
2. ETERNAL LIGHT(:17b)“blackness of darkness forever”
3—True liberty stipulates...
HUMILITY(:18a)
Explanation:(:18a)“great swelling words”
:18—“For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.”
These false prophets & teachers readily & brashly thunder out their empty false doctrine. And in doing so, by presenting a persona of self-confidence, entice the very ones who have “actually escaped.”
“They spoke with” an “assertive confidence” that made “the weak”(new converts, the curious, & the attracted) suppose the false prophets & teachers knew “what they were talking about.”(NAC)
Jude 1:16—“These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; & they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.”
“Speak/Uttering/Mouth”—fyeggomai—Verb—1) To give out a sound, noise or cry—1a) of any sort of sound or voice, whether of man or of animal or inanimate object as thunder, musical instruments, etc. Strong—To utter a clear sound, i.e. generally--To proclaim. Used 3X.
Probably akin to feggov—Brilliancy—& thus to fhmi—To show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.
“Great Swelling Words/Boastful words”—uperogkov—Adj.—1) Overswollen; 2) metaph.--Immoderate, extravagant. Strong—Bulging over, i.e. figuratively--Insolent. RWP—Old compound adjective(uper & ogkov, a swelling, swelling above & beyond), in N.T. only here & Jude 1:16. Used 2X.
From—uper—Prep.—1) In behalf of, for the sake of; 2) Over, beyond, more than; 3) More, beyond, over. Strong—a primary preposition; "over", i.e. (with the genitive case)of place--Above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; with the accusative case--Superior to, more than.— & —ogkov—A mass(as bending or bulging by its load), i.e. Burden(hindrance).
Argumentation:
ARROGANCE:
**Num. 16:1-5, 12-14, 19-33—“Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan & Abiram the sons of Eliab, & On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; & they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred & fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. They gathered together against Moses & Aaron, & said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, & the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face; & he spoke to Korah & all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His & who is holy, & will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.”.....“And Moses sent to call Dathan & Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up! “Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk & honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should keep acting like a prince over us? “Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk & honey, nor given us inheritance of fields & vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”.....“And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. And the LORD spoke to Moses & Aaron, saying, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” Then they fell on their faces, & said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, & You be angry with all the congregation?” So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, & Abiram.’” Then Moses rose & went to Dathan & Abiram, & the elders of Israel followed him. And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, & Abiram; & Dathan & Abiram came out & stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, & their little children. And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD creates a new thing, & the earth opens its mouth & swallows them up with all that belongs to them, & they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD.” Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, & the earth opened its mouth & swallowed them up, with their households & all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they & all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, & they perished from among the assembly.”
Num. 12:1-3—“Then Miriam & Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. So they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it. (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)”
*Of the Arrogance of AntiChrist: Dan. 11:36, 37—“Then the king[antiChrist] shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt & magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, & shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.”
2Thess. 2:1-4—“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ & our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, & the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes & exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”
1Jn. 4:1-4—“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, & every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, & is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, & have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
1Jn. 2:18-23—“Little children, it is the last hour; & as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, & you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, & that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father & the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”
HUMILITY—Modest/Unassuming:
**2Chron. 7:14—“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, & pray & seek My face, & turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, & will forgive their sin & heal their land.”
2Sam. 22:1-7, 17-28—“Then David spoke to the LORD the words of this song, on the day when the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, & from the hand of Saul. And he said: “The LORD is my rock & my fortress & my deliverer; The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield & the horn of my salvation, My stronghold & my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. ‘When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears.”.....“He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me; For they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me; And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them. I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in His eyes. With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. You will save the humble people; But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.”
*Lk. 18:9-14—“Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, & despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee & the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood & prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, & he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
**Lk. 18:9-14—“Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, & despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee & the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood & prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, & he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Acts 20:17-21—“From Miletus he[Paul] sent to Ephesus & called for the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears & trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, & taught you publicly & from house to house, testifying to Jews, & also to Greeks, repentance toward God & faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
**1Cor. 1:26-31—“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, & God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; & the base things of the world & the things which are despised God has chosen, & the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--& righteousness & sanctification & redemption-- that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
1Cor. 4:7—“For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
Rom. 3:21-27—“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law & the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all & on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just & the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.”
**Eph. 2:4-9—“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), & raised us up together, & made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
**Ps. 34:18—“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite[remorseful] spirit.”
**Ps. 51:15-17—“O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken & a contrite heart--These, O God, You will not despise.”
**Isa. 57:15—“For thus says the High & Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high & holy place, With him who has a contrite & humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
Mat. 7:12—“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law & the Prophets.”
Illustration:
The African Bishop, Desmond Tutu, was once asked why he became an Anglican rather than joining some other denomination.
He replied that in the days of apartheid, when a black person and a white person met while walking on a footpath, the black person was expected to step into the gutter to allow the white person to pass and nod their head as a gesture of respect.
"One day" Tutu says, "when I was just a little boy, my mother and I were walking down the street when a tall white man, dressed in a black suit, came toward us. Before my mother and I could step off the sidewalk, as was expected of us, this man stepped off the sidewalk and, as my mother and I passed, tipped his hat in a gesture of respect to her!
I was more than surprised at what had happened and I asked my mother, ‘Why did that white man do that?’ My mother explained, ‘He’s an Anglican priest. He’s a man of God, that’s why he did it.’ When she told me that he was an Anglican priest I decided there and then that I wanted to be an Anglican priest too. And what is more, I wanted to be a man of God.”—per Wayne Field@SermonCentral
HUMILITY
Application:
?Does Your version of Liberty stipulate HUMILITY?
?Your Liberty True? Is it God’s Liberty?
4—True liberty stipulates...
FULLNESS(:18b)
Explanation:(:18b)“Emptiness”/Dissatisfaction
:18—“For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.”
The descriptions of ‘idols’ & idol worship in Scripture finds them ‘empty’ or ‘worthless’ or wanting.
Thus, like a child’s life that is deliberately ruined by a perverse parent who teaches them the opposite of reality...these “escaped” ones build a personal faith upon lies.
“Emptiness/Vanity/Empty”—mataiothv—Noun Fem.—1) What is devoid of truth & appropriateness; 2) Perverseness, depravity; 3) Frailty, want of vigor. Strong—Inutility; figuratively--Transientness; morally--Depravity. Used 3X.
Argumentation:
**1Cor. 15:12-20—“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty & your faith is also empty. Yes, & we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, & has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
**Eph. 5:1-7—“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us & given Himself for us, an offering & a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication & all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ & God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”
**Col. 2:6-10—“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted & built up in Him & established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy & empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, & not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; & you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality & power.”
1Tim. 6:20, 21—“O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane & idle babblings & contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge-- by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.”
**Jn. 3:3-8—“Jesus answered & said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb & be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water & the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, & that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ “The wind blows where it wishes, & you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from & where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.””
Illustration:
A company called ‘Fathead’ manufactures realistic looking life-size cutouts of sports, movie & TV celebrities, Sports mascots, Movie characters, Popular musicians, Video game characters, Presidents, Emergency workers & equipment, Military, Space exploration, Labeled human anatomy, etc./ You can even customize a Fathead/$109 each/BUT these are only PICTURES!, No relationship...no conversation!—No FULLNESS!
Application:
?Does Your version of Liberty stipulate/assume FULLNESS?
?Your Liberty True? Is it God’s Liberty?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Car Curfew—Car is under eighteen, so must be in by 11:00!
Action:
True Liberty...God’s Liberty stipulates...
3. HUMILITY(:18a)“great swelling words”
4. FULLNESS(:18b)“emptiness”
1. A QUENCHED THIRST(:17a)“wells without water”
2. ETERNAL LIGHT(:17b)“blackness of darkness forever”
Pts. 3-4 presented 07/10/2016pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(‘A’ Ave. SE)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
