WEBVTT 00:00:10.089 --> 00:00:14.849 In 2 Peter chapter 1, we're going to read verses 00:00:14.849 --> 00:00:23.129 3 through 11. Seeing that His divine power has 00:00:23.129 --> 00:00:27.809 granted to us everything pertaining to life and 00:00:27.809 --> 00:00:31.230 godliness through the true knowledge of Him who 00:00:31.230 --> 00:00:39.810 called us by His own glory and excellence. and 00:00:39.810 --> 00:00:43.350 magnificent promises, so that by them you may 00:00:43.350 --> 00:00:47.469 become partakers of the divine nature, having 00:00:47.469 --> 00:00:50.149 escaped the corruption that is in the world by 00:00:50.149 --> 00:00:54.689 lusts. Now, for this reason, for this very reason 00:00:54.689 --> 00:01:01.189 also, applying all diligence in your faith, supply 00:01:01.189 --> 00:01:04.989 moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, 00:01:05.230 --> 00:01:09.120 knowledge, and in your knowledge, Self -control. 00:01:09.180 --> 00:01:12.500 And in your self -control, perseverance. And 00:01:12.500 --> 00:01:16.000 in your perseverance, godliness. And in your 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:19.519 godliness, brotherly kindness. And in your brotherly 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:24.700 kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours 00:01:24.700 --> 00:01:30.079 and are increasing, they render you neither useless 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:34.879 nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:38.620 Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities 00:01:38.620 --> 00:01:42.500 is blind or short -sighted, having forgotten 00:01:42.500 --> 00:01:47.200 his purification from his former sins. Therefore, 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:51.180 brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:56.319 about his calling and choosing you. For as long 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:59.379 as you practice these things, you will never 00:01:59.379 --> 00:02:04.840 stumble. For in this way, The entrance into the 00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:07.819 eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus 00:02:07.819 --> 00:02:13.120 Christ, will be abundantly supplied to you. Let's 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:16.879 go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we come before 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:20.979 you this Lord's Day. Father, we thank you that 00:02:20.979 --> 00:02:23.960 we can come and worship you. We can come in fellowship 00:02:23.960 --> 00:02:28.560 with like -minded believers. Father, as we approach 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:33.969 your word, as we come to your holy word, We ask 00:02:33.969 --> 00:02:37.590 for your help. Father, we ask that you would 00:02:37.590 --> 00:02:41.389 give us your spirit, that your spirit would illuminate 00:02:41.389 --> 00:02:44.789 our hearts and our minds and enable us to receive 00:02:44.789 --> 00:02:48.930 these grand realities by faith and to apply them 00:02:48.930 --> 00:02:53.629 in our lives and to live unto your glory. Father, 00:02:53.710 --> 00:02:55.870 we ask that you would bless the preaching of 00:02:55.870 --> 00:02:59.009 your word. Lord, we ask that you would accompany 00:02:59.009 --> 00:03:04.199 the ministry of your word. by your Spirit, that 00:03:04.199 --> 00:03:06.539 you would accomplish your purposes and your plans 00:03:06.539 --> 00:03:09.719 in the life of your people. And, Father, that 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:14.280 you would use your Word to convert lost men to 00:03:14.280 --> 00:03:17.360 know Christ, to give them faith and repentance, 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:20.520 Lord. Father, we ask these things in the name 00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:24.500 of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. You may be seated. 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:31.349 We've seen in 2 Peter, so far, And considering 00:03:31.349 --> 00:03:36.229 the first couple verses that God has given faith 00:03:36.229 --> 00:03:42.590 to his people to receive the blessings of salvation, 00:03:42.849 --> 00:03:47.310 we've seen that the Lord, that Peter himself, 00:03:47.430 --> 00:03:53.969 seeks for the growth of his recipients, the Christians 00:03:53.969 --> 00:03:56.889 he's writing to. He longs for them to grow in 00:03:56.889 --> 00:04:00.379 peace and grace. That they would grow in the 00:04:00.379 --> 00:04:04.180 knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ? Today we're 00:04:04.180 --> 00:04:08.280 going to consider verse 3. Seeing that his divine 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:14.180 power has granted to us everything pertaining 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:18.839 to life and godliness. Through the true knowledge 00:04:18.839 --> 00:04:24.199 of him who called us by his own glory and excellence. 00:04:25.180 --> 00:04:28.139 It's important for us to understand the purpose. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:32.319 for which Peter is writing. We've already commented 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:36.620 on this briefly, but Peter is writing to address 00:04:36.620 --> 00:04:42.519 false teaching in the church. And the reason 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:45.699 he's writing to address false teaching in the 00:04:45.699 --> 00:04:48.920 church is because this false teaching from these 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:51.560 false teachers, these ungodly and these wicked 00:04:51.560 --> 00:05:00.100 men, is leading people to live in ungodly, unrighteous, 00:05:00.100 --> 00:05:05.560 unholy ways. He's writing to address that issue. 00:05:06.540 --> 00:05:10.980 Their wrong thinking about the gospel, their 00:05:10.980 --> 00:05:14.399 wrong teaching, their wrong doctrine is leading 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:21.100 to ungodly behavior. And so Peter writes to the 00:05:21.100 --> 00:05:26.470 church to address this issue. He's writing to 00:05:26.470 --> 00:05:28.629 impress it upon their hearts and their minds 00:05:28.629 --> 00:05:31.389 to stir up their conscience and their minds to 00:05:31.389 --> 00:05:37.829 the importance of godliness in their lives. Holiness 00:05:37.829 --> 00:05:44.350 in their lives as those who are on the road of 00:05:44.350 --> 00:05:50.189 eternal life. Those who will enter into God's 00:05:50.189 --> 00:05:56.310 eternal kingdom. As we see in verse 11. Surely 00:05:56.310 --> 00:05:59.670 questions were arising in the church, and Peter 00:05:59.670 --> 00:06:02.550 was having to address certain questions. Well, 00:06:02.589 --> 00:06:07.769 has God given us everything that we need with 00:06:07.769 --> 00:06:12.230 regards to godliness? Has God really supplied 00:06:12.230 --> 00:06:16.329 us with everything that we need to live a holy 00:06:16.329 --> 00:06:19.129 life? I mean, what about this sin? What about 00:06:19.129 --> 00:06:21.389 this immorality? What about these things I struggle 00:06:21.389 --> 00:06:24.279 with? Has God really given me everything that 00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:26.920 there is so that I can come out of that, so that 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:31.319 I can live a holy life? Has God given me everything 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:36.759 pertaining to eternal life and to living unto 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:44.079 Christ in this fallen, sinful world, this present 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:50.279 evil age? Is it really possible to live godly? 00:06:50.649 --> 00:06:57.689 in an ungodly age? Is it really possible to live 00:06:57.689 --> 00:07:03.949 holy lives in an unholy and a wicked world? Is 00:07:03.949 --> 00:07:08.410 it really possible to stand firm in the truth 00:07:08.410 --> 00:07:14.290 as the whole world is eroding by error and false 00:07:14.290 --> 00:07:18.500 teaching? Peter writes to them because he wants 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:24.399 to clarify the fact that, yes, it is possible, 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:30.620 and actually we must, as believers, live holy 00:07:30.620 --> 00:07:36.560 and godly lives unto the glory of God in the 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:43.060 midst of ungodliness, in the midst of unrighteousness, 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:50.790 in the midst. of this present evil age. He wants 00:07:50.790 --> 00:07:55.810 them to be confident about this. He wants them 00:07:55.810 --> 00:08:01.509 to have certainty regarding the reality and the 00:08:01.509 --> 00:08:06.709 necessity and the urgency of godliness in their 00:08:06.709 --> 00:08:12.410 own lives as they are progressing towards God's 00:08:12.410 --> 00:08:17.389 eternal kingdom. So Peter, today, in verse 3, 00:08:17.490 --> 00:08:21.310 tells them what God has provided. The provisions 00:08:21.310 --> 00:08:25.029 that God has given to those with faith for the 00:08:25.029 --> 00:08:28.829 purpose of godliness and eternal life. We also 00:08:28.829 --> 00:08:33.789 see in verse 4 that God has given believers magnificent 00:08:33.789 --> 00:08:39.750 promises so that by them you may become partakers 00:08:39.750 --> 00:08:42.529 of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption. 00:08:43.129 --> 00:08:47.129 that is in the world by lust. Today we're going 00:08:47.129 --> 00:08:51.950 to consider the provisions God has made for life 00:08:51.950 --> 00:08:55.649 and godliness. Next week, Lord willing, we will 00:08:55.649 --> 00:09:00.070 consider the promises that God has made for life 00:09:00.070 --> 00:09:06.090 and godliness, for conformity to the blessed 00:09:06.090 --> 00:09:11.730 and holy character of God. So consider today, 00:09:11.850 --> 00:09:18.370 first, God's provisions for life and godliness. 00:09:18.629 --> 00:09:24.009 Notice that Peter says in verse 3, seeing that 00:09:24.009 --> 00:09:28.129 his divine power has granted to us everything 00:09:28.129 --> 00:09:35.049 pertaining to life and godliness. This term life 00:09:35.049 --> 00:09:42.539 is referring to eternal life. It's the most natural 00:09:42.539 --> 00:09:46.580 way to understand this, especially in light of 00:09:46.580 --> 00:09:50.240 verse 11, where Peter says, For in this way, 00:09:50.259 --> 00:09:53.379 the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our 00:09:53.379 --> 00:09:57.240 Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be abundantly 00:09:57.240 --> 00:10:01.240 supplied to you. Especially with Peter's emphasis 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:03.940 on the new heavens and the new earth in chapter 00:10:03.940 --> 00:10:08.259 3, the great promise of Christ's coming. And 00:10:08.259 --> 00:10:10.379 the new heavens and the new earth, wherein righteousness, 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:15.460 And the believer's participation in that eternal 00:10:15.460 --> 00:10:22.379 future kingdom that is to come. We should assume 00:10:22.379 --> 00:10:27.379 that Peter means spiritual life as well. But 00:10:27.379 --> 00:10:31.460 I believe he's preeminently aiming at eternal 00:10:31.460 --> 00:10:38.679 life. But then he says godliness as well. We 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:43.179 hear this term. In the scriptures. Not super 00:10:43.179 --> 00:10:47.259 prevalently. But we hear it quite often. We hear 00:10:47.259 --> 00:10:50.340 it in Titus. We hear it in 1 and 2 Peter. We 00:10:50.340 --> 00:10:56.039 hear it in. 1 and 2 Timothy. We hear it in other 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:58.960 places. In the text of scripture. We hear about 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:03.440 ungodliness. We hear about holiness. And unholiness. 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:06.419 We hear about righteousness. And unrighteousness. 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:10.320 But Peter here is talking in particular about 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:16.360 godliness that goes hand in hand with eternal 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:23.220 life. Meaning, those who have eternal life will 00:11:23.220 --> 00:11:31.370 have godliness in some degree. If a person possesses 00:11:31.370 --> 00:11:34.629 eternal life, if a person is regenerate and born 00:11:34.629 --> 00:11:37.210 again, they've been given faith, if a person 00:11:37.210 --> 00:11:40.129 is destined for that eternal kingdom and the 00:11:40.129 --> 00:11:42.549 new heavens and the new earth, then that person 00:11:42.549 --> 00:11:45.950 will live a godly life in some way, some shape, 00:11:45.990 --> 00:11:49.710 and some form to some degree in their life. Now, 00:11:49.730 --> 00:11:51.710 God does not give that fully and completely. 00:11:51.870 --> 00:11:55.710 There's nobody who's wholly and completely godly 00:11:55.710 --> 00:12:00.669 and perfect. But God does give godliness alongside 00:12:00.669 --> 00:12:08.129 of and with eternal life. So what is it? Godliness 00:12:08.129 --> 00:12:16.269 is that sweet, blessed, vital, inward religion 00:12:16.269 --> 00:12:23.409 of the heart that affects every part of a person's 00:12:23.409 --> 00:12:32.289 life. Focus on God in their life. It's a life 00:12:32.289 --> 00:12:36.929 of devotion. A life of reverence. It's a life 00:12:36.929 --> 00:12:40.350 of conscious awareness and understanding that 00:12:40.350 --> 00:12:45.889 God is holy. That God has saved me. And that 00:12:45.889 --> 00:12:50.909 this God is the God who I live unto as a father 00:12:50.909 --> 00:12:56.070 and I want to please Him. I want to honor him. 00:12:56.110 --> 00:12:58.870 I don't want to sin against God who sent his 00:12:58.870 --> 00:13:02.889 son to die for me. I don't want to displease 00:13:02.889 --> 00:13:07.250 the one who has saved me by the blood of the 00:13:07.250 --> 00:13:12.870 Lord Jesus Christ. It's a life of reverence and 00:13:12.870 --> 00:13:17.509 worship before a holy and a sovereign God. I 00:13:17.509 --> 00:13:21.610 do think that when Peter is talking about godliness, 00:13:23.149 --> 00:13:27.009 that he's emphasizing the positive characteristics 00:13:27.009 --> 00:13:32.330 of the Christian life and Christian virtue. So 00:13:32.330 --> 00:13:36.669 when we talk about holiness, typically that would 00:13:36.669 --> 00:13:40.549 have with it connotations of not doing certain 00:13:40.549 --> 00:13:44.190 things. Crucifying the flesh, not transgressing 00:13:44.190 --> 00:13:49.070 the law, not breaking God's commandments. But 00:13:49.070 --> 00:13:52.690 godliness is more positive in nature, meaning, 00:13:53.129 --> 00:14:00.649 It's the positive action of brotherly love. It's 00:14:00.649 --> 00:14:05.029 the positive action of living a godly life and 00:14:05.029 --> 00:14:08.029 putting on the Lord Jesus Christ and acting out 00:14:08.029 --> 00:14:10.850 and living up and being these virtues that the 00:14:10.850 --> 00:14:13.970 New Testament commands us and commends to us 00:14:13.970 --> 00:14:19.149 over and over and over. I think that's why Peter... 00:14:20.110 --> 00:14:23.009 speaks of these things in verses 5 through 7. 00:14:23.149 --> 00:14:26.610 In your faith, supply moral excellence. And in 00:14:26.610 --> 00:14:30.169 your moral excellence, knowledge, self -control, 00:14:30.289 --> 00:14:33.149 perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, 00:14:33.549 --> 00:14:38.370 love. They're positive realities that believers 00:14:38.370 --> 00:14:43.470 do. It's putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, not 00:14:43.470 --> 00:14:49.200 so much the putting off of sin. However, we can't 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:54.700 ever really separate those two, can we? If a 00:14:54.700 --> 00:14:58.480 person's living a godly life, they're going to 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:02.559 be living a holy life. If we're going to live 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:05.919 a godly life, then we must live in holiness as 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:10.919 well. If we want to be like Christ, then we must 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:14.679 hate sin. We must crucify sin. We must die to 00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:20.399 self. But we can't just fight sin. We have to 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.039 positively become like the Lord Jesus Christ 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:30.419 and his perfect, holy character. So Peter gives 00:15:30.419 --> 00:15:35.519 these two things to us as a pair. Eternal life 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:40.019 and godliness. They go hand in hand. They're 00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:46.200 always locked by the arms. They're never... Now 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:48.840 why do we need to emphasize that? Why does Peter 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:53.460 need to emphasize that it's life and godliness? 00:15:53.820 --> 00:15:57.039 Because, brothers and sisters, there is great 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:04.440 danger in separating out godliness from eternal 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:11.299 life. That is very, very dangerous. To say that 00:16:11.299 --> 00:16:16.320 a person can be... regenerate and born again, 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:20.519 to say that a person can know Jesus Christ by 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:22.840 faith and repentance, to say that a person can 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:26.059 be in possession of these eternal, these wonderful 00:16:26.059 --> 00:16:29.419 blessings and realities that Christ has won for 00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:31.860 them on the cross, to say that a person can know 00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:37.779 Jesus Christ truly and yet have no form of godliness 00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:43.190 in their life is the worst kind of heresy. If 00:16:43.190 --> 00:16:47.230 you have eternal life, you will possess godliness 00:16:47.230 --> 00:16:52.190 in your life. If you have eternal life, you will 00:16:52.190 --> 00:16:55.990 be growing in grace, you will be growing in godliness, 00:16:56.090 --> 00:17:00.009 you will be growing in holiness in your life. 00:17:00.649 --> 00:17:05.170 People want to tear the two apart. Now why do 00:17:05.170 --> 00:17:11.289 they want to do that? Because we have those people 00:17:11.289 --> 00:17:16.990 that we dearly, Because there are so many people 00:17:16.990 --> 00:17:20.990 who profess to be in possession of eternal life, 00:17:21.130 --> 00:17:26.210 but their life is not consistent with godliness 00:17:26.210 --> 00:17:33.569 or holiness. So what do we do? We tear the two 00:17:33.569 --> 00:17:38.329 apart. We cannot do that, brothers and sisters. 00:17:38.710 --> 00:17:42.619 This is why our doctrine, Our understanding, 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:47.819 our theology must be informed by the word of 00:17:47.819 --> 00:17:53.819 God and not by sentiment and emotion. If a person 00:17:53.819 --> 00:17:57.920 is in possession of eternal life, then brothers 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:01.319 and sisters, God will also give that person and 00:18:01.319 --> 00:18:06.019 work into them godliness and growth in godliness 00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:12.769 in their life. Why do we need to hear this? Why 00:18:12.769 --> 00:18:14.589 do you need to hear this, brothers and sisters? 00:18:16.130 --> 00:18:21.710 Because our hearts are so easily deceived. Our 00:18:21.710 --> 00:18:27.549 hearts are so easily fooled. Well, I made a decision 00:18:27.549 --> 00:18:32.250 years ago. I went forward and I had an experience 00:18:32.250 --> 00:18:38.230 in church. I got baptized. I went to church. 00:18:38.289 --> 00:18:40.769 I was a good church member. It's just not for 00:18:40.769 --> 00:18:45.440 me anymore. It's not my thing. But, you know, 00:18:45.579 --> 00:18:50.740 I go out into the woods. I'm with God in the 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:53.380 woods. And I go and I walk around the lake. I 00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:57.180 go to the park. I'm with God in the park. That's 00:18:57.180 --> 00:19:01.319 my form of worship. I read my Bible at home sometimes. 00:19:01.700 --> 00:19:06.380 I'm telling you, I love God. But listen to me, 00:19:06.420 --> 00:19:12.849 brothers and sisters. If you know Jesus Christ 00:19:12.849 --> 00:19:16.829 by faith and repentance, if you are truly in 00:19:16.829 --> 00:19:22.470 possession of eternal life, you will have growing 00:19:22.470 --> 00:19:28.609 godliness and conformity to the person of Jesus 00:19:28.609 --> 00:19:34.690 Christ. Don't let your heart be deceived. You 00:19:34.690 --> 00:19:38.069 can't separate the two. You can't rip them apart. 00:19:38.349 --> 00:19:42.789 You can't tear them to pieces. They come as a 00:19:42.789 --> 00:19:49.569 pair. They always do and they always will. Now, 00:19:49.630 --> 00:19:53.349 this blessed pair or this couplet that we've 00:19:53.349 --> 00:19:59.109 been given by God are the provisions that God 00:19:59.109 --> 00:20:03.109 has made to those who are his people. And notice 00:20:03.109 --> 00:20:07.289 that it's comprehensive in nature. He's fully 00:20:07.289 --> 00:20:11.940 given us these provisions. The text says everything 00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:18.400 pertaining to life and godliness. Not some of 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:23.180 it. Not part of it. Not most of it. Not a piece 00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:28.539 of it. Not a side of it. But everything pertaining 00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:35.619 to life and godliness. That means that the realities 00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:41.160 themselves. Godliness. the reality of godliness, 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:46.059 eternal life itself, is from God, it's provided 00:20:46.059 --> 00:20:49.779 by Him, and it's given by Him, but everything 00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:54.859 that supports it, strengthens it, encourages 00:20:54.859 --> 00:20:58.640 it, brings it about, everything that nurtures 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:04.779 it, everything pertaining to life and godliness. 00:21:05.740 --> 00:21:09.250 We think, About the reality that God has given 00:21:09.250 --> 00:21:15.329 us his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God. And 00:21:15.329 --> 00:21:18.690 all the work and all the influence. And all the 00:21:18.690 --> 00:21:21.369 power of the Spirit of God dwelling within the 00:21:21.369 --> 00:21:26.869 believer. Dwelling within those who are his people. 00:21:27.210 --> 00:21:31.009 The Spirit's work is to make us holy. And godly. 00:21:31.049 --> 00:21:34.430 To bring us into conformity with Christ himself. 00:21:34.650 --> 00:21:38.220 To make us. into His image, to renew us daily, 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:43.160 inwardly, by the Spirit. He's given us the Spirit 00:21:43.160 --> 00:21:46.200 and all His work, all His power, and all His 00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:50.579 effective energy in the life of the believer. 00:21:50.599 --> 00:21:54.220 He's given us faith to believe and trust these 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:57.880 blessed and these glorious realities, to receive 00:21:57.880 --> 00:22:02.940 these promises, to receive Christ's work. That 00:22:02.940 --> 00:22:05.619 Christ might sanctify us in and by and through 00:22:05.619 --> 00:22:09.660 our faith. That we might grow in grace by that 00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:13.220 faith. He's given us repentance and godly sorrow 00:22:13.220 --> 00:22:17.359 that leads to salvation. Brothers and sisters, 00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:21.180 he's not neglected anything. He's given everything 00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:24.359 for the purpose of godliness. Why? Ask yourself, 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:27.579 why does God give us everything pertaining to 00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:31.460 life and godliness? What's so significant about 00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:36.029 it? What's so important about the reality of 00:22:36.029 --> 00:22:40.690 eternal life and godliness? He's given us it 00:22:40.690 --> 00:22:43.690 all. We think about the reality that he's given 00:22:43.690 --> 00:22:47.750 us all of Christ by faith. All the blessings. 00:22:48.150 --> 00:22:51.269 All the privileges, brothers and sisters. We 00:22:51.269 --> 00:22:54.680 have the righteousness of Christ. We have the 00:22:54.680 --> 00:22:57.819 armor of God. We have the helmet of salvation. 00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:59.839 We have the breastplate of righteousness, the 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:02.400 belt of truth. We have the gospel to shot our 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:04.420 feet. We have the sword of the Spirit. He's given 00:23:04.420 --> 00:23:07.140 us everything that we might grow in godliness 00:23:07.140 --> 00:23:13.059 and grace. Why? What's the significance of it? 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:20.180 Why does God give His divine power? to providing 00:23:20.180 --> 00:23:25.220 life and godliness to undeserving sinners? Why 00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:29.799 does God give his sovereign power to work in 00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:32.960 the life and the soul of those people who don't 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:37.559 deserve it? Of those people who ought not to 00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:40.420 receive it, but they do because God is gracious. 00:23:41.460 --> 00:23:47.019 Why does God work to provide godliness and holiness 00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:50.839 in the life of his people? with the same power 00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:56.140 that brought the world into existence. Have you 00:23:56.140 --> 00:24:01.940 considered the divine power at work to provide 00:24:01.940 --> 00:24:05.500 godliness in your life, growth and transformation, 00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:10.799 maturity, sanctification? Have you considered 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:15.940 the work that's at work in you to change you? 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:20.299 Brothers and sisters, it's the same divine power 00:24:20.299 --> 00:24:24.619 by which God spoke the world into existence. 00:24:25.859 --> 00:24:30.519 It's the same divine power that opened the floodgates 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:34.759 and sent forth the rains. It's the same divine 00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:38.799 power that sustains all things, that maintains 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:41.660 the world, the cosmos, the whole universe and 00:24:41.660 --> 00:24:44.799 everything that is in it. It's the same power. 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:48.420 that split the Red Sea, that His people might 00:24:48.420 --> 00:24:51.619 walk across on dry ground. It's the same power 00:24:51.619 --> 00:24:54.200 that provided for His people in the wilderness. 00:24:55.160 --> 00:24:57.680 It's the same power that brought the walls of 00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:59.740 Jericho down. Brothers and sisters, it's the 00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:06.619 same power that will renew the world, that will 00:25:06.619 --> 00:25:08.799 bring about the new heavens and the new earth. 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:15.400 That power. Is what is at work in the life of 00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:19.339 the believer. To make them more like the Lord 00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:22.720 Jesus Christ. But we also have to understand. 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:28.019 That that's the power it takes. To transform 00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:38.599 us. Because of the wickedness of sin. Nothing 00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:44.839 short of the power of God. can change you, brothers 00:25:44.839 --> 00:25:51.440 and sisters. Nothing short of that world -creating, 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:55.339 sovereign, divine, supernatural power can bring 00:25:55.339 --> 00:26:00.579 you out of darkness and into light. Nothing short 00:26:00.579 --> 00:26:03.000 of His divine, sovereign, supernatural power 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:06.019 can make you to be a new creature and make you 00:26:06.019 --> 00:26:09.680 to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Your own 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:13.829 efforts will fail every single time. The arm 00:26:13.829 --> 00:26:18.130 of the flesh will fall flat. But divine power 00:26:18.130 --> 00:26:24.549 will succeed every time it goes forth. His power 00:26:24.549 --> 00:26:30.589 is what provides these blessed provisions in 00:26:30.589 --> 00:26:40.730 our life. We can turn to Isaiah chapter 40. And 00:26:40.730 --> 00:26:45.890 read verses 27 through 31. Why do you say, O 00:26:45.890 --> 00:26:50.410 Jacob, and assert, O Israel, my way is hidden 00:26:50.410 --> 00:26:53.430 from the Lord, and the justice due me escapes 00:26:53.430 --> 00:26:58.769 the notice of my God? Do you not know? Have you 00:26:58.769 --> 00:27:05.549 not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the 00:27:05.549 --> 00:27:08.619 creator of the ends of the earth. does not become 00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:12.460 weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable 00:27:12.460 --> 00:27:16.940 or unsearchable. He gives strength to the weary. 00:27:17.339 --> 00:27:22.160 To him who lacks might, he increases power. Though 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:26.319 youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:29.859 men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the 00:27:29.859 --> 00:27:33.490 Lord will gain new strength. They will mount 00:27:33.490 --> 00:27:35.910 up with wings like eagles. They will run and 00:27:35.910 --> 00:27:38.710 not get tired. They will walk and not become 00:27:38.710 --> 00:27:43.309 weary. Isaiah is not talking about physical strength, 00:27:43.450 --> 00:27:46.490 brothers and sisters. He's talking about the 00:27:46.490 --> 00:27:49.630 fact that the people have grown hopeless and 00:27:49.630 --> 00:27:52.950 they're in despair and they need spiritual sustenance, 00:27:52.950 --> 00:27:55.970 spiritual strength to preserve them through. 00:27:57.099 --> 00:28:00.180 Is God, who is holy and sovereign, whose power 00:28:00.180 --> 00:28:02.940 is inscrutable and unsearchable, is He not able 00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:06.819 to strengthen our weary souls? Is He not able 00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:09.960 to lift up you who are downcast, to sustain you 00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:12.099 through the most difficult and the darkest times 00:28:12.099 --> 00:28:15.660 of your life? Oh, brothers and sisters, our great, 00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:21.000 our sovereign, our divine God can, in fact, grow 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:27.930 us in godliness. Our great God. can in fact preserve 00:28:27.930 --> 00:28:33.490 us and cause us to take part in that eternal 00:28:33.490 --> 00:28:40.630 kingdom one day. He will provide for us by that 00:28:40.630 --> 00:28:45.009 power. And he is more than able, brothers and 00:28:45.009 --> 00:28:48.589 sisters, to help us in our times of weakness. 00:28:49.569 --> 00:28:55.240 It's inexhaustible power. He's not held back 00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:59.859 by the degree and the difficulty of the sin, 00:28:59.980 --> 00:29:03.740 is he? There's not a certain trial or temptation 00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:07.119 that really thwarts that sovereign power, is 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:10.940 there? Brothers and sisters, he made the world. 00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:17.299 Can he not preserve us in our lives? Can he not 00:29:17.299 --> 00:29:20.700 preserve our souls no matter the situation? Can 00:29:20.700 --> 00:29:24.329 he not? bolster the graces that He has given 00:29:24.329 --> 00:29:28.650 to us by Christ? Can He not bring us out of the 00:29:28.650 --> 00:29:32.009 depths of the pit and sin and bring us unto righteousness 00:29:32.009 --> 00:29:36.009 again in our lives? Can He not strengthen and 00:29:36.009 --> 00:29:38.470 grant true repentance that leads to salvation 00:29:38.470 --> 00:29:45.049 for believers? He is sovereign. He is good. He 00:29:45.049 --> 00:29:48.309 is faithful. And that sovereign power is the 00:29:48.309 --> 00:29:53.059 power that provides life. and godliness for his 00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:57.940 people. So we see these provisions. But consider 00:29:57.940 --> 00:30:01.380 how we come into possession of these provisions. 00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:06.240 Or we could say it this way. How God makes us 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:11.880 to participate in these provisions of eternal 00:30:11.880 --> 00:30:16.599 life and godliness. We look at the second half 00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:22.519 of the verse, and we read this. through the true 00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:26.839 knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory 00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:33.519 and excellence. These provisions are the result, 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:39.400 godliness in life, life in godliness. They're 00:30:39.400 --> 00:30:43.680 the result, brothers and sisters, of God calling 00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:48.279 us to know the Lord Jesus Christ effectually. 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:55.920 They come as a result of God illuminating our 00:30:55.920 --> 00:31:00.299 minds and our hearts to see who Christ really, 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:05.839 truly is. Giving us eyes to see and ears to hear. 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:11.839 Inducing us to faith by the blessed Holy Spirit 00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:16.940 in our lives. It's the moment that God brings 00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:22.259 us out of death. Into life. Out of darkness and 00:31:22.259 --> 00:31:26.660 into life. And he brings us into union with Christ. 00:31:27.140 --> 00:31:30.380 Now this necessarily includes the ministry of 00:31:30.380 --> 00:31:33.839 the word. That gives us knowledge of Christ. 00:31:34.059 --> 00:31:37.700 Knowledge of the gospel. Knowledge of who God 00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:41.259 is. It necessarily includes that. But this is 00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:43.980 working. This is speaking of something deeper. 00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:50.079 Something. That brings us to God. This is speaking 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:52.880 of something that's effective. Something that's 00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:57.059 transformative. Something that changes us. It's 00:31:57.059 --> 00:32:00.559 speaking of the effectual call. The reality that 00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:04.339 God does in fact call us and he gives us ears 00:32:04.339 --> 00:32:08.940 to hear the gospel. Eyes to see Christ. To understand 00:32:08.940 --> 00:32:13.259 the glory of God in the face of Christ as 2 Corinthians 00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:18.519 4 .6 puts it. It's when God changes us and implants 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:22.819 new life into us. He gives us faith and he gives 00:32:22.819 --> 00:32:30.980 us repentance. We are transformed by his divine 00:32:30.980 --> 00:32:37.599 call. And as a result of that, he gives us eternal 00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:43.079 life and godliness. So there are several implications 00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:49.859 to that. That means that godliness proceeds forth, 00:32:49.960 --> 00:32:56.000 comes as a consequence of God's work in our life. 00:32:56.299 --> 00:33:01.559 His gracious and effectual call. Godliness finds 00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:06.339 its inception in the call of God by the Spirit 00:33:06.339 --> 00:33:11.559 of God. So we don't seek God, we don't seek out 00:33:11.559 --> 00:33:15.700 holiness. We don't seek out conformity to his 00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:19.240 law. We don't seek out conformity to the Lord 00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:23.220 Jesus Christ. We don't long and hunger and thirst 00:33:23.220 --> 00:33:26.299 for righteousness until, brothers and sisters, 00:33:26.519 --> 00:33:29.759 God himself has done a work in us to change us 00:33:29.759 --> 00:33:33.900 and call us to himself. It's only following that 00:33:33.900 --> 00:33:39.500 work that we can grow in grace. So there's nobody 00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:43.799 who's growing in grace. There's nobody who knows 00:33:43.799 --> 00:33:54.259 godliness who doesn't know grace. If you have 00:33:54.259 --> 00:33:57.160 never experienced the grace of God in your life, 00:33:57.259 --> 00:34:00.799 if God has never called you outwardly through 00:34:00.799 --> 00:34:03.220 the preaching of the gospel and inwardly through 00:34:03.220 --> 00:34:05.880 the work of the Spirit, and he's given you ears 00:34:05.880 --> 00:34:08.139 to hear, he's given you eyes to see, and faith 00:34:08.139 --> 00:34:11.059 to receive Christ, if you've never beheld Christ 00:34:11.059 --> 00:34:14.639 in all His glory, then you are not growing in 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:18.880 grace. You cannot grow in godliness. You will 00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:22.559 not seek out God. We do not pursue Him until 00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:28.599 He first calls us and pursues us. He must work 00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:36.099 in us before we go to work seeking to be holy 00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:41.449 and godly in our lives. His work is necessary 00:34:41.449 --> 00:34:46.869 for that. But Peter also does something here 00:34:46.869 --> 00:34:50.289 by connecting godliness and eternal life to the 00:34:50.289 --> 00:34:54.150 divine call. What does he do here by connecting 00:34:54.150 --> 00:34:58.469 that, brothers and sisters? He connects godliness 00:34:58.469 --> 00:35:03.289 to the grander scheme of salvation as a whole. 00:35:04.949 --> 00:35:08.690 Godliness and holiness. These two blessed realities 00:35:08.690 --> 00:35:14.730 and provisions are an essential part of God's 00:35:14.730 --> 00:35:21.309 saving of sinners. They will be in the life of 00:35:21.309 --> 00:35:24.949 those saved sinners across the board. If God 00:35:24.949 --> 00:35:31.110 calls you, then you will grow in holiness. You 00:35:31.110 --> 00:35:33.650 will come to love the Lord Jesus. You will hunger 00:35:33.650 --> 00:35:36.280 and thirst after righteousness. You will hunger 00:35:36.280 --> 00:35:39.619 and thirst for the things of God. You will have 00:35:39.619 --> 00:35:45.980 a desire to please him and to live unto him. 00:35:48.539 --> 00:35:54.159 This gives us great comfort and certainty regarding 00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:59.199 our salvation, our sanctification, and our growth 00:35:59.199 --> 00:36:02.260 and grace in this life. But it also demonstrates, 00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:08.820 brothers and sisters, why? God calls us. Or why 00:36:08.820 --> 00:36:12.699 God makes these provisions in our life. We have 00:36:12.699 --> 00:36:16.519 to understand why he does these things. Why does 00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:23.820 God want us to be like Christ? Why does God work 00:36:23.820 --> 00:36:27.400 in us? Why does God give his divine power to 00:36:27.400 --> 00:36:30.920 work in our souls, to change us and transform 00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:34.539 us, to renew us, to transform us from glory to 00:36:34.539 --> 00:36:37.659 glory? Why does he do that, brothers and sisters? 00:36:38.780 --> 00:36:44.260 He does it so that we will be prepared for the 00:36:44.260 --> 00:36:49.300 glory that is to come. And he does it so that 00:36:49.300 --> 00:36:53.760 we will be like him. What do we read in the next 00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:58.880 several verses? We read in verses 4 through 5. 00:36:59.619 --> 00:37:03.900 For by these he has granted to us. His precious 00:37:03.900 --> 00:37:06.679 and magnificent promises. And listen to this. 00:37:07.239 --> 00:37:11.500 So that by them you may become partakers of the 00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:17.679 divine nature. Having escaped the corruption 00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:21.800 of the world. It's not talking about the reality 00:37:21.800 --> 00:37:27.059 that believers take on divinity. It's not talking 00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:30.079 about the reality that believers become gods. 00:37:31.050 --> 00:37:33.530 Or do we take part in God's nature in some way 00:37:33.530 --> 00:37:37.409 like that? It's talking about that believers 00:37:37.409 --> 00:37:41.710 who are called by the ministry of the Word and 00:37:41.710 --> 00:37:44.250 by the Spirit of God, believers who are given 00:37:44.250 --> 00:37:47.510 godliness and eternal life, those believers are 00:37:47.510 --> 00:37:50.769 going to be brought into moral conformity to 00:37:50.769 --> 00:37:54.400 the character of our great and mighty God. The 00:37:54.400 --> 00:37:57.460 image of God is going to be renewed so that we 00:37:57.460 --> 00:38:00.619 rightly reflect the character of God in this 00:38:00.619 --> 00:38:06.320 world and we are prepared to live unto God in 00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:11.039 glory in that coming kingdom. So there's a connection 00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:15.420 between godliness and eternal life and assurance 00:38:15.420 --> 00:38:20.159 of that eternal life. It's not that God just 00:38:20.159 --> 00:38:24.409 wants good, moral people. Walking around on the 00:38:24.409 --> 00:38:30.730 earth doing good things. God made us in his image, 00:38:30.750 --> 00:38:35.750 brothers and sisters. He made us to reflect his 00:38:35.750 --> 00:38:39.750 character in this world unto men to multiply 00:38:39.750 --> 00:38:45.829 and increase his glory in the world. That his 00:38:45.829 --> 00:38:49.389 character, his goodness, his mercy, his compassion, 00:38:49.809 --> 00:38:53.250 his patience, his long -suffering would be known 00:38:53.250 --> 00:38:56.389 by more and more people. It would be seen. It 00:38:56.389 --> 00:38:59.010 would be reveled in. It would be enjoyed. But 00:38:59.010 --> 00:39:05.730 because of sin, that image has been busted. It's 00:39:05.730 --> 00:39:09.050 been broken. It's not been destroyed or shattered 00:39:09.050 --> 00:39:17.260 or gone away. But men, by sin, misrepresent or 00:39:17.260 --> 00:39:21.179 falsely and erroneously reflect the image and 00:39:21.179 --> 00:39:24.019 character of God in this world. So what happens 00:39:24.019 --> 00:39:27.219 to believers when they're called and the Spirit 00:39:27.219 --> 00:39:31.780 of God dwells within them? They begin to rightly 00:39:31.780 --> 00:39:35.860 reflect the character of God in this world again. 00:39:36.699 --> 00:39:41.719 They begin to be conformed to His very character 00:39:41.719 --> 00:39:47.789 again. As a result of his divine work. This work 00:39:47.789 --> 00:39:52.949 which will be perfected in glory when Christ 00:39:52.949 --> 00:39:58.050 returns. So we take part in these things. We're 00:39:58.050 --> 00:40:01.610 made partakers of these things. By the divine 00:40:01.610 --> 00:40:06.510 call of God. Now I want us to consider a few 00:40:06.510 --> 00:40:12.809 applications of these for our lives. The fact. 00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:17.300 of these realities ought to cause us to pause 00:40:17.300 --> 00:40:23.500 for a few moments. These are realities that God 00:40:23.500 --> 00:40:29.059 has in fact provided. God has given everything 00:40:29.059 --> 00:40:36.119 pertaining to life and godliness for every believer 00:40:36.119 --> 00:40:42.389 for all time. So if you know Jesus Christ by 00:40:42.389 --> 00:40:47.949 faith and repentance, there's no resource, there's 00:40:47.949 --> 00:40:51.989 no divine power that's not been given to you 00:40:51.989 --> 00:40:56.409 for the purpose of godliness in your life. God 00:40:56.409 --> 00:40:59.829 will bring this work to completion and perfection 00:40:59.829 --> 00:41:03.610 by his grace. He will continue this work and 00:41:03.610 --> 00:41:14.139 usher us into his eternal kingdom. But knowing 00:41:14.139 --> 00:41:17.159 these things, what ought they to do to us now? 00:41:18.579 --> 00:41:23.059 How ought they to affect us today? How ought 00:41:23.059 --> 00:41:26.159 they ought to affect your life and your living 00:41:26.159 --> 00:41:31.880 in this world, in your world, in your life, in 00:41:31.880 --> 00:41:34.320 your sphere of influence, in your family, in 00:41:34.320 --> 00:41:37.920 your relationships? Knowing the reality that 00:41:37.920 --> 00:41:42.699 God has provided these things, we can clearly 00:41:42.699 --> 00:41:48.639 see His will for our lives. His will is that 00:41:48.639 --> 00:41:55.880 we be godly people. That we seek out and we pursue 00:41:55.880 --> 00:42:01.239 the things of God. That we reflect His character 00:42:01.239 --> 00:42:05.929 and His goodness in this world. That we live 00:42:05.929 --> 00:42:09.250 unto Christ in accordance with the precepts and 00:42:09.250 --> 00:42:13.150 the law of Christ. Fulfilling the law of God. 00:42:13.989 --> 00:42:19.170 Walking in the Spirit. This is demonstrated and 00:42:19.170 --> 00:42:22.769 seen so clearly in this text. And the reality 00:42:22.769 --> 00:42:25.250 that God gives is divine power for this purpose. 00:42:26.130 --> 00:42:29.170 So what can we say about the death of Christ? 00:42:30.530 --> 00:42:35.170 The crucifixion, brothers and sisters. And it's 00:42:35.170 --> 00:42:39.269 relation to your godliness in your life. How 00:42:39.269 --> 00:42:43.070 do we see the importance of godliness? In the 00:42:43.070 --> 00:42:46.230 reality that Jesus Christ had to die on a cross 00:42:46.230 --> 00:42:51.050 that you might actually become holy and blameless 00:42:51.050 --> 00:42:55.409 before him. Not just in standing through justification, 00:42:55.570 --> 00:42:58.789 but brothers and sisters, in reality, in your 00:42:58.789 --> 00:43:00.889 hearts, in your minds, in your souls, in practice. 00:43:03.849 --> 00:43:07.690 God does actually make us to be righteous and 00:43:07.690 --> 00:43:12.230 holy people. There's a stigma about holiness 00:43:12.230 --> 00:43:16.789 and righteousness and godliness in the life of 00:43:16.789 --> 00:43:24.170 God's people at many, many times. God wants us 00:43:24.170 --> 00:43:30.030 to honor Him and live as those who please Him. 00:43:30.289 --> 00:43:33.920 And we see this clearly in the text. Brothers 00:43:33.920 --> 00:43:43.639 and sisters, how important is this to you? How 00:43:43.639 --> 00:43:47.659 important is it to you that you obey the commands 00:43:47.659 --> 00:43:52.559 of God when he says, applying all diligence in 00:43:52.559 --> 00:43:56.380 your faith, supply moral excellence, and in your 00:43:56.380 --> 00:44:01.760 moral excellence, so on and so on. It's important 00:44:01.760 --> 00:44:05.820 to the God who saved you that you be these things. 00:44:07.460 --> 00:44:11.340 The reason Peter is writing this is because it's 00:44:11.340 --> 00:44:15.199 important. As those who are brought, who are 00:44:15.199 --> 00:44:19.139 bought by the blood of Christ, how important 00:44:19.139 --> 00:44:22.800 is it to you that you live and honor Christ and 00:44:22.800 --> 00:44:30.230 that you know him? Do you think about it? Are 00:44:30.230 --> 00:44:36.510 you affected by the Scriptures in this way? Does 00:44:36.510 --> 00:44:39.269 it stir you? Does it convict you? Does it challenge 00:44:39.269 --> 00:44:41.670 you? Is there some sort of confrontation in your 00:44:41.670 --> 00:44:46.530 soul? Brothers and sisters, it's important to 00:44:46.530 --> 00:44:51.690 the Lord. How important is it to you? How important 00:44:51.690 --> 00:45:00.059 is it to me? What did God do to bring about Eternal 00:45:00.059 --> 00:45:04.800 life and godliness for his people. He gave Christ. 00:45:06.300 --> 00:45:09.519 What did he do to redeem his people, brothers 00:45:09.519 --> 00:45:15.260 and sisters? He gave his son. What are we willing 00:45:15.260 --> 00:45:20.739 to give for godliness in our lives? What are 00:45:20.739 --> 00:45:23.820 we willing to give up in our lives that we might 00:45:23.820 --> 00:45:28.980 not live with sin? What are you willing to do? 00:45:29.840 --> 00:45:33.539 What are you willing to sacrifice? What are you 00:45:33.539 --> 00:45:36.920 willing to cut off? What are you willing to rid 00:45:36.920 --> 00:45:40.179 yourself of for the purpose of holiness and godliness 00:45:40.179 --> 00:45:44.760 and righteousness in your life? He gave everything 00:45:44.760 --> 00:45:50.519 in Christ on the cross. Brothers and sisters, 00:45:50.559 --> 00:45:52.780 this ought to be a top priority for the people 00:45:52.780 --> 00:45:58.030 of God. To honor Him. To live unto Him. To please 00:45:58.030 --> 00:46:02.789 our great sovereign God. Knowing this reality, 00:46:03.110 --> 00:46:07.130 that God has provided these things, we can understand 00:46:07.130 --> 00:46:13.389 that we are able to pursue godliness. Why does 00:46:13.389 --> 00:46:17.849 God command us over and over? Why does he give 00:46:17.849 --> 00:46:22.090 this exhortation in verse 5? Why does Peter command 00:46:22.090 --> 00:46:28.840 us in chapter 3? Over and over. Because we're 00:46:28.840 --> 00:46:33.599 able, as those who have been effectually called, 00:46:33.900 --> 00:46:38.460 as those with new hearts, renewed minds, renewed 00:46:38.460 --> 00:46:41.440 wills, as those indwelt by the Spirit of God, 00:46:41.579 --> 00:46:44.539 as those with new life implanted in them, we 00:46:44.539 --> 00:46:48.099 have the capacity as new creatures in Christ 00:46:48.099 --> 00:46:53.739 to seek after God. Unbelievers do not have that 00:46:53.739 --> 00:46:57.710 capacity, but believers do. You do if you know 00:46:57.710 --> 00:47:09.230 Christ by faith. We all as believers can in fact 00:47:09.230 --> 00:47:12.989 pursue these things. And we must pursue these 00:47:12.989 --> 00:47:17.090 things to be obedient. Paul in Ephesians several 00:47:17.090 --> 00:47:24.190 times when he's writing, he says, stop. He tells 00:47:24.190 --> 00:47:30.820 his recipients, stop. Stop being deceitful. Why 00:47:30.820 --> 00:47:36.000 does Paul tell them to stop? Because they have 00:47:36.000 --> 00:47:40.579 the ability to stop. As those who have been transformed 00:47:40.579 --> 00:47:45.679 by Christ in hearing the gospel, brothers and 00:47:45.679 --> 00:47:52.119 sisters, sin is now the remnant in us. It's alien. 00:47:52.239 --> 00:47:55.260 It's foreign. We've been made new creatures in 00:47:55.260 --> 00:47:59.300 Christ. We are no longer the old man. The old 00:47:59.300 --> 00:48:02.000 man's dead. The old man's crucified. We are new 00:48:02.000 --> 00:48:05.599 creatures in Christ. That's who we are. That 00:48:05.599 --> 00:48:09.280 means that ungodliness, unholiness, and unrighteousness 00:48:09.280 --> 00:48:12.559 are now inconsistent with our very identities 00:48:12.559 --> 00:48:17.320 as believers, new creatures in Christ. That means 00:48:17.320 --> 00:48:21.139 that ungodliness, unholiness, wickedness, filthy 00:48:21.139 --> 00:48:23.920 speech, all kinds of things the Bible talks about 00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:28.820 are unfit, inconsistent with your identity in 00:48:28.820 --> 00:48:37.719 the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not who we are. They're 00:48:37.719 --> 00:48:40.539 inconsistent with who Christ has called us and 00:48:40.539 --> 00:48:45.840 Christ has made us to be. So my challenge for 00:48:45.840 --> 00:48:49.460 you here today, if you're living in certain ways 00:48:49.460 --> 00:48:56.280 that are displeasing to the Lord, if you are 00:48:56.280 --> 00:49:00.519 living in an unrighteous manner, if you are living 00:49:00.519 --> 00:49:05.039 in open rebellion to God, if you are living in 00:49:05.039 --> 00:49:07.659 an antithetical life to the law of God, if you 00:49:07.659 --> 00:49:10.639 are transgressing His law openly, plainly, and 00:49:10.639 --> 00:49:15.269 clearly, then consider whether or not Christ 00:49:15.269 --> 00:49:20.110 has called you by His grace. If you're a Christian 00:49:20.110 --> 00:49:22.889 and you're truly a believer, then you will know 00:49:22.889 --> 00:49:25.769 that those actions and those behaviors are in 00:49:25.769 --> 00:49:28.469 fact inconsistent with who you are. And they 00:49:28.469 --> 00:49:31.909 will bother your conscience. They will bother 00:49:31.909 --> 00:49:36.110 you. Because it's not who you are. You're a new 00:49:36.110 --> 00:49:41.239 creation in Christ. Do away with those realities. 00:49:41.460 --> 00:49:46.119 The grace of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness. 00:49:48.599 --> 00:49:53.119 Put on Christ and these blessed qualities and 00:49:53.119 --> 00:49:57.059 these blessed virtues that Peter commands. But 00:49:57.059 --> 00:49:59.280 knowing these things also helps us understand 00:49:59.280 --> 00:50:03.519 and recognize, brothers and sisters, that if 00:50:03.519 --> 00:50:07.440 there's a deficiency, that if there's deformities, 00:50:08.039 --> 00:50:13.039 And if there's lack in our godliness, in our 00:50:13.039 --> 00:50:16.559 lives living under Christ and honoring Him, what 00:50:16.559 --> 00:50:21.159 is the source of that deficiency, that deformity, 00:50:21.179 --> 00:50:25.960 and that lack in our godliness? Knowing that 00:50:25.960 --> 00:50:29.480 Christ has given us everything pertaining to 00:50:29.480 --> 00:50:35.119 life and godliness. The lack is us. The deficiency 00:50:35.119 --> 00:50:39.340 comes from us. The deformity is contributed by 00:50:39.340 --> 00:50:44.139 our remaining sin. We cannot cast that on the 00:50:44.139 --> 00:50:48.380 Lord and His sovereignty. The sin in our life 00:50:48.380 --> 00:50:53.179 is our sin. The consequences for the sin in our 00:50:53.179 --> 00:50:58.000 life are our consequences. We cannot attribute 00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:01.159 that to the Lord. He has given us everything 00:51:01.159 --> 00:51:05.840 pertaining to life and godliness. But every success, 00:51:07.179 --> 00:51:11.619 And every hill that's climbed on this road to 00:51:11.619 --> 00:51:15.159 eternal life, brothers and sisters, every time 00:51:15.159 --> 00:51:19.300 we have victory and success over sin or besetting 00:51:19.300 --> 00:51:22.460 sin, every time we see change and transformation 00:51:22.460 --> 00:51:26.340 in our life, every inch and ounce of growth and 00:51:26.340 --> 00:51:31.639 grace, where must we attribute that? To God Himself. 00:51:33.389 --> 00:51:37.309 We must give Him praise and honor for all the 00:51:37.309 --> 00:51:41.809 glorious realities of godliness in our lives. 00:51:42.809 --> 00:51:46.269 We must humble ourselves and recognize that they're 00:51:46.269 --> 00:51:50.750 not of us. They're from that which He has provided.