Defeated Christians Forget.
2 Peter 1:3-11ESV
Defeated Christians have forgotten who they are.
How easy it is to forget what Jesus Christ has done and who we are in Him, especially when we fail. As soon as we stumble, the accuser of the brethren is right there to tell us what sorry sinners and no good Christians we are.
If we believe those lies, we end up defeated in our Christian walk.
1 Peter, was written to encourage Christians under the threat of violent persecution; 2 Peter, was written to warn those same- believers of the danger of false teachers and harmful influences.
Simon was his given name at birth; Peter was the special name given to him by Jesus. Peters revelation that Jesus was Christ, the Son of the Living God.
The apostle Peter had some strong words to say to his beloved reader. Some truths to believe. Some truths to live by.
2 Peter 1:3ESV His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and- godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
All things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him...
Take a moment to dwell on what Peter said in this verse. As believers, we have everything required for life and godliness. Everything.
Again, 2 Peter 1:3AMP For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
Remember, False teachers and harmful influences were all around. Therefore, Peter gives the young church some strong-powerful words.
The Clarks Commentary states, Nothing is lacking. The toolbox is full and complete! The Spirit of power living in us gives us all the spiritual tools we need to live the holy, mature lives that Jesus expects.
Whenever, and in every circumstance, regardless of what it is. “If something begins to sputter, or just need some maintenance, we’ve got the tools to make repairs.”
Illustration- A man was watching a wood-carver carve a six foot bear out of a large chunk of wood. The man was fascinated as he watched him and he finally asked him, “How do you do that?” The wood carver said, “It really isn’t as hard as it looks. What I do is get a huge piece of wood, and I carve out everything that does not look like a bear!”
This is what God is trying to do with our lives. He wants to cut everything that does not look like Christ out of our lives.
Again, 2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us... God gives every believer permission to grow!
Go back for a moment in, 2 Peter 1:1a Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
The order of these titles is important. Peter considered himself first, a bondservant, and then an apostle. His standing as a bondservant was more important to him than his status as an apostle!
Back up for a moment and listen to Peter beginning this powerful letter:
2 Peter 1:1b...To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
Same playing field- To the Gentle and to the Jew, like precious faith! P.H
2 Peter 1:4ESV by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
You have been granted by God to receive His precious and very great promises. And as if His promises aren’t enough, you are to become partakers of the divine nature...
2 Peter 1:5-7ESV For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
As believers we are to add to our faith... Heresy and false teaching cannot get near these virtues.
Always remember, “Faith” is the bedrock foundation. Without faith we are not believers.
Peter lists some of those steps here. It’s really a sketch of the character God produces in us as we grow. He lists eight virtues that will be true of us as we grow:
Faith— trusting God, which is where it all begins; this is where all the other virtues come from.
Virtue— moral excellence, which means that we change from the inside out.
Knowledge— growth in our knowledge of God.
Self-control— the ability to restrain ourselves from sinful desires.
Steadfastness— to stay faithful not just for a short time, but over the long haul
Godliness— living a godly life.
Brotherly affection— which ties in closely to the last virtue
Love— the virtue that sums up all other virtues
Peter states that faith is, ‘precious.’
Charles Spurgeon wrote,”Faith is precious, because it deals with precious things, with precious promises, with precious blood, with a precious redemption, with all the preciousness of the person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:8ESV For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“If you ever get to a place where you can’t go on. Just remember, be fruitful.” P.H
A seminary student audited a professors class. It was on, Resolving Personal and Spiritual Conflict. At the conclusion of the class she handed him a letter which read in part: I just want to thank you again for how the Lord used your class to change my life. The last two years of my life have been a constant struggle for the control of my mind. I was ignorant of my position and authority in Christ and equally ignorant of satan's ability to deceive me. I was constantly afraid. My mind was bombarded with hostile, angry thoughts. I felt guilty and wondered what was wrong with me. I didn't understand how much bondage I was in until I came to your class… For the first time in my life I can identify Satan's attack and really resist him. I'm not paralyzed by fear anymore and my mind is much less cluttered. As you can tell, I'm pretty excited about this. (One day At A Time, the devotional for Overcomers). Anderson/Quarles. Pg. 102.
2 Peter 1:9ESV For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
Being forgetful of God’s promises is serious business!
This former student was a long time Christian but her walk had become paralyzed by the accuser of the brethren.
She testified that I was a child of God, but I was defeated, the unwitting victim of the deceiver.
She wrote, “I didn't understand her identity in Jesus Christ and was being destroyed from lack of knowledge.”
Hosea 4:6a My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, (God states, I will reject you)...
Two things I know:
1. You don’t grow by trying to grow. You grow by getting to know God.
2. You will suffer greatly if you fail to use the instruction manual on a really difficult task. P.H
2 Peter 1:10ESV Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
Peter states, That Christians who become ineffective and unproductive have forgotten they were cleansed from their sins.
Notice what Peter instructs us to do- Therefore my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.
Dr. Neil Anderson states, This college student represents many Christians who are ignorant of their spiritual heritage and the battle going on for their minds. Consequently, they are living defeated lives. When struggling believers correctly perceive the nature of their conflict and understand how they can be transformed by the renewing of our minds, they will be able to share the same testimony given above.
Notice, He or She confirms their calling and election, by the things they practice. And if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
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Remember this, Satan can't do anything about our position in Christ Jesus, but if he can get us to believe it isn't true, we will live as though it isn’t.
1 Corinthians 1:30NKJV But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
2 Peter 1:11ESV For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
When Satan reminds us of our sins, our only defense is the finished work of Jesus Christ, which is a guarantee of victory. P.H
Colossians 2:15NLT In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
Don't forget what Jesus has done for you, and who you are in Jesus. He has done everything necessary for you to walk in freedom. You are a child of God, who is dearly loved, redeemed, set apart, forgiven and cleanse from all your sins.
Romans 8:31-39NLT What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Benediction.
