Conversing the Kingdom: Sure Salvation

2 Peter 1:10 & 2:21

Taken out of the context of the Bible and a true knowledge of God it could be easy to see these verses as a comment on losing salvation. The truth of the matter is that if God in his mercy has called and elected us who can withstand such a calling? However there is a warning in these verses that false prophets and teachers can be part of the church, can claim christianity as there own, can partake in the Lord's supper, can have known the way of righteousness and yet not be called.
Peter implores us to be watchful that we do not follow such men and women. We will know who there are by their lack of purity in sexual sin and their lack of generosity through greed. These people will look for those who are not mature in faith, new christians, and entice them back to sin. Teaching that there is really no harm in sensual passions and sexual sin. If you love one another why not also be physically connected or live together. Their teaching will be self focused that we deserve the money we have, I mean why not we have earned it. Under the guise of freedom they intice others to become as they are slaves of corruption. Insatiable for sin. An appitite of sin that is never satisfied. So dangerous is this path that Peter says that it would have been better had they never experienced the way of righteousness. In doing so they stoke the fires of their own hell hotter.

Instead we are to to be diligent in our path from faith to love that we make sure our calling and election. We need to build on the sure foundation of Christ with silver and gold not wood and straw. In this way we can see the false teachers and prophets for who they are and not follow in their ways.

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Conversing the Kingdom: Faith to Love

2 Peter 1:3-7

"We are saved by faith alone, but not by faith that is alone."

Peter tells us that through the power of God we have been granted in salvation all things that pertain to life and godliness. But not only do we now have the capacity to godliness but we are called to it. As God had promised we have become partakers in the divine nature because we have been delivered from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires.
What this means is that through the Holy Spirit we have been empowered to separate ourselves from the corruption of sinful desires. However this is not an immediate process but a slow progression of sanctification. For this reason Peter says we are to make every effort to supplement our faith with the good works the Lord has prepared for us to do.
We begin with faith a gift from God
To this we add virtue - that is the acting with integrity and righteousness
To vitue we add knowledge - that is an aquaintance with the truth - an aquaintance with God.
To Knowledge we add self control - that is a restraint of self - a restraint of pride
To self control we add steadfastness - that is unwavering resolution to a fixed direction
To steadfastness we add godliness - that is devotion to God - the direction of our resolution
To godliness we add brotherly affection - that is devotion to others - the direction of our resolution
To brothery affection we add Love - that is a demonstration of worth through sacrifice.
In following this path from Faith to Love Peter promises that we will be kept from ineffectivness and unfruitfulness of the knowledge of the gospel in our lives - that is the love of God who showed us our worth that while we were yet sinners, enemies of his he made the ultimte sacrifice by dying for us.

May the name of the Lord be praised!

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Conversing the Kingdom: The Solution...

So we come to the solution of these trials. What we see is that these trials of either poverty or prosperity bring out of ourselves what is really in our heart. In our prospeity we can find oursleves showing forth the ugly pride of superiority to all those around us. In our adversity we can find ourselves showing forth the ugly pride of inferiority through self pity.

In the gospel we find the solution to both of these trials. In the gospel we learn that we are wicked to the core, not just un-deserving but ill-deserving. We discover that we can be the most successful person in history but in God's eyes we are no better than the lowliest of the low, the begger in the street. Our looks, money, talent, academics, fame all count for nothing. This is the message of the gospel and during our times of prosperity we use this as our smelling salts to wake us out of our sedation of worldly praise and bring about the humility that is right. The humility of knowing that all good gifts come from the Father above and in our prosperity we have a responsibility to use our riches wisly. But first and foremost we need to learn to give the first fruits of our prosperity to God.
On the other side of things in the gospel we learn that we are more loved than we ever could possibly imagine. We have been bought at a cost beyond worldly reconning. We understand that in God's plan there is never a plan B, there is nothing we can do to step outside of it. No lack of trying, no lack of opportunity, no lack of prosperity can spoil God's plan or will for our lives.
This is the message of the Gospel and we can use this in our times of adversity as smelling salts to wake us up from the depths of self pity and anxiety of the future. This Gospel truths bring about a righteous confidence through which we can step into the future.
Through this Gospel truth we become wise and when in times of favorable circumstances when doing the wrong thing has little or no consequence we humble ourselves through the gospel and pay the cost of holiness. Likewise in times of painful circumstances when doing the wrong thing is the easy option we affirm ouselves through the gospel and again pay the cost of holiness.

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