WEBVTT 00:00:10.349 --> 00:00:15.789 Last week, we considered this great and this 00:00:15.789 --> 00:00:22.170 glorious promise found in verse 8 of 2 Peter 00:00:22.170 --> 00:00:27.809 that says, For if these qualities are yours and 00:00:27.809 --> 00:00:32.509 are increasing, they render you neither useless 00:00:32.509 --> 00:00:38.070 nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord 00:00:38.070 --> 00:00:42.250 Jesus Christ. We saw that there's a promise of 00:00:42.250 --> 00:00:47.030 usefulness and fruitfulness in the Christian 00:00:47.030 --> 00:00:50.570 life for those who are diligently pursuing and 00:00:50.570 --> 00:00:54.630 walking in these qualities that Peter gives us 00:00:54.630 --> 00:01:03.369 in verses 5 -7. This week we come to a warning 00:01:03.369 --> 00:01:09.530 in the text. Not a promise, but a warning. for 00:01:09.530 --> 00:01:12.890 the people of God, for professing Christians. 00:01:14.069 --> 00:01:19.390 Now, the Bible is full of warnings. If we read 00:01:19.390 --> 00:01:23.730 the Old Testament, especially the prophets, we'll 00:01:23.730 --> 00:01:29.769 encounter warning after warning. Exhortation, 00:01:29.769 --> 00:01:36.189 turn after exhortation. We'll see it over and 00:01:36.189 --> 00:01:41.769 over and over. This is a good reminder that we 00:01:41.769 --> 00:01:48.730 need the full counsel of God in our lives. We 00:01:48.730 --> 00:01:52.250 need a well -rounded knowledge of the Word and 00:01:52.250 --> 00:01:56.870 we need a well -rounded revelation. The Bible 00:01:56.870 --> 00:02:01.629 has been given to us as a whole, singular deposit 00:02:01.629 --> 00:02:07.730 of truth. And we need all of it for our up -building, 00:02:08.219 --> 00:02:11.280 for our strengthening, for our assurance, for 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:19.639 our growth in grace. I think oftentimes our thinking 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:26.080 can get off if it's not regularly adjusted or 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:30.479 course corrected. Sometimes, brothers and sisters, 00:02:30.500 --> 00:02:33.400 that adjustment and that correction comes by 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:39.189 way of promise. But other times, That adjustment 00:02:39.189 --> 00:02:44.310 and that correction comes by way of warning or 00:02:44.310 --> 00:02:51.550 exhortation like we have in the text today. In 00:02:51.550 --> 00:02:56.909 God's eternal and good wisdom, he requires us 00:02:56.909 --> 00:03:02.830 to hear the promises of God, but also to hear 00:03:02.830 --> 00:03:11.879 his warnings. are necessary. Both are required 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:17.699 and both are edifying for our souls, brothers 00:03:17.699 --> 00:03:21.960 and sisters. We must hear the promise of last 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:25.240 week of usefulness and fruitfulness. But listen, 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:29.479 Christian. You must also hear the warning of 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:32.719 the text today if you are to be a well -rounded 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:36.250 believer who... grows in godliness and grace 00:03:36.250 --> 00:03:41.169 and their love for Christ. We need both. In some 00:03:41.169 --> 00:03:45.750 ways, the reality that there are so many warnings 00:03:45.750 --> 00:03:52.090 in Scripture, it reminds us of our sin. Everywhere 00:03:52.090 --> 00:03:58.069 and all the time, the Bible assumes the sinfulness 00:03:58.069 --> 00:04:03.439 of its readers. The fact that we are deceitful 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:06.819 even to ourselves because of the nature of our 00:04:06.819 --> 00:04:12.259 hearts. It assumes presumptuous sins in the lives 00:04:12.259 --> 00:04:17.300 of its readers. We need promises, but we need 00:04:17.300 --> 00:04:23.300 warnings. I know with confidence that there are 00:04:23.300 --> 00:04:25.959 people in this room that needed the promise from 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:28.439 last week and benefited from the promise last 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:31.050 week. But listen, brothers and sisters, I know 00:04:31.050 --> 00:04:34.569 with confidence that there are people in this 00:04:34.569 --> 00:04:38.829 room that need the warning from our text today. 00:04:40.089 --> 00:04:44.329 They need to hear it. They need to open up their 00:04:44.329 --> 00:04:47.850 ears and embrace the Word of God and to be transformed 00:04:47.850 --> 00:04:50.569 and to be delivered from whatever it is that 00:04:50.569 --> 00:04:52.870 they're struggling with, whatever it is that 00:04:52.870 --> 00:04:55.810 they're facing, whatever sin they're wrestling 00:04:55.810 --> 00:05:01.449 with. We need... Promises and we need warnings. 00:05:02.430 --> 00:05:07.129 Today, in our text, we come to a time of warning. 00:05:08.170 --> 00:05:11.069 So this week we're going to consider this somber 00:05:11.069 --> 00:05:16.509 exhortation to professing Christians. Consider 00:05:16.509 --> 00:05:22.069 first with me the nature of this somber warning. 00:05:22.569 --> 00:05:25.850 When we come to verse 9, you'll notice that there's 00:05:25.850 --> 00:05:30.790 a... There's a stark difference in the demeanor 00:05:30.790 --> 00:05:33.629 of the verse. Everything in chapter 1 has been 00:05:33.629 --> 00:05:37.649 overwhelmingly positive in 2 Peter so far. Do 00:05:37.649 --> 00:05:41.269 this, be this, God has given this, God has done 00:05:41.269 --> 00:05:45.509 this. But now we come to verse 9, and he says, 00:05:45.629 --> 00:05:51.209 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or 00:05:51.209 --> 00:05:54.910 short -sighted, having forgotten his purification. 00:05:55.819 --> 00:06:00.920 from his former sins. Now, there's certain difficulties 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:05.680 in this text, and primarily because there's a 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.720 degree of uncertainty with regards to who Peter 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:12.740 is talking about. Is he talking about Christians 00:06:12.740 --> 00:06:15.680 who are blind, short -sighted, and forgetful? 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:20.160 Or is he talking about non -believers who are 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:23.500 blind, short -sighted, and forgetful? Forgetful. 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:29.199 There's a certain ambiguity in the text, and 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:33.720 it seems that Peter leaves it open for either. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:37.259 Whichever way you go, there's going to be difficulties 00:06:37.259 --> 00:06:44.279 in the text. Now, part of this is resolved by 00:06:44.279 --> 00:06:47.980 understanding that this is a warning that's hypothetical, 00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:52.509 potential, and possible. We'll notice in the 00:06:52.509 --> 00:06:56.670 text that, especially in verse 8, in verses 5 00:06:56.670 --> 00:07:00.970 through 7 and 8, Peter's using you, you all, 00:07:01.170 --> 00:07:05.750 your. But then when he gets to verse 9, he says, 00:07:05.930 --> 00:07:11.490 for he who. Almost like this potential possible 00:07:11.490 --> 00:07:17.709 situation. It's a warning and an exhortation. 00:07:18.250 --> 00:07:24.040 He leaves it open. for Christian or non -Christian, 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:28.259 but they all fall under this category of professing 00:07:28.259 --> 00:07:33.779 Christian. Now, in my mind, this is very, very 00:07:33.779 --> 00:07:38.199 realistic. Do you know why, in my mind, this 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:42.240 is very realistic, brothers and sisters? Because 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:46.600 when we're dealing with people, things are not 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:51.899 always cut and dry. When we're dealing with people, 00:07:52.060 --> 00:07:54.540 things are not always black and things are not 00:07:54.540 --> 00:07:57.459 always white. Do you know why? Because people 00:07:57.459 --> 00:08:02.639 are intricate. People are complex. And then you 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:09.860 add a sinful nature into that. You get all kinds 00:08:09.860 --> 00:08:14.660 of disruptions in thinking. All kinds of disruptions 00:08:14.660 --> 00:08:20.009 and desires and longings. People have a mind, 00:08:20.029 --> 00:08:22.149 they have a soul, they have emotions, they have 00:08:22.149 --> 00:08:24.550 a will, they have a body, they have morality, 00:08:24.709 --> 00:08:28.490 a center of morality within them. And when you 00:08:28.490 --> 00:08:31.089 add corruption into the midst of that, you get 00:08:31.089 --> 00:08:35.190 all sorts of disruptions in that person, and 00:08:35.190 --> 00:08:40.789 it becomes very, very complex. It's not just 00:08:40.789 --> 00:08:45.629 here and there. And Peter knows this. But this 00:08:45.629 --> 00:08:51.139 warning... is relevant for the most complex of 00:08:51.139 --> 00:08:57.779 persons. This warning in verse 9 covers and encapsulates 00:08:57.779 --> 00:09:03.879 every single type of person in the church. We 00:09:03.879 --> 00:09:07.580 do know one thing with certainty about this text. 00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:12.759 That thing is that he's speaking of professing 00:09:12.759 --> 00:09:16.919 Christians. We know this because at the end of 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:21.779 verse 9, Peter says this, having forgotten his 00:09:21.779 --> 00:09:28.159 purification from his former sins. Now why is 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:32.600 that important? Why is that significant, brothers 00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:36.059 and sisters? Because it shows that he's dealing 00:09:36.059 --> 00:09:40.019 with individuals who have claimed to have been 00:09:40.019 --> 00:09:44.350 pardoned. He's dealing with individuals that 00:09:44.350 --> 00:09:47.350 claim to be forgiven of their sins. He's dealing 00:09:47.350 --> 00:09:49.830 with individuals who say that they've been washed 00:09:49.830 --> 00:09:53.409 by the blood of Christ. He's dealing with individuals 00:09:53.409 --> 00:09:57.009 who have made a profession of faith at some point 00:09:57.009 --> 00:10:00.669 in time, verbally, but also, brothers and sisters, 00:10:00.710 --> 00:10:04.350 most likely through baptism and identifying publicly 00:10:04.350 --> 00:10:09.799 with Christ. He's talking about people who are 00:10:09.799 --> 00:10:12.379 in the Christian community. He's talking about 00:10:12.379 --> 00:10:15.480 people who know things about Christ. He's talking 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:18.600 about people who are around the church, who are 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:23.879 a part of the church. We're dealing with professing 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:27.559 Christians. Now the thing about that term is 00:10:27.559 --> 00:10:33.759 this. It doesn't just refer to false. hypocritical 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:37.480 Christians who make a profession yet don't actually 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:40.580 possess Christ, it's actually dealing with genuine 00:10:40.580 --> 00:10:46.080 Christians as well. Because everybody in the 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:52.399 church ought to be a professing Christian. Everybody 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:58.200 in the church are professors. Meaning, if you 00:10:58.200 --> 00:11:00.879 are part of the church, you are professing to 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:04.169 know the Lord Jesus. You are professing to believe 00:11:04.169 --> 00:11:10.330 certain realities and certain truths. But false 00:11:10.330 --> 00:11:14.350 Christians who don't genuinely and truly know 00:11:14.350 --> 00:11:19.450 the Lord Jesus Christ do the same thing. Even 00:11:19.450 --> 00:11:22.590 if they're doing it maliciously or if they're 00:11:22.590 --> 00:11:28.509 doing it under deceit, they're doing the same 00:11:28.509 --> 00:11:31.799 thing. Everybody in the Christian church ought 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:36.240 to be professors. But listen, that does not mean 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:39.779 that everybody in the church actually possesses 00:11:39.779 --> 00:11:45.279 Jesus Christ by faith. There's a big difference. 00:11:45.899 --> 00:11:49.919 And everybody here knows that. The difference 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:56.159 is between heaven and hell. The difference is 00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:59.769 between salvation. and damnation, brothers and 00:11:59.769 --> 00:12:05.070 sisters. That's a chasm. Do you actually have 00:12:05.070 --> 00:12:09.690 Christ by faith? Have you been born again and 00:12:09.690 --> 00:12:13.610 transformed? Are you living a godly life unto 00:12:13.610 --> 00:12:17.789 the glory of God? Do you know Him truly and genuinely? 00:12:17.809 --> 00:12:20.750 Do you love Him? And do you know that He loves 00:12:20.750 --> 00:12:26.169 you? That's the genuine Christian who professes 00:12:26.169 --> 00:12:30.279 to know Jesus Christ. Or there can be the professing 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:35.440 Christian who knows the language and the lingo, 00:12:35.539 --> 00:12:38.360 who's been around church, who knows the traditions, 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:41.700 who knows the right answers, can talk about theology 00:12:41.700 --> 00:12:44.340 or doctrine, can talk about the confession, can 00:12:44.340 --> 00:12:47.059 talk about church practices, can talk about morality 00:12:47.059 --> 00:12:50.379 and ethics and how we ought to live and how we 00:12:50.379 --> 00:12:54.519 ought not to live. But all the while, they don't 00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:59.929 actually know Jesus Christ by... Even though 00:12:59.929 --> 00:13:07.850 they profess to know Jesus Christ by faith. I 00:13:07.850 --> 00:13:12.009 think this helps us understand some of the ambiguity 00:13:12.009 --> 00:13:16.789 in the text. Some of the difficulties in the 00:13:16.789 --> 00:13:21.389 text. Peter's giving a warning to this group, 00:13:21.470 --> 00:13:27.080 this category of professing Christian. Now, we 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:32.899 must also consider what prompted Peter to give 00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:38.039 this warning. What prompted him to give such 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:43.340 strong words? What prompted him to say, for he 00:13:43.340 --> 00:13:49.059 who lacks these qualities is blind or short -sighted, 00:13:49.059 --> 00:13:53.940 having forgotten his purification from his former 00:13:53.940 --> 00:14:02.460 sins? It's the reality that he's been talking 00:14:02.460 --> 00:14:06.340 about the importance of the abiding presence 00:14:06.340 --> 00:14:11.919 and growth of these realities in verses 5 through 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:15.679 7. These qualities spoken of in 5 through 7. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:21.019 Try to recall them in your mind as we've talked 00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:23.220 about them, as we've reviewed them, as we've 00:14:23.220 --> 00:14:28.039 looked at them over the last several weeks. These 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:34.039 qualities of moral excellence, knowledge, self 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:39.559 -control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:44.720 kindness, and love. Or, as we've referred to 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:49.759 them, the realities of godliness. In verse 5, 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:54.759 Peter gives the encouragement, applying all diligence 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:59.559 in your faith, supply. He's encouraging his readers 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:04.419 to activity, work, and labor, and diligence in 00:15:04.419 --> 00:15:08.019 the pursuit of a godly life. He's exhorting them 00:15:08.019 --> 00:15:10.379 to ensure that these characteristics and these 00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:14.720 traits are a settled, permanent part of their 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:21.360 characters and their lives. He's showing them 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:26.830 the significance of these traits. And he gives 00:15:26.830 --> 00:15:30.230 this glorious promise of usefulness and fruitfulness 00:15:30.230 --> 00:15:36.649 in the Christian life. He wants them to know 00:15:36.649 --> 00:15:41.269 the significance, the importance of these qualities 00:15:41.269 --> 00:15:47.470 and these traits. And he says that he now must 00:15:47.470 --> 00:15:53.750 show them that it's just as important, that it's 00:15:53.750 --> 00:15:57.080 just as significant, if you are a professing 00:15:57.080 --> 00:16:00.320 believer and these characteristics and these 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:08.759 traits are absent. There is a neglect in the 00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:16.700 pursuit of holiness. There is a neglect in going 00:16:16.700 --> 00:16:20.620 after godliness in these traits. There is a neglect 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:24.779 in seeking Knowledge and moral excellence in 00:16:24.779 --> 00:16:27.519 the Christian life. It's not there. You don't 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:29.080 want it and you don't care and you don't desire 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:33.120 it. There is a neglect in the diligent pursuit 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:37.279 of brotherly kindness and godliness and perseverance 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:42.580 and love. Peter is saying, if you're a professing 00:16:42.580 --> 00:16:45.960 believer, these things are important to have. 00:16:46.019 --> 00:16:49.080 But listen, it's also a big deal if they're not 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:55.110 there. It's significant. It's meaningful if those 00:16:55.110 --> 00:16:58.570 things are absent in your life. And he says that 00:16:58.570 --> 00:17:02.090 if they're absent, there's actually great cause 00:17:02.090 --> 00:17:07.470 for concern in your life. There's great cause. 00:17:07.549 --> 00:17:11.910 There's great reason to be worried about the 00:17:11.910 --> 00:17:17.210 condition of your soul. Listen, brothers and 00:17:17.210 --> 00:17:22.869 sisters. Holiness of life. is a big deal for 00:17:22.869 --> 00:17:26.450 the professing Christian. But for the professing 00:17:26.450 --> 00:17:32.869 Christian, the absence of a holy life is a big 00:17:32.869 --> 00:17:39.630 deal also. For one who claims Jesus Christ, for 00:17:39.630 --> 00:17:42.789 one who claims the cross of Calvary and the blood 00:17:42.789 --> 00:17:45.190 of the Lord Jesus Christ, for one who claims 00:17:45.190 --> 00:17:47.809 the righteousness of Jesus Christ in justification 00:17:47.809 --> 00:17:51.519 by faith. For one who claims the resurrection 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:54.420 and the power and the newness of life that comes 00:17:54.420 --> 00:17:57.099 with union with Christ in His death and in His 00:17:57.099 --> 00:18:01.019 resurrection, for one who claims that, yet to 00:18:01.019 --> 00:18:05.380 lack and to have an absence of holiness in their 00:18:05.380 --> 00:18:09.539 life, that's a frightful thing. That's an important 00:18:09.539 --> 00:18:13.480 thing. That's a big thing for one who professes 00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:21.349 to be indwelt by the divine. Holy Spirit of God, 00:18:21.750 --> 00:18:25.609 yet not to seek out perseverance, knowledge, 00:18:25.970 --> 00:18:29.250 moral excellence, greater faith, brotherly kindness, 00:18:29.390 --> 00:18:33.710 and love? Brothers and sisters, that's cause 00:18:33.710 --> 00:18:38.650 for great concern. That's cause to take inventory 00:18:38.650 --> 00:18:43.650 of our hearts, of our minds, of our lives. We 00:18:43.650 --> 00:18:47.589 should be alarmed. If there's that inconsistency 00:18:47.589 --> 00:18:52.710 in our lives. We should be concerned and worried 00:18:52.710 --> 00:18:57.890 about our souls if there's that inconsistency. 00:18:58.329 --> 00:19:03.029 If it's present. How much greater concern for 00:19:03.029 --> 00:19:07.970 those who are not simply lacking these qualities 00:19:07.970 --> 00:19:13.529 yet, still living a moral life. But how much 00:19:13.529 --> 00:19:16.490 greater concern for those who are professing 00:19:16.490 --> 00:19:24.130 Christians, yet living in open, willing transgression 00:19:24.130 --> 00:19:28.970 of God's law. Those people who profess to know 00:19:28.970 --> 00:19:35.309 Christ, yet they willingly partake of that which 00:19:35.309 --> 00:19:42.670 Christ died for. Those people... who transgressed 00:19:42.670 --> 00:19:49.990 God's holy law freely while professing to love 00:19:49.990 --> 00:19:56.829 Christ with their mouths. I'm reminded of Hebrews 00:19:56.829 --> 00:20:01.529 10 .31. It is a terrifying thing to fall into 00:20:01.529 --> 00:20:07.349 the hands of the living God. Brothers and sisters, 00:20:07.509 --> 00:20:12.579 this is what prompted Peter's warning. Love for 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:16.539 the souls of those that he is writing to. He 00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:22.319 cares about their eternal, never -dying, immortal 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:27.279 soul. He cares about the condition of their heart, 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:30.180 the condition of their lives, and he knows that 00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:34.819 it's no small thing to profess Christ and to 00:20:34.819 --> 00:20:38.839 neglect a godly life. Let's move on to another 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:45.180 consideration. The content of this warning. The 00:20:45.180 --> 00:20:50.220 text reads, he who lacks these qualities is blind 00:20:50.220 --> 00:20:56.400 or short -sighted, having forgotten his purification 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:01.599 from his former sins. Essentially, Peter is saying 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:06.079 this. If these qualities, these traits aren't 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:11.599 true of you. then here is what's true of you. 00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:16.500 If these aren't true of you, then these are true 00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:20.960 of you. He says that those who lack such qualities 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:25.640 are blind or nearsighted. He's most likely, when 00:21:25.640 --> 00:21:28.339 he's doing this, when he says blind or nearsighted, 00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:32.960 when he says nearsighted, he's saying this is 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:37.119 the kind of blindness you have. He's saying you're 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:39.240 blind and here's the kind of blindness you have. 00:21:39.339 --> 00:21:43.039 You're nearsighted. It's actually where we get 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:48.519 the word myopic. The inability to see far away. 00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:50.720 I know it's a disease. I don't know too much 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:53.359 about it. But it's also used in a metaphorical 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:57.460 sense for lack of discernment, lack of foresight, 00:21:57.680 --> 00:22:05.319 lack of forward thinking, far off thinking. Peter's 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:10.359 saying that those who lack godliness in their 00:22:10.359 --> 00:22:15.619 life yet profess to know Christ only see what's 00:22:15.619 --> 00:22:19.480 directly in front of them. He's saying they're 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:25.299 ignorant of what comes after their sight. He's 00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:29.079 saying that they're constrained, they're limited 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:32.900 in their sight to what's right here. To that 00:22:32.900 --> 00:22:36.000 which is immediately affecting them. They don't 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:38.680 look beyond that. They can't see through that. 00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:45.039 This word always, always has negative connotations. 00:22:46.259 --> 00:22:50.359 Always. It has to do with ignorance, unbelief, 00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:53.900 and slowness to understand and comprehend or 00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:57.940 to grasp something. Professing Christians who 00:22:57.940 --> 00:23:03.240 do not diligently seek after godliness, Peter 00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:07.519 is saying that they are consumed with what is 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:11.079 right in front of them. They only focus on the 00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:14.180 things which immediately concern them, worldly, 00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:20.880 carnal, earthly, temporal, physical, material 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:24.700 realities, the things of this world that have 00:23:24.700 --> 00:23:28.539 to do with them. I think Peter would agree with 00:23:28.539 --> 00:23:32.079 me saying this. They're ultimately pragmatic 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:37.079 people. They have to deal with what they have 00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:39.799 to do in life. They have to deal with the stuff 00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:42.640 of life, with their lives and being successful, 00:23:42.859 --> 00:23:48.859 and the things that really matter. Their focus 00:23:48.859 --> 00:23:53.259 is on immediate circumstances, pleasures, indulgences, 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:59.440 and needs. If you look at 2 Peter 2, I think 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:01.839 Peter gives you a great example of what it looks 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:07.680 like to be nearsighted. Those people who enjoy 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:13.539 the things of the flesh with no thought to the 00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:18.759 consequences of those actions. Things which are 00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:24.680 only bound to this world. Consider what Paul 00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:29.880 says. In 2 Corinthians 4, 17 -18, in contrast 00:24:29.880 --> 00:24:36.279 to what Peter is saying, he says in 17 -18, For 00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:41.480 momentary light affliction is producing for us 00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:48.000 an eternal weight of glory, far beyond all comparison, 00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:54.440 while we look not at the things which are seen, 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:59.359 but at the things which are not seen. For the 00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:03.339 things which are seen are temporal, but the things 00:25:03.339 --> 00:25:10.099 which are not seen are eternal. Paul proclaims 00:25:10.099 --> 00:25:15.119 loud and clear that he looks at far off, distant 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:19.980 realities, eternal, invisible, spiritual, promised 00:25:19.980 --> 00:25:24.500 realities that are yet to come. He's not looking 00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:27.420 at the things of this world, the earthly realities. 00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:31.599 He's looking at far -off realities, distant realities. 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:38.039 Christians are called to be like those saints 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:41.359 of old in Hebrews chapter 11. Do you remember 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:44.299 the saints in Hebrews chapter 11? One of my favorite 00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:46.960 chapters in the whole Bible, brothers and sisters. 00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:52.450 These great and mighty examples of faith. These 00:25:52.450 --> 00:25:55.849 men and women who suffered. These men and women 00:25:55.849 --> 00:25:59.410 who were aliens in this world. They were pilgrims 00:25:59.410 --> 00:26:01.750 in this world. But all the while, because of 00:26:01.750 --> 00:26:04.410 their faith, they found approval and they were 00:26:04.410 --> 00:26:07.430 pleasing to God. And they were looking to a reward 00:26:07.430 --> 00:26:11.470 that was outside of this world. What were they 00:26:11.470 --> 00:26:17.970 looking at? Where was their gaze? What were their 00:26:17.970 --> 00:26:20.869 eyes set upon? Was it set upon earthly kingdoms? 00:26:22.059 --> 00:26:25.440 Was it set upon earthly wealth? Was it set upon 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:28.799 earthly power? Was it set upon the things of 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:30.940 this world? No, brothers and sisters, it was 00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:35.559 set on the promises of God. It was set upon far 00:26:35.559 --> 00:26:40.000 off, distant, far away things. Christians are 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:42.039 those who make it clear that they are seeking 00:26:42.039 --> 00:26:46.700 a country of their own that is a heavenly one. 00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:51.019 They are those looking for the city which has 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:58.180 whose architect and builder is God. Brothers 00:26:58.180 --> 00:27:05.579 and sisters, believers are those called to look 00:27:05.579 --> 00:27:13.539 by faith at things not yet realized. Things which 00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:17.200 are promised and not yet culminated. Things which 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:22.529 are to come at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:27:23.869 --> 00:27:28.630 The exhortation in this is to open our eyes, 00:27:28.690 --> 00:27:33.690 isn't it? To peel off the scales and to look 00:27:33.690 --> 00:27:36.869 at what we need to be looking, to set our gaze 00:27:36.869 --> 00:27:40.569 on the things which we ought to be gazing. It's 00:27:40.569 --> 00:27:43.990 the essence of short -sightedness and ignorance 00:27:43.990 --> 00:27:49.619 to profess To have all these glorious gospel 00:27:49.619 --> 00:27:57.579 promises. And to never look at them. To have 00:27:57.579 --> 00:28:00.740 all these glorious promises by Christ. Every 00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:04.500 spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in 00:28:04.500 --> 00:28:08.819 Christ. Everything that we have in Christ. And 00:28:08.819 --> 00:28:11.460 everything that is coming for the Christian. 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:14.920 And the new heavens and the new earth. A resurrected 00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:23.240 body. And yet, all we do is look at the things 00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:29.720 of this world. Sliding those eternal, invisible, 00:28:30.140 --> 00:28:35.759 spiritual, and glorious realities. It's such 00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:45.700 people. It's because of this that people do not 00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:50.950 care for godliness. Because their focus and priority 00:28:50.950 --> 00:28:57.109 is not eternal. Their focus and priority is here 00:28:57.109 --> 00:29:04.690 and now, what's directly in front of me. Peter 00:29:04.690 --> 00:29:08.829 says that this is true of you, professing Christian, 00:29:09.130 --> 00:29:15.309 if you do not possess these qualities. He says 00:29:15.309 --> 00:29:18.089 that this is true of you, professing Christian, 00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:22.299 If you are not diligently pursuing, seeking, 00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:26.960 and walking in these realities he's put forth 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:32.059 in verses 5 -7. He says that those who lack such 00:29:32.059 --> 00:29:36.339 qualities are forgetful, not just blind or short 00:29:36.339 --> 00:29:41.940 -sighted. They are not mindful or conscious of 00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:44.859 the gospel and what Christ has done for them. 00:29:45.180 --> 00:29:50.579 They don't see their need for repentance. They 00:29:50.579 --> 00:29:53.839 don't see their need for forgiveness of sins. 00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:57.400 They don't see their need for the blood of Christ 00:29:57.400 --> 00:30:04.460 anymore. They're content with being mindful of 00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:08.759 their own lives, their own circumstances, their 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:12.960 own needs, their own situations. The work of 00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:16.259 Jesus Christ and the implications of his completed 00:30:16.259 --> 00:30:22.859 work on the cross. It has no deep root in their 00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:25.799 heart or in their mind. And do you know why? 00:30:28.980 --> 00:30:33.880 Because there's no room. It's so full of weeds. 00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:38.839 It's so full of everything that involves in this 00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:43.420 life. It's so full of the things of this world 00:30:43.420 --> 00:30:45.539 that there's no room for the things of Christ. 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:55.440 It's pushed out. These truths about Christ have 00:30:55.440 --> 00:31:00.019 no room to blossom in their hearts because it's 00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:05.480 always suffocated by the mindfulness of everything 00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:12.259 else in their life. Peter says that this is true 00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:15.859 of those individuals who don't walk and live 00:31:15.859 --> 00:31:20.740 in godliness. We can start to get a picture and 00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:26.880 get a sense of the portrait that Peter is painting, 00:31:27.019 --> 00:31:30.740 can't we? The type of individual that he's painting. 00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:34.940 A professing Christian who lacks these vital 00:31:34.940 --> 00:31:38.720 qualities of holiness and godliness and heart 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:44.940 in life. And it demonstrates what they prioritize 00:31:44.940 --> 00:31:53.119 and ultimately... value the most. Worldly things, 00:31:53.380 --> 00:32:02.579 earthly things, not eternal, spiritual things, 00:32:02.839 --> 00:32:07.660 not godliness. They care more for their well 00:32:07.660 --> 00:32:11.359 -being and their present life, their income and 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:13.480 their status, their needs, their pleasure, their 00:32:13.480 --> 00:32:17.490 standing with men. Then they do, they're never 00:32:17.490 --> 00:32:32.410 dying eternal soul. Consider that. Think about 00:32:32.410 --> 00:32:38.069 that. Never dying eternal soul, brothers and 00:32:38.069 --> 00:32:44.539 sisters, or the things of this world. Which ought 00:32:44.539 --> 00:32:49.819 we to value more? Which ought we to care more 00:32:49.819 --> 00:32:54.359 about? Which ought to consume our minds and our 00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:57.079 thoughts and our hearts? What ought to motivate 00:32:57.079 --> 00:33:03.079 and drive and compel us? Which one? You can't 00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:07.259 tell me that that's not messed up thinking. If 00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:12.319 you value a home which is made of wood, that 00:33:12.319 --> 00:33:14.839 can burn down and will never go into eternity, 00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:17.619 more than your never dying immortal soul that 00:33:17.619 --> 00:33:21.099 must stand before Jesus Christ and give an account. 00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:25.420 If you care more about the pleasures of this 00:33:25.420 --> 00:33:28.480 life than you do about pleasing Christ, is that 00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:33.579 not messed up? Is that not backwards? That's 00:33:33.579 --> 00:33:37.839 what sin does. It messes up our hearts. It messes 00:33:37.839 --> 00:33:40.720 up our desires. It messes up our longings. It 00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:45.019 makes us... Blind and nearsighted and forgetful, 00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:49.460 brothers and sisters. Peter's writing to wake 00:33:49.460 --> 00:33:53.339 up his readers. He's writing to shake them out 00:33:53.339 --> 00:33:57.720 of the slumber that they are in. He knows it's 00:33:57.720 --> 00:34:02.740 a dangerous game to play. And we ought to never 00:34:02.740 --> 00:34:10.059 play games with our souls. God doesn't. He won't. 00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:12.980 He never has and he never will, and you ought 00:34:12.980 --> 00:34:19.400 not either. We ought to take these things serious. 00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:24.760 This kind of person manifests their blindness, 00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:29.019 and it works itself out in shallow, superficial, 00:34:29.619 --> 00:34:36.039 ineffective, useless, unfruitful Christianity 00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:43.519 that has no vital power, Or life. Peter says. 00:34:45.860 --> 00:34:49.599 That if you are not. Diligently seeking. Desiring. 00:34:49.739 --> 00:34:55.260 Pursuing. And walking in. These qualities. That 00:34:55.260 --> 00:35:01.440 this is true. Of you. Professing Christian. Hear 00:35:01.440 --> 00:35:04.840 the warning. Listen to what Peter is saying. 00:35:06.380 --> 00:35:10.320 Consider your life. Consider your soul. Now, 00:35:10.320 --> 00:35:14.280 why did Peter write this warning? Why is he giving 00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:16.539 this warning to the people of God? Well, we've 00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:18.719 already seen that it's because he loves them. 00:35:20.099 --> 00:35:24.320 And we recognize that and we know that. So we 00:35:24.320 --> 00:35:29.340 must conclude that this is a gracious, a merciful, 00:35:29.460 --> 00:35:35.519 and a loving act on Peter's part. He warns them 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:39.869 because he loves them. It's gracious of God to 00:35:39.869 --> 00:35:46.309 warn us of our sin and its consequences. This 00:35:46.309 --> 00:35:48.969 is meant to bring men and women, professing Christians, 00:35:49.210 --> 00:35:54.429 to a place of examination and repentance in their 00:35:54.429 --> 00:36:00.690 lives. As we noted, and this is important, this 00:36:00.690 --> 00:36:06.530 is a warning for the professing Christian. Who 00:36:06.530 --> 00:36:12.750 is neglecting godliness or it's absent in their 00:36:12.750 --> 00:36:16.710 life. It's not a settled, permanent, and growing 00:36:16.710 --> 00:36:22.630 part of their character and of their life. Peter's 00:36:22.630 --> 00:36:26.690 warning his beloved Christians, his beloved people, 00:36:26.789 --> 00:36:31.690 because he knows and he understands that there 00:36:31.690 --> 00:36:37.329 is an unbreakable bond. There is an unbreakable 00:36:37.329 --> 00:36:41.690 connection and link between the work of Christ 00:36:41.690 --> 00:36:47.530 on the cross and the possession and experience 00:36:47.530 --> 00:36:53.829 of vital godliness in one's life. This is why 00:36:53.829 --> 00:36:57.650 he brings up purification at the end of the verse. 00:36:57.909 --> 00:37:03.320 Or we could say the forgiveness of sins. He's 00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:06.199 bringing in the objective, completed work of 00:37:06.199 --> 00:37:10.900 Christ and connecting it to vital godliness or 00:37:10.900 --> 00:37:15.780 the absence thereof. Why is he doing that? Because 00:37:15.780 --> 00:37:18.480 he's saying there's something much more deep. 00:37:18.840 --> 00:37:21.980 There's something much deeper. There's something 00:37:21.980 --> 00:37:25.380 much more serious that's going on beneath the 00:37:25.380 --> 00:37:28.159 surface. This could point to, this could show 00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:33.679 something much more significant. He knows that 00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:40.619 there's this unbreakable link. Sin creates a 00:37:40.619 --> 00:37:43.940 two -fold need in our lives, brothers and sisters, 00:37:44.159 --> 00:37:48.420 with regards to redemption and salvation. The 00:37:48.420 --> 00:37:52.139 first is the need for deliverance, forgiveness, 00:37:52.420 --> 00:37:58.719 freedom from the guilt of sin. That's dealt with 00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:02.639 on the cross. That's dealt with in the death 00:38:02.639 --> 00:38:07.179 of Jesus Christ, in justification, and God declaring 00:38:07.179 --> 00:38:11.460 us righteous in his sight. It's objective, it's 00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:14.980 completed, it's done. It's outside and separate 00:38:14.980 --> 00:38:19.599 from our experience. But there's another need 00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:25.019 that's created because of sin. And that is for 00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:33.760 cleansing from sin in us. That work is completed 00:38:33.760 --> 00:38:42.719 in the sinner's life. That work is a gradual, 00:38:42.820 --> 00:38:48.940 progressive, experiential work of renewal and 00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:53.280 sanctification. Where we progressively are made 00:38:53.280 --> 00:38:58.820 more like the Lord Jesus Christ. The reason I 00:38:58.820 --> 00:39:03.079 say these two things is because Peter wants us 00:39:03.079 --> 00:39:07.500 to understand this link, this bond between the 00:39:07.500 --> 00:39:10.139 objective and completed work of Christ, the forgiveness 00:39:10.139 --> 00:39:15.380 of sins, and vital godliness or the lack thereof. 00:39:16.179 --> 00:39:18.840 It's important to understand, brothers and sisters, 00:39:19.099 --> 00:39:24.539 that the work of Christ on the cross cannot be 00:39:24.539 --> 00:39:31.360 disconnected from sanctification. The very reason 00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:35.000 that Christ died on the cross was that we might 00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:37.579 be sanctified and that we might be delivered 00:39:37.579 --> 00:39:43.099 in the coming day. The work of Christ is made 00:39:43.099 --> 00:39:48.219 effective in the life of the believer, in the 00:39:48.219 --> 00:39:51.960 life of the sinner, when it's applied to them 00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:59.059 in calling, regeneration, and Sanctification. 00:39:59.059 --> 00:40:01.579 So the work of Christ that he's accomplished 00:40:01.579 --> 00:40:04.840 in redemption is applied to the individual's 00:40:04.840 --> 00:40:11.380 life in this capacity, in this way. The two can't 00:40:11.380 --> 00:40:16.179 be torn apart. They can't be separated. It's 00:40:16.179 --> 00:40:21.599 out of sanctification and calling and conversion 00:40:21.599 --> 00:40:29.210 that godliness works itself out. It comes from, 00:40:29.389 --> 00:40:34.389 it results from, it blossoms as a result of that 00:40:34.389 --> 00:40:38.110 renewal, that sanctification, that transformation 00:40:38.110 --> 00:40:43.570 that the Spirit of God works into us. So, it's 00:40:43.570 --> 00:40:47.590 this. If Christ has forgiven you, Christ will 00:40:47.590 --> 00:40:51.909 sanctify you. If Christ has justified you by 00:40:51.909 --> 00:40:54.889 His righteousness, you will be taught to walk. 00:40:55.289 --> 00:41:00.610 in practical righteousness in this life. If Christ 00:41:00.610 --> 00:41:04.349 has died for you, you will be cleansed and purified 00:41:04.349 --> 00:41:07.010 of sin, not wholly and not completely. Don't 00:41:07.010 --> 00:41:10.630 hear me saying that. We will have a remnant of 00:41:10.630 --> 00:41:14.389 sin in our lives all the days of our life until 00:41:14.389 --> 00:41:22.570 our death. But you can't remove the subjective. 00:41:23.620 --> 00:41:28.260 work of sanctification from the objective, completed 00:41:28.260 --> 00:41:30.599 work of Christ on the cross and the forgiveness 00:41:30.599 --> 00:41:35.340 of sins. So, why do I go down this road, brothers 00:41:35.340 --> 00:41:41.119 and sisters? To show you that if you don't have 00:41:41.119 --> 00:41:45.460 vital godliness in your life, it brings into 00:41:45.460 --> 00:41:49.239 question the validity of your forgiveness of 00:41:49.239 --> 00:41:54.909 sins. If you don't have vital godliness in your 00:41:54.909 --> 00:41:57.630 life, it brings into question whether a true 00:41:57.630 --> 00:42:01.469 work of grace has actually really taken place 00:42:01.469 --> 00:42:05.690 in your soul. Because godliness is the fruit 00:42:05.690 --> 00:42:08.690 and the result and the outcome of sanctification. 00:42:08.750 --> 00:42:11.969 And sanctification is bound to Christ's work 00:42:11.969 --> 00:42:16.010 on the cross. That's why this is so important. 00:42:17.070 --> 00:42:20.170 Because there are eternal souls at stake and 00:42:20.170 --> 00:42:23.690 Peter knows it. Peter knows that the presence 00:42:23.690 --> 00:42:27.050 or absence of these qualities is evidence of 00:42:27.050 --> 00:42:29.909 a work of grace or concern that no such work 00:42:29.909 --> 00:42:35.250 has ever taken place. The warning is meant to 00:42:35.250 --> 00:42:39.530 show man one of two things. This is for the professing 00:42:39.530 --> 00:42:46.510 Christian. It's meant to show them either They 00:42:46.510 --> 00:42:49.750 are a professing Christian who is backslidden 00:42:49.750 --> 00:42:53.030 in the faith and in desperate need of repentance. 00:42:54.110 --> 00:42:58.230 And if that is you today, listen, brother, listen, 00:42:58.409 --> 00:43:06.389 sister, return to Christ. Give up the sin. Forsake 00:43:06.389 --> 00:43:09.289 the pleasure. Forsake the bitterness. Forsake 00:43:09.289 --> 00:43:13.469 the hatred and the envy. Give up the hardness 00:43:13.469 --> 00:43:19.590 of heart. Give up the frustration. Give up the 00:43:19.590 --> 00:43:23.989 pleasure and the love of self and return to your 00:43:23.989 --> 00:43:26.570 Heavenly Father who still loves you with the 00:43:26.570 --> 00:43:31.570 same love that He has for Jesus Christ. Give 00:43:31.570 --> 00:43:33.809 up the things of this world and your affections 00:43:33.809 --> 00:43:36.449 being set upon them and return to the Lord Jesus 00:43:36.449 --> 00:43:41.010 Christ in repentance and faith. Plead with Him 00:43:41.010 --> 00:43:45.289 for strength and life. and preservation, and 00:43:45.289 --> 00:43:49.809 diligence, and power to walk in godliness and 00:43:49.809 --> 00:43:55.349 holiness, to honor His name. That's one option. 00:43:57.550 --> 00:44:03.090 What's the other option? What's the other potential 00:44:03.090 --> 00:44:06.690 outcome for the professing believer who lacks 00:44:06.690 --> 00:44:09.570 these qualities and has no vital godliness in 00:44:09.570 --> 00:44:13.820 their life? That they are professing Christian 00:44:13.820 --> 00:44:19.659 who is hypocritical. A false believer that has 00:44:19.659 --> 00:44:24.880 never known the grace of God. If this is the 00:44:24.880 --> 00:44:29.639 case, this individual is still in their sins 00:44:29.639 --> 00:44:35.019 and under the wrath of the living God. They are 00:44:35.019 --> 00:44:37.739 waiting for judgment and they ought to expect 00:44:37.739 --> 00:44:40.840 a harsher judgment. Greater, more severe judgment. 00:44:40.960 --> 00:44:43.159 Do you know why? Because of the knowledge of 00:44:43.159 --> 00:44:46.119 the gospel that they possess and they have and 00:44:46.119 --> 00:44:52.179 they have professed to known. You're either a 00:44:52.179 --> 00:44:54.760 professing Christian and you're backslidden or 00:44:54.760 --> 00:44:58.599 you're a professing Christian and you're no Christian 00:44:58.599 --> 00:45:02.739 at all if you have no godliness in your life. 00:45:05.340 --> 00:45:09.119 If you are a professing believer. and you're 00:45:09.119 --> 00:45:12.820 sitting in the pew as a hypocrite, and you have 00:45:12.820 --> 00:45:16.159 no desire, no longing, no interest in the things 00:45:16.159 --> 00:45:19.860 of God, in the things of Christ, and these glorious 00:45:19.860 --> 00:45:22.300 realities that He's described, that righteous 00:45:22.300 --> 00:45:30.380 life in Matthew 5 -7, then listen. Run to the 00:45:30.380 --> 00:45:34.679 Lord Jesus Christ. Flee from the wrath to come. 00:45:37.929 --> 00:45:42.349 Turn from your sin now and look to the Lord Jesus 00:45:42.349 --> 00:45:47.869 for life and power and godliness.