The Mathematics Of The Christian Life

When a RESTAURANT serves good food, the customers will keep coming back for more, even if they have to travel a long distance to get there.

The same thing is true for a CHURCH. When a church preaches and teaches the Word of God, people who are hungry for God’s Word, will be there every time the doors are open, ready to partake of what God has for them to enjoy, even if they have to travel a long way to get there.

But those who are not hungry for the word of God, but are looking for entertainment and recreation, more than likely will find a church that offers them what they are hungry for. The preaching and teaching of God’s Word attracts people who are hungry for His Word.

Illus: One of the best ways to keep the church filled with sincere Christians, is to preach the Word of God, because, only those who are hungry will stay. Those who are not hungry for the Word cannot get out fast enough.

God instructed Peter, saying, “feed my sheep.” In 1 Peter he fed us some delicious spiritual food that will cause us all to grow in the Lord. But now we have come to 2 Peter for some more. The food that Peter has served was nothing like what some restaurants serve. For example, have you ever been hungry for a good steak, and you went to a restaurant to get one, and the steak that you ordered was so tough that you could not eat it?

Illus: This reminds us of the story of a man and his wife who went to a steak house for a good steak. The waitress brought the man his steak, and he took one look at it and licked his lips, and got his utensils ready to eat. But:

• He sawed it

• He stabbed it

• He jabbed it

• He threatened it

But still he couldn't cut it. He called the waiter and explained to him how tough the steak was. The waiter examined the steak, and said, "Sir, I am sorry, but I can’t take it back, you've already bent it."

As we begin reading Peter's second letter, we immediately see two things.

Look at verses 1-2. “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,”

There are several things in these two verses that we need to consider:

(1) WE NEED TO CONSIDER WHO HE IS ADDRESSING

Look at verse 1, “...to them that have obtained... "

Illus: Can you imagine a postman sorting out his mail for delivery, and coming to an envelope with the words, “To Them That Have Obtained" written on the front of it? He would be confused, not knowing where he should deliver such a piece of mail.

WHAT IS PETER SAYING TO THE CHRISTIANS IN 2 PETER?

Peter is saying that this letter is not for everyone, it is “...to them that have obtained like PRECIOUS FAITH with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. "

He makes it clear that these have obtained salvation. How? He says, “...through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” These who have “obtained” this precious faith through Christ are the ones he is addressing.

(2) WHAT IS HE WRITING TO THEM ABOUT?

He wants them to know that God the Father has some MORE GIFTS that He wants to bestow upon them after salvation.

Look at verses 3-4. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Peter depicts those he is writing to as having once been in the prison of sin. Look at verse 4. “…that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Look at the word “escaped”. This is what happens when a man escapes from prison. What kind of prison were we in before we were converted? A prison of “corruption.”

And now, He wants to give those of us who have "obtained" salvation through Christ, some other gifts.

HOW DO WE OBTAIN THESE GIFTS?

Look at verse 3. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”