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Pastor Vic's Message
“Making False Teaching Powerless”
November 9, 2008
2 Peter 1:5-21
Before
I go on a hike there are many preparations to be made. The more I prepare,
the more I enjoy the hike. Our Christian life is like that. There will be
false teachers telling us to follow rabbit trails. The hike is more fun if
you are following someone who knows the trail.
Before
hiking I study the maps. I choose where I will go. I anticipate the rough
trails and allow extra time for those uphill climbs. I plan where I will camp
overnight. I consider my abilities. I know my weaknesses and plan
accordingly.
Before
hiking I review my checklist. Different equipment is needed for different
trails. Unnecessary equipment makes my load heavier and my hike less
pleasant. I take out of my pack all those items I will not need.
Before
hiking I meet with those who are walking with me. There are some things we
can share. Only one of us takes a stove. Only one of us takes emergency
medical supplies. Only one of us takes spare equipment parts. It is pleasant
to walk together. God’s Spirit also walks with us.
Today
Peter is talking about our hike to heaven. In his 1st letter he told us some
things to leave behind; now here he suggests some things we need in our pack
of faith.
When
you were saved God made available to you everything you need for your hike to
heaven. He intended that you enjoy your hike so He sent His Spirit to walk
with you. Your spiritual eyes were open to see the beauty of God’s grace and
promises. You have everything you need to make your hike to heaven very
pleasant. You have someone to walk with you and you have unlimited resources
available for life and godliness.
1:5
"And so for this very reason make every effort to lavishly outfit your
faith." Do some planning. Exercise some discipline.
To
avoid rabbit trails, know where you are going, who’s going with you and take
along the right equipment.
You probably will not need scuba gear, climbing gear, or Twinkies.
There
is thoughtful effort involved here. God does not issue pack mules and 4
wheelers. God does not cook your meals or do your dishes. There is no
idleness in the Christian life. Every promise has a condition. God has
provided everything we need but we must pick it up and put it in our pack of
faith. There is effort and discipline required from you.
What
motivates you? The goal? The leader? Those walking with you?
There
are nice backpacking stoves available. Some are better at higher elevations.
Some do better in windy conditions. But none do me any good until they are
purchased, put in my pack, and used according to the directions. If I make no
effort to put the right things in my pack, my hike becomes a disaster or an
exercise in survival. If the equipment I really need I failed to purchase and
the items I brought were sold to me by a fast-talking salesman, I may be in
trouble. It is hard to carry a BarBQ if you are changing elevation over 1,000
feet twice a day.
All our
effort and energy must be brought along side the Spirit of God to make our
hike to heaven more pleasant. God through Christ has given us, graced us,
with all things so now I must be a diligent steward of the promises.
If you
are on a long hike, you will need to plan to add more provisions at different
times and in different places. You keep replenishing your pack. Are you
making any spiritual provision? Don't just add enough to your faith to get
by, but lavishly outfit yourself with the abundant resources of God.
This
word for 'supply' is 'super-choreograph'. The word choreograph originally
meant to sponsor a drama group or chorus. A choreographer was one who paid
all the expenses for the training and production of a traveling group. It was
also used of outfitting an army. But here Peter creates a new word by adding
the prefix which means 'super'.
God has
the super supplies for your hike to heaven. You need to accept His
provision. Do you want to enjoy life? Listen to the one who created the
trail for your pleasure. Sam Hill designed the gorge bridges for our
pleasure.
In
verse 11 this same word is used to describe our welcome in heaven. If we make
super preparations now, when we reach our goal, there will be a super supply.
Peter
is writing to Christians. You have faith in God. You are getting rid of all
anger, malice, deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, slander and the desires of this
world that lead to corruption (1Pet 2:1). Now into your backpack of faith
super size the attitudes that will make your life very rewarding and pleasant
as you walk the way to heaven. You will not be distracted by false teachers.
Faith
is like your backpack. Faith is belief. You either believe or you don’t
believe. You don't add to your faith or belief, but you fill it with grace.
Your faith will not expand if you are making no effort. If you have no desire
to grow spiritually, you won't. Your faith or backpack was a gift from God.
He knew the style you needed for the life you have ahead of you. It is a
measure of faith (Rom 12), not too much and not too little. It is variegated
and different from others (1P 4:10).
Remember the children of Israel in the wilderness. They were dying from snake
bites. God made provision so they could be healed. Moses lifted up a symbol
for healing. Healing was available, but the people had to make an effort to
receive the healing in their lives. There was no provision for carelessness,
for vacations, for busy schedules. God said they had to look to the symbol of
healing to be healed.
That
symbol represents Christ. There is still no provision for carelessness or
stubbornness. We must look to Jesus to receive the benefits of God's grace.
If you want to enjoy your walk in the Way, you begin by believing in Jesus as
Lord. That faith will get you on the right trail with a custom built
backpack, but you will not enjoy the hike unless you fill your faith with the
provisions that God has made available. God set conditions to His promises.
Jesus said, Come follow Me.
Peter
lists 7 attitudes here that we need to have in our lives to protect us from
false teachers.
First,
lavishly supply to your sphere of faith, moral power or excellence of virtue.
This is a Christ-like attitude that is not attracted with this world. This
attitude sees the real unseen world. It does not focus on this visible shadow
of reality.
Next,
grow in knowledge. This word is used 29 times in the N.T. 16 of those are in
the Corinthian letters. Without knowledge we will have problems. Be a
learner, a student of life.
To grow
in knowledge is a way of life. We are to fill our faith with a growing
knowledge of God. Not the knowledge of books, but of a person. It means
seeing life more from God's point of view. To know Him is to love Him and
perfect love casts out fear.
Next,
add self-mastery. When I know who I am, what I am, and why I am where I am, I
see God working in my life and self-control is a natural response to God's
grace. I want to please God and His grace gives me strength to do it. In
Christ I can control my tongue, affections, and appetites.
Self-control is an attitude of contentment in Christ.
Next,
add patience. This is a grace that grows from trials. Patience is an
attitude of rest that results from complete trust in God. It is not a passive
or an insensitive attitude, but a willingness to endure all events and
conditions to honor God. It is endurance against temptation and
discouragement because I trust God. Impatience is an indication I don’t see
God. We run so fast we don’t see the trail markers or we sit down and never
reach the markers.
Next,
add godliness, a godly way of life. This is the same word as verse 3. We
have everything we need to live godly lives. A godly man respects all forms
of life. When a man is godly, he is in harmony with himself and all of life.
Godliness is an attitude of reverence, a reverent manner of life, and an
attitude of worship. Without godliness we leave a trail of trash behind us.
Next,
add love of the brethren. Philadelphia will take time. Peter does not allow
for a monastic life. If we love God we will love our brothers. If you don’t
feel like helping the neighbor by the side of the road, maybe you have lost
your love of God. Practice random acts of kindness.
Next,
make love your nature. Perfect love is Christlikeness. God is love. You can
participate in the divine nature. You can see the world as God sees the
world. Your heart can be broken with the things that break the heart of God.
1:8
"For if these things are in you and are super-abounding, you are destined to
be neither ‘out of order’ nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ."
Plan to
keep your supplies replenished.
Without
supplies you are out of order.
When my
cup is full and running over it shows. The Father is glorified when I bear
much fruit.
When
you were born again, you became part of God's family. You received everything
you need for life and godliness. Now if these things are super-abounding and
increasing, you will be effective and valuable like an artesian spring. You
will have a supply from a source greater than the visible.
If my
faith is not filled and lavishly outfitted, I am useless and out of order, no
use to anyone. It is not normal to be born again and not grow. Faith without
works is useless. When do we have an “Out of Order” sign on our lives? When
we are “out of sorts”?
If I
say I have faith and I am not growing, and people are not seeing the fruit of
the Spirit in my life, I am out of order. There is no peace in an empty
faith.
1:9
Here is a contrast. "For whoever does not possess these things is blind being
near sighted, having forgotten the earlier cleansing of his sins."
Not
only are we out of order but we are blind to what God is doing in our life
today. We are blind to what God has promised to do in the future. And we are
blind to what God has done in the past. We can’t see God in anything. The
pure in heart see God in everything, but we can’t.
We have
been born again with an imperishable seed. The healthy plant will grow. All
of nature teaches us that you grow or you die. The healthy Christian will be
lavishly adding to his faith. Not all Christians are healthy. They are
spiritually blind and cannot see the unseen. They are near sighted and
focused only on themselves.
Forgetfulness causes spiritual blindness. When I forget who I am in Christ my
spiritual life resembles a blind man's walk. I can't see God working. I miss
the beauty of the walk. Each step becomes a struggle. My life is no longer
pleasant.
I took
a blind boy on one pack trip. I remember a few of his frustrations. When we
got to a spectacular view point, he could sense the reality, he could feel the
breeze, he could hear the quiet echoes, he could listen to the description of
others, but he could only imagine the majesty. And for the other students on
the hike, Clark was extra work because he could not do his share.
When
Christians are not growing they loose their spiritual eye sight. They need to
be helped again with the elementary teachings. They miss the majesty. They
need a lot of help.
1:10
"Therefore, now more than ever brothers, make every effort to confirm your
calling and selection."
There
is no room for apathy or a passive attitude. Be diligent. Do your best.
Stretch for the goal with every effort to confirm and guarantee your calling.
It takes effort on your part. Every relationship takes time and effort.
"For if
you are doing these things, if they are abundantly existing in your life,
NEVER EVER will you stumble at any time." We do not have to sin. We do not
have to break God's law. If we are a healthy Christian, we are living holy
lives.
1:11
The reward of living a holy life is sure. Salvation is promised. "For thus
we will be lavishly supplied in our welcome into the eternal kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” If you are living a holy life, God will supply
all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. You will be welcomed
into heaven as a child of the king. You will not be checking into heaven as a
beggar with dirty clothes and no money, but you will be lavishly supplied.
It is
foolish to hike in the mountains by yourself with an empty pack. The
Christian life was not intended to be a practice in survival, but a joyous
celebration of the majesty of God’s creation and provisions. Jesus said,
“Come follow Me.” Accept the Holy Spirit as you hiking partner.
Look at
the end of this paragraph (1:15). Peter wants us to remember what? The
promise of God is that He will be with us and He will be a Father to us (2Cor
7:1; 2P1:3-11).
1:12
Peter is writing this letter to remind us to keep growing. He wants to always
remind us, both before his death and after his death.
Remember who you are and why.
He is
not adding anything new to what we already know. He is repeating the basic
Christian instructions that all believers received. All the apostles preached
the same thing. Even though Peter had never visited these churches, he knew
his message was no different from the other apostles.
You are
established in the truth. You are well grounded, instructed, committed, but
be careful of false teachers. To stand in the face of heresy you must
remember the truth. Remember the word given to you. Remember to remember.
1:13
The body is the temporary tent for our immortal soul. We leave the tent
behind.
1:14
Peter knew he was about to die and that confirmed what Jesus had told him in
John 21:18. Many people who walk with God receive some kind of intimation of
their approaching death.
1:15
Peter was being diligent to get something in writing so these churches could
remember what they had received and how they should live and how great was
their salvation.
When I
was teaching at WES, one of the popular churches in Portland was the Living
Enrichment Center in Wilsonville. Then in 2004, the woman pastor was
convicted of embezzling 11 million dollars. Do you remember how easy it is to
believe a lie? False teachers are common.
1:16
Critics were saying that the resurrection and second coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ was a cleverly concocted myth that the disciples created. Peter says
stop and think. It can’t be a myth.
1:16-18 The Transfiguration is evidence for the second coming. We were
eyewitnesses of His majesty. Peter says he heard God speak.
The
expectation of the second coming is not a humanly contrived myth, but is
firmly grounded in God’s word. It is not a human invention.
1:19
The second reply to the critics is the Old Testament scriptures. The
transfiguration confirmed the OT prophecy. Both look to the second coming.
Neither
the Transfiguration nor the O.T. Scriptures were a plan of man.
You
would do well to pay attention to the Scriptures as to a lamp shining in a
murky place. Meditate on the Word. Fix your eyes on Jesus in the Scriptures
like you would a light in a cave. God’s word can be light in your darkness
and give you hope. It’s like walking along the marquee in a Carnival. Keep
your eyes on Jesus. See people through Jesus’ eyes. Don’t be distracted by
those shouting at you.
The day
will dawn and the morning star rises. The morning star is Venus that
introduces daylight into the world. Christ is the morning star that precedes
the coming fullness of the kingdom of God. The Scriptures tell us about the
star and look forward to daylight of the new age. When the morning star has
risen in your hearts, you’ll know that the kingdom of God is at hand.
1:20-21 Now the criticism was apparently raised that the OT was also a
creation of man. To refute that Peter gives us the truth about the
inspiration of Scripture.
No
prophecy of Scripture derives from the prophet’s own interpretation. The
prophet was usually given a sign, a dream, or a vision and then given the
interpretation. God gave them the words and the interpretation of the words.
Remember Daniel.
The
critics say that the Scripture is ambiguous. Anyone can interpret it anyway
he likes and no one can say which way is correct. The critics would say that
everyone can have his own interpretation. But these verses imply that because
God inspired the Scripture, He has determined the meaning of Scripture.
Scripture never came by the impulse of man, but men were impelled by the Holy
Spirit from God. The words at the Transfiguration came from God. The words
of the OT also came from God. The Holy Spirit was the source of prophecy.
The Holy Spirit inspires the words the prophets receive and the interpretation
of the words. The Holy Spirit makes Christianity different from the myths.
God has
spoken. Are we listening?
The map
is not as exciting and pleasant as the journey. Am I still reading the map or
enjoying the journey?
We do not do anything
because we are told to. We need a transformation by the renewing of our
mind. (Rom 12:1-2) Growing in grace is a God thing. Maturity happens to a
healthy body.
Sunday
Morning Family Worship -- 9:00 a.m.
Vic Dunton,
Chaplain
Phone: (503) 829-8591
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