Keeping Things in Perspective
Book of 2 Peter
Chapter 1:11-21
There are two words
we see often in the Scriptures and they are "therefore" and
"wherefore" and they are very important in our
understanding of those Scriptures.
The word "therefore"
means: For this reason and in the Scriptures, this refers to some
verse or some passage that was previous to the word "therefore".
The word "wherefore"
means: For which reason and in the Scriptures, this refers to the
reason the next passage is written.
The Bible will never
cause confusion if we understand these and other lead words in the
Scriptures.
In our lesson from
last week, Peter gave us a precious passage about Christian growth
and in today's lesson Peter will show us the benefits of growing
Christ.
We must remember all
the lessons the Holy Spirit has given to the writers of the
Scriptures!
The most important
lessons of course, are those that teach us how to grow our "faith".
Without faith we cannot even please God!
Heb 11:6 But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him.
If we go back to
last week’s lesson, we should understand how the Holy Spirit
cautions us about these things!
2Pe 1:8 For if
these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that
lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath
forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
We must base our
faith on the promises of God and then diligently add, virtue,
knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and
last but most important charity.
These are real
things that show we are established in the truth of God!
*****2Pe 1:12
"Wherefore" I will not be negligent to put you always in
remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established
in the present truth.
The Holy Ghost
writes that because of what we learned in last week’s lesson we
need to remember them all the days we have left in our Christian walk
with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In fact there is
nothing in the written Word of God that we are ever told to forget
except for the sin we have been forgiven of!
Psa 119:109 My soul
is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
Psa 119:16 I will
delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
There are too many
benefits from the Lord to ever forget that He has blessed our souls!
Psa 103:2 Bless the
LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
You see, these
things in 2 Peter 1-11, are so important that all Peter's remaining
days He preached this same message!
Peter reminded all
believers of these things all his days and it would be well with us
if we would refuse to forget them ourselves!
This would be
neglecting to walk as Jesus walked!
How do we memorize,
we repeat the things we want to memorize over and over until they are
implanted in our mind!
All the things of
our salvation are much too important to ever forget!
The gifts of God are
far too important than to just treat them as everyday things!
Without these things
we will never experience the life that Jesus Christ died to give us!
These are the tools
that make us witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ!
There are not many
places in the Scriptures where we are admonished to remember these
things more than in this passage in the Book of 2 Peter!
As far as Peter was
concerned, it would have been negligence on his part not to teach and
caution us not to forget all these things!
These are the things
that cause the Church to be established!
Act 16:5 And so
were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number
daily.
Col 2:6 As ye have
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7 Rooted and
built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught,
abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest
any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ.
Peter just continues
to emphasize the importance of remembering these things, especially
knowing his days were numbered.
We will all reach
this point one day and what will we want our own children to remember
the most?
*****2Pe 1:13 Yea,
I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up
by putting you in remembrance;
2Pe 1:14 Knowing
that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord
Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
If you are like me,
as I have gotten older, I have realized just how short a time we
spend in this world. I certainly am ready whenever the Lord calls me
home!
But I would also
love to see my grandchildren blossom to their full potential and
somewhere in the future there will be great grandchildren and I would
love to see them.
Like Peter it is in
my best interest to put my children in remembrance of the things of
salvation and I will certainly see them when they have reached their
full potential in the Lord, for they will join me in Heaven.
Another thing we
must not miss here is the fact that the soul is far superior to this
body we are so proud of!
We will put off this
body as some old worn out tent and that soul that is eternal that has
blossomed into perfection will return to the Lord, who gave it, if it
has been filled with the Holy Spirit.
Ecc_12:7 Then shall
the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return
unto God who gave it.
Our soul is the seat
of our knowledge and our sensation, and our body is nothing without
our soul, but a mud pie made by God Himself from the dust of the
earth.
There is nothing
upon this earth that will be allowed in Heaven.
Yes, we will have a
new body but that new body will not be made of the material of this
earth!
Today we should take
much better care of our soul than this body which only ages every
day!
When pour body has
left us, it is our salvation, our virtue, our knowledge, our
temperance, our patience, our godliness, our brotherly kindness and
our charity in these things of God, that will standout, and it is
these things that will have earned our rewards in Heaven.
Peter writes, in
hope that after he is gone, we to will keep things most important
things, after our names are written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.
*****2Pe 1:15
Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to
have these things always in remembrance.
Peter knew that we
would never remember these things until we had learned them!
To be honest, the
most dangerous teachers are those who were never learners. They are
all the masters of error!
In the Church we are
not teachers unless we teach the Word of God!
We cannot teach the
Word of God, if we do not under Holy Ghost supervision learn the Word
of God!
The major
denominations of today have not learned the Word of God or they have
rejected its truth so, they are unable to teach what God has said for
us to learn and then apply to our souls that will then direct our
lives.
What did Paul teach?
Heb 5:11 Of whom we
have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull
of hearing.
Heb 5:12 For when
for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you
again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are
become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every
one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he
is a babe.
When we reject these
things in this passage of Peter, we have rejected the truth of God!
We are to teach the
oracles of God!
The Bible has some
accurate History of our world, but it is not a History Book.
The Bible has some
accurate Science of our Creation, but it is not a Science Book
The Bible contains
many things of life, but it is not a Social Economics Book.
The Bible is, the
truth of God written to the Church, so that it can then be taught to
a lost and dyeing world before it is too late!
Too late meaning,
before the Lord returns to take His Church to Heaven. Those left
behind will see the wrath of God.
After this God will
deal with the Jews and those who help the Jews for 1000 years!
You see the Bible is
the truth and the world spits out the lies of Satan, the Devil,
Diabolos, the Deceiver!
*****2Pe 1:16 For
we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known
unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were
eyewitnesses of his majesty.
There have been
myths since the time of Noah and probably from the time of Adam.
We know that there
was the myth of the angels coming down from Heaven to get with the
women of the world and creating giant men of power and this is a
myth!
This would mean that
God lost control over His creation for a period of time, which is
impossible!
There are the Greek
gods, and the Roman gods but there were also the gods of the
Philistines and the Egyptians, and the Chinese and every other group
of people, because every person who has ever lived has been searching
for a god to rule their lives.
There is the
Sun-god, the Sea-god, the River-god, the Dawn-god, the Moon-god, and
the many man-gods. Everyone wants to have their own personal god!
There are no
atheists in this world. They, just like most of the world, just
reject Jehovah God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true and only
God!
Joh 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.
Joh 1:2 The same
was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things
were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was
made.
Joh 1:14 And the
Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and
truth.
Mankind all their
years have created man-made gods and man-made religions, great value
systems and great man-made laws, seeking to preserve the peace in
this world and man-made laws simply will not work!
Only laws derived
from the Word of God will bring peace to this world!
America prospered
when the laws of God were the rule and America has gone downhill
since an immoral standard is being used.
Science is not the
answer.
Technology is not
the answer.
Religion is not the
answer.
There is nothing
that men can provide that will solve the issues of this world, but to
listen to what God has to say and then obey!
If you believe in
evolution, then you have to admit that since the dawn of mankind, man
has never been able to solve the issues of this world!
We know for a fact
that nothing that man makes or provides can last, it fades away with
time!
Man has searched for
the meaning of life and it has not been found.
Man has search for
the means to extend life and it cannot be found.
Man has searched for
the way to avoid death and it eludes them.
It is because of
these things that Jehovah the true God has made Himself known in
order for mankind to know the truth, yet this truth is rejected as
just another fable!
The Apostle Peter
was an eyewitness to the things of Jesus Christ along with more than
600 other human beings and yet Peter is called a liar!
Even Doctor Luke is
called a liar.
Luk 1:1 Forasmuch
as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of
those things which are most surely believed among us,
Luk 1:2 Even as
they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were
eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
Luk 1:3 It seemed
good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from
the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent
Theophilus,
Luk 1:4 That thou
mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been
instructed.
You see the Holy
Ghost, who is God, inspired all the Scriptures of the Bible so even
He is called a liar.
2Ti 3:16 "All
scripture" is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
It is only the
Almighty God, Elohim, who can provide all the needs of man, and
salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ is His means of preserving
all mankind.
God will meet all
our needs and it is He who must show us how to live with the purpose
He has given us!
The Lord Jesus is
God in the flesh who came to this world to get us out of the darkness
of this world and into the light of the things of Heaven!
"God says
listen to the words of my Son"
Peter was eyewitness
to the Transfiguration of God.
Mar 9:2 And after
six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and
leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was
transfigured before them.
Mar 9:3 And his
raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on
earth can white them.
Mar 9:4 And there
appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with
Jesus.
Peter heard with his
own ears as God the Father spoke about God the Son!
*****2Pe 1:17 For
he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came
such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18 And this
voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the
holy mount.
Peter was an
ear-witness to the voice of God saying that this man Jesus who was
transfigured before them, was indeed the Son of God, God in the
flesh! 100% man and 100% God,the true Messiah, because this was God's
way of saving all mankind!
The honor was God
speaking of His Son.
The glory was that
glorious light that thus a glimpse of the true glory of the Son of
God.
I have news for you,
if our God in Heaven was pleased, even well pleased with His Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, then we had better be pleased with Him also.
Heb 1:2 Hath in
these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed
heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3 Who being
the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and
upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
This was no rumbling
in the clouds though some may have thought so.
We had better
believe this as a movement of the Holy Spirit who is always working
in this world and is truly that voice of God who speaks to us.
He may use the
Scriptures, He has given to chosen men to write down for us, in most
cases.
He may use the
mighty men God has called to preach the message of God many times
today.
On this day, the
Holy Spirit spoke with His own audible voice, which He is capable of
using at any time and Peter was not confused about who spoke.
By the way, the Holy
Spirit, He is God!
Act 2:1 And when
the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in
one place.
Act 2:2 And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon
each of them.
Act 2:4 And they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Peter was not
confused with what the voice of God had said.
Peter was not
confused with where he was when the Holy Ghost spoke these words.
Peter was just
certain that all these things were facts, and this is the message he
gives to us, facts.
The Apostle Peter
was certain of his calling and he was certain of the truth of God!
The Apostle Peter
knew that these things were important, especially in his life because
he was convinced of the truth of God.
Then Peter says the
most important witness we have is the written Word of God given to us
by this same Holy Spirit.
*****2Pe 1:19 We
have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the
day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Yes, we would be
fools not to believe this chosen man of God who was such a great
witness to the things of Jesus Christ!
Peter says we are
bigger fools if we do not accept the Holy Ghost inspired Word of God!
Peter said the
death, the burial, and the resurrection of the Lord Christ are real,
because he was an eyewitness.
Peter said before
this, the transfiguration of Christ was real because he was an
eyewitness.
Peter said during
this transfiguration he heard the voice of God declaring that Jesus
was His Son and he was an ear-witness to this event.
Peter says the
greatest witness of all was the truth of the prophets who had written
about all these things many years before they had taken place.
All these things are
true just because they are! We can believe or we can throw the truth
out of our lives, but the truth will still be the truth!
There are near 100
prophesies that are easily seen concerning Jesus the Messiah alone,
that have already been fulfilled.
There is no excuse
for doubting the truth of God!
God says, if you
have a question just ask and you will find the answer in the written
Word of God.
Jas 1:5 If any of
you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him
ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave
of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not
that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8 A double
minded man is unstable in all his ways.
God also says when
you see the evidence of the truth then do not doubt the truth!
When we read the
preserved Word of God from the original Greek and Hebrew text, then
we are reading the actual words of our Holy God.
*****2Pe 1:20
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any
private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The truth is, all
interpretations belong to God!
Gen 40:8 And they
said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter
of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to
God? tell me them, I pray you.
There are no private
interpretations of the Scriptures, God means what He says, and God
says what He means!
Heb 4:12 For the
word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and
of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
Everything that
concerns the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in the Old Testament
Scriptures!
1Co 15:3 For I
delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
No one believed the
Old Testament Scriptures until the truth was revealed in the Lord
Jesus Christ!
Rom 16:25 Now to
him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Rom 16:26 But now
is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to
the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for
the obedience of faith:
Rom 16:27 To God
only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
What is wrong with
people who want to alter the truth? They want you to be deceived into
thinking it was man who came up with these things when no man has
enough brains to know the thoughts of God!
The entire Bible has
one central theme and that theme, and the reality of that theme, is
in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Joh 5:39 Search the
scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are
they which testify of me.
Joh 5:40 And ye
will not come to me, that ye might have life.
Joh 5:41 I receive
not honour from men.
Joh 5:42 But I know
you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
Joh 5:43 I am come
in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in
his own name, him ye will receive.
If you want to know
the truth, then just take the time to read the 66 Books of the Holy
Ghost inspired Word of God and quit listening to what the world says!
Then meditate on the truth of God.
Amen
Let's Pray
