1 00:00:01,990 --> 00:00:03,010 Good day, friends. 2 00:00:03,110 --> 00:00:05,330 Good day very much to our musicians that 3 00:00:05,330 --> 00:00:06,230 have come to help. 4 00:00:06,550 --> 00:00:08,950 They've just made many such good works, even 5 00:00:08,950 --> 00:00:09,670 after a little. 6 00:00:09,850 --> 00:00:11,750 We also have some playgrounds and plants. 7 00:00:12,130 --> 00:00:13,030 The plants are here. 8 00:00:13,530 --> 00:00:15,329 And they probably will help us last night. 9 00:00:15,430 --> 00:00:16,570 Others will be playing. 10 00:00:16,990 --> 00:00:19,130 And also those who have come that will 11 00:00:19,130 --> 00:00:21,670 be bringing you a special, special few. 12 00:00:22,310 --> 00:00:24,010 At this time, we'd like to ask Mr. 13 00:00:24,010 --> 00:00:25,930 Martin Greenfield, Mr. Thornton G. 14 00:00:26,070 --> 00:00:28,530 from Durham, to give us a special number 15 00:00:28,530 --> 00:00:29,790 that I know is right on top. 16 00:00:39,130 --> 00:00:49,070 ♪ ♪ All is the 17 00:00:49,070 --> 00:00:56,290 gift of thy peace, ♪ Peace in the 18 00:00:56,290 --> 00:00:58,330 reigning within. 19 00:00:58,330 --> 00:01:08,250 ♪ This I give thee, ♪ For God's 20 00:01:08,250 --> 00:01:16,210 sake's sake, ♪ Let me know happy I've 21 00:01:16,210 --> 00:01:17,450 been. 22 00:01:50,020 --> 00:01:58,080 ♪ I'm glad we meet thee, ♪ Good 23 00:02:14,690 --> 00:02:26,180 morning, good morning, ♪ Good morning, good 24 00:02:26,180 --> 00:03:03,060 morning, ♪ I'm glad we meet thee, ♪ 25 00:03:03,060 --> 00:03:16,980 Good morning, 26 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:53,080 good morning, ♪ 27 00:03:53,080 --> 00:04:06,780 Good morning, good morning, ♪ I'm 28 00:04:06,780 --> 00:04:16,470 glad we meet thee, ♪ Good morning, 29 00:04:16,649 --> 00:04:59,640 good morning, ♪ 30 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,200 I'm glad we meet thee. 31 00:05:13,980 --> 00:05:14,700 Thank you very much. 32 00:05:15,460 --> 00:05:17,480 Now we're gonna stand and sing just before 33 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:18,580 our message number nine. 34 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:20,180 Number 9-0. 35 00:05:20,300 --> 00:05:21,580 I've been hearing a lot of folks talking 36 00:05:21,580 --> 00:05:22,060 about this. 37 00:05:28,020 --> 00:05:28,900 Well, let's sing about it. 38 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:29,400 Let's be right. 39 00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:36,780 ♪ ♪ May 40 00:05:36,780 --> 00:05:46,280 my Father love me, my God, ♪ And 41 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:52,460 bless my family and my children young, ♪ 42 00:05:52,460 --> 00:05:59,920 Be gracious, Father, and praise the Father, ♪ 43 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:05,940 May my Father love me, my God, ♪ 44 00:06:05,940 --> 00:06:15,560 May, may, I give to Christ 45 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:23,840 my gift of love, ♪ May, may, 46 00:06:24,900 --> 00:06:33,740 I give to Christ my gift of love, 47 00:06:35,330 --> 00:06:41,940 ♪ May my Father love me, my God, 48 00:06:55,240 --> 00:07:02,040 ♪ May my Father love me, my God, 49 00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:07,040 ♪ And bless my family and my children 50 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:11,660 young, ♪ May my Father love me, my 51 00:07:11,660 --> 00:07:16,540 God, ♪ And bless my family and my 52 00:07:16,540 --> 00:07:35,190 children young, ♪ May, may, I give 53 00:07:35,190 --> 00:07:36,730 to Christ my gift of love, ♪ May 54 00:07:36,730 --> 00:07:46,750 my Father love me, my God, ♪ 55 00:07:46,750 --> 00:08:22,040 May my 56 00:08:32,500 --> 00:08:41,620 Father love me, my God, ♪ And bless 57 00:08:41,620 --> 00:08:44,620 my family and my children young, ♪ May 58 00:08:44,620 --> 00:08:51,180 my Father love me, my God, ♪ And 59 00:09:21,300 --> 00:09:23,180 bless my family and my children young, ♪ 60 00:09:23,180 --> 00:09:48,270 May my Father love me, my God, ♪ 61 00:09:48,270 --> 00:09:52,050 And bless my family and my children young, 62 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:23,720 ♪ May my Father love me, my God, 63 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:26,600 ♪ And bless my family and my children 64 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:26,920 young, ♪ May my Father love me, my 65 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:33,500 God, ♪ And bless my family and my 66 00:10:33,500 --> 00:10:34,260 children young, ♪ May my Father love me, 67 00:10:34,260 --> 00:11:07,640 my God, And 68 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:09,360 I think that most of you have received 69 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,520 a copy of the outline. 70 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:13,340 If you haven't, perhaps as you raise your 71 00:11:13,340 --> 00:11:15,420 hand, one will be passed to you. 72 00:11:15,540 --> 00:11:17,640 For anyone who didn't receive a copy, they 73 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:21,780 are a very efficient job by the ushers. 74 00:11:27,110 --> 00:11:30,730 This second epistle of Peter has to do 75 00:11:30,730 --> 00:11:35,370 with Paul's teachers in the last days. 76 00:11:36,170 --> 00:11:39,950 Peter's first epistle has to do with suffering 77 00:11:39,950 --> 00:11:44,330 with and for a well-known Christ. 78 00:11:45,630 --> 00:11:49,930 But now his second epistle comes to the 79 00:11:49,930 --> 00:11:53,730 fact that during the latter days, a great 80 00:11:53,730 --> 00:11:57,310 onslaught would be made against the truth of 81 00:11:57,310 --> 00:11:57,730 God. 82 00:12:01,050 --> 00:12:03,470 We've held onslaught against the truth. 83 00:12:03,590 --> 00:12:04,950 This country has seen it. 84 00:12:05,550 --> 00:12:10,530 Robert Ingersoll, the avowed infidel who went slashing 85 00:12:10,530 --> 00:12:12,810 against the Christian faith. 86 00:12:14,110 --> 00:12:16,190 But Peter is dealing with something different. 87 00:12:16,350 --> 00:12:19,510 He's dealing with men who would arise within 88 00:12:19,510 --> 00:12:25,570 the professing church and seek to undermine it 89 00:12:25,570 --> 00:12:28,750 while still taking their place within. 90 00:12:31,670 --> 00:12:35,390 And he saw their attack as taking neat 91 00:12:35,390 --> 00:12:35,910 forms. 92 00:12:36,750 --> 00:12:39,050 At least as you read this epistle, you 93 00:12:39,050 --> 00:12:42,610 find that it is rather a three-pronged 94 00:12:42,610 --> 00:12:43,090 attack. 95 00:12:44,810 --> 00:12:49,230 First of all, it's a face-to-face 96 00:12:49,230 --> 00:12:53,390 attack on the inspiration of the Word of 97 00:12:53,390 --> 00:12:53,650 God. 98 00:12:54,710 --> 00:12:58,590 And we expect to be speaking at some 99 00:12:58,590 --> 00:13:00,670 length on that subject as we come to 100 00:13:00,670 --> 00:13:00,970 it. 101 00:13:02,450 --> 00:13:06,390 But just to remind you as to how 102 00:13:06,390 --> 00:13:12,910 timely the epistle is, there's a seminary in 103 00:13:12,910 --> 00:13:14,690 the eastern part of this country that for 104 00:13:14,690 --> 00:13:18,590 thousands of years has always been noted for 105 00:13:18,590 --> 00:13:20,490 being true to the Word of God. 106 00:13:20,590 --> 00:13:22,750 And in the last few years, one of 107 00:13:22,750 --> 00:13:24,670 its professors has come out with a book 108 00:13:25,490 --> 00:13:28,810 entitled The Inspiration of the Church. 109 00:13:31,180 --> 00:13:33,320 And in that book, he teaches the very 110 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:33,800 opposite. 111 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,920 He teaches that the Bible is a fallible 112 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:38,320 book. 113 00:13:39,500 --> 00:13:44,140 But after all, it does have contradictions in 114 00:13:44,140 --> 00:13:44,320 it. 115 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,500 It does have errors in it. 116 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:50,280 It's a good book, and you shouldn't get 117 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,320 rid of it for that fact, but the 118 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:54,480 sooner we're willing to face the fact that 119 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,720 it is an errant book, the better, he 120 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:57,040 says. 121 00:13:58,240 --> 00:13:59,740 As far as I know, he hasn't been 122 00:13:59,740 --> 00:14:02,000 asked to resign from the faculty of that 123 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:02,260 church. 124 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:05,260 This is what Peter is preaching. 125 00:14:05,500 --> 00:14:07,320 That this very thing would happen. 126 00:14:07,820 --> 00:14:12,080 That men in its theatrical office would arise 127 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:17,100 to deny the inspiration of the Word of 128 00:14:17,100 --> 00:14:17,340 God. 129 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:20,640 And then the second part of that attack 130 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,400 would have to do with the coming again 131 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,780 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 132 00:14:26,860 --> 00:14:28,460 And I don't think I have to say 133 00:14:28,460 --> 00:14:31,580 to anyone here today the fact that the 134 00:14:31,580 --> 00:14:35,620 coming again of the Savior is downgraded in 135 00:14:35,620 --> 00:14:37,540 Christendom today. 136 00:14:41,660 --> 00:14:44,120 And a great deal of controversy has gone 137 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,500 on, so that by many this subject is 138 00:14:46,500 --> 00:14:48,020 just not evident. 139 00:14:49,660 --> 00:14:51,660 But the sad fact of it is that 140 00:14:51,660 --> 00:14:59,140 there are very few Christian fellowships, Christian schools, 141 00:14:59,500 --> 00:15:03,020 Christian colleges, Christian seminaries, that would be willing 142 00:15:03,020 --> 00:15:07,300 today to stand and be counted and to 143 00:15:07,300 --> 00:15:11,460 say outright that Jesus Christ would come back 144 00:15:11,460 --> 00:15:12,540 today to our services. 145 00:15:15,510 --> 00:15:16,390 That's what he was saying. 146 00:15:17,410 --> 00:15:20,050 And then the third area of the attack 147 00:15:20,050 --> 00:15:24,310 of these false teachers, Peter said, would be 148 00:15:24,310 --> 00:15:26,470 in the sphere of morals. 149 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:33,240 He said, this wouldn't be ungodly people condoning 150 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:38,560 immorality, but this would be religious teachers who 151 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,840 would be spreading this false doctrine. 152 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,820 And as we go on, we hope to 153 00:15:46,820 --> 00:15:49,900 be able to quote some leading authorities in 154 00:15:49,900 --> 00:15:52,320 the religious world today and hear some of 155 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,780 the things that they're saying about the new 156 00:15:55,780 --> 00:15:56,960 morality. 157 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:58,860 In fact, it's so bad that a lot 158 00:15:58,860 --> 00:16:02,700 of the specific leaders of our country aren't 159 00:16:02,700 --> 00:16:04,640 frankly shared. 160 00:16:06,380 --> 00:16:08,700 Just let's look at the outline, first of 161 00:16:08,700 --> 00:16:15,580 all, in its broader detail, and we'll see 162 00:16:15,580 --> 00:16:17,920 how Peter traces his subject. 163 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:20,720 First of all, we have this malutation in 164 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,260 the first two verses, every word of which 165 00:16:23,260 --> 00:16:25,100 is meaningful. 166 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,220 It would be helpful to start our study 167 00:16:29,220 --> 00:16:30,700 of second Peter, but that's not the case. 168 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,380 Every word of God is pure. 169 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,040 Then you have God's wonderful provision for his 170 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:42,240 people in name of apostasy, a fact that 171 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,860 we're not left to our own devices, but 172 00:16:44,860 --> 00:16:48,520 God has made full and sufficient provision for 173 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,540 us that we don't have to fall. 174 00:16:50,540 --> 00:16:54,280 Before the onslaught of these men. 175 00:16:56,260 --> 00:16:57,700 God has done his part. 176 00:16:57,780 --> 00:16:59,380 We have to do ours, too. 177 00:16:59,460 --> 00:17:02,580 The believer has a certain responsibility, and that 178 00:17:02,580 --> 00:17:07,460 responsibility lies in the area of Christian character. 179 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,720 We're exhorted to go on and tell of 180 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,099 it spiritually, so that we will not be 181 00:17:14,099 --> 00:17:16,300 prey for false teachings. 182 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:20,599 Verses 12-15, the need is constantly mine 183 00:17:20,599 --> 00:17:22,119 to release known truths. 184 00:17:23,540 --> 00:17:24,740 And how true that is. 185 00:17:24,839 --> 00:17:27,220 I can remember Dr. Ironside saying that he 186 00:17:27,220 --> 00:17:28,660 used to go over the truths of the 187 00:17:28,660 --> 00:17:31,040 word of God again and again. 188 00:17:31,180 --> 00:17:33,020 For one thing, he realized he never had 189 00:17:33,020 --> 00:17:35,840 the same audience twice, but another thing, he 190 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,680 realized that there's a danger of letting these 191 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:39,900 things slip. 192 00:17:40,060 --> 00:17:41,860 Somebody came to me recently and said, You 193 00:17:41,860 --> 00:17:45,040 know, in our assembly, we never hear the 194 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,640 coming of the Lord Jesus Christ the Father. 195 00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:49,440 That was close to the significance. 196 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:54,540 And said, Then you have the trustworthiness of 197 00:17:54,540 --> 00:17:58,280 the message concerning Christ's power and coming. 198 00:17:58,900 --> 00:18:01,880 And so, in this section, verses 16-21 199 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,560 of chapter 1, you have the Apostle Peter 200 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:05,920 bringing together two things. 201 00:18:06,060 --> 00:18:08,420 First of all, the inspiration of the scriptures, 202 00:18:08,420 --> 00:18:13,120 and secondly, the coming again of the Lord 203 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:14,140 Jesus Christ. 204 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:16,900 Now, in the second chapter, he has the 205 00:18:16,900 --> 00:18:20,200 rise of these false teachers, and they're described 206 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,080 in great detail. 207 00:18:22,860 --> 00:18:24,590 The word of God is wonderful. 208 00:18:25,380 --> 00:18:26,420 The word of God is wonderful. 209 00:18:26,580 --> 00:18:30,620 I would put a finger on these things, 210 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,200 and one can only say, after reading a 211 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,560 chapter like this, and looking about the world 212 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:40,400 today, I stand in awe. 213 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:42,260 That's body words. 214 00:18:43,020 --> 00:18:45,400 And then in chapter 3, you have believers 215 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:49,380 forewarned of the last day's suffers. 216 00:18:50,420 --> 00:18:54,360 And then finally, you have Peter's closing exhortation 217 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:59,700 and benediction, the last two verses of chapter 218 00:18:59,700 --> 00:19:00,100 3. 219 00:19:00,180 --> 00:19:03,880 Now, this is a fairly short epistle, and 220 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:05,560 I trust that the Lord will speak to 221 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:07,400 all of our hearts through it. 222 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:10,380 Shall we now turn to chapter 1, and 223 00:19:10,380 --> 00:19:12,980 we'll read the first 11 verses. 224 00:19:14,020 --> 00:19:18,360 Second Peter, chapter 1, verses 1-11. 225 00:19:19,700 --> 00:19:23,020 Says, And Simon Peter, a servant and an 226 00:19:23,020 --> 00:19:26,520 apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have 227 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:31,100 obtained life's precious faith with us through the 228 00:19:31,100 --> 00:19:34,520 righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ, 229 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,320 grace and peace be multiplied unto you through 230 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:41,640 the knowledge of God and of Jesus our 231 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:42,040 Lord. 232 00:19:43,500 --> 00:19:46,580 According as his divine power hath given unto 233 00:19:46,580 --> 00:19:49,660 us all things that pertain unto life and 234 00:19:49,660 --> 00:19:52,760 godliness through the knowledge of him that hath 235 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,460 called us to glory and virtue, provider given 236 00:19:56,460 --> 00:20:00,540 unto us exceeding great and precious promises that 237 00:20:00,540 --> 00:20:03,940 by these ye might be partakers of the 238 00:20:03,940 --> 00:20:07,900 divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is 239 00:20:07,900 --> 00:20:09,440 in the world to us. 240 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:16,800 And beside this, giving all diligence, and to 241 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:22,220 your faith, virtue, and to virtue, knowledge, and 242 00:20:22,220 --> 00:20:27,120 to knowledge, temperance, and to temperance, patience, and 243 00:20:27,120 --> 00:20:32,240 to patience, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, 244 00:20:32,620 --> 00:20:35,680 and to brotherly kindness, charity, or love. 245 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,640 For if these things be in you and 246 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,920 abound, they make you that ye shall neither 247 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:46,380 be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of 248 00:20:46,380 --> 00:20:48,340 our Lord Jesus Christ. 249 00:20:49,980 --> 00:20:52,700 For he that lacketh these things is blind, 250 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:56,260 and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten 251 00:20:56,260 --> 00:20:58,960 that he was purged from his old sins. 252 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,400 Wherefore the rod of brethren give diligence to 253 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,080 make your calling and election sure. 254 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:08,160 For if ye do these things ye shall 255 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:09,500 never fall. 256 00:21:09,980 --> 00:21:13,220 For so an infant shall be ministered unto 257 00:21:13,220 --> 00:21:17,720 you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our 258 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,440 Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 259 00:21:21,700 --> 00:21:24,240 Now, first of all, you have Peter's salutation 260 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,620 in the first two verses of this chapter. 261 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:32,680 He introduces himself as Simon Peter, a servant 262 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:36,100 and an apostle of Jesus Christ. 263 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:40,240 I think that's beautiful. 264 00:21:40,380 --> 00:21:45,020 That word servant really means bond-servant, or 265 00:21:45,020 --> 00:21:46,100 bond-slave. 266 00:21:47,180 --> 00:21:51,140 And he even puts that here before an 267 00:21:51,140 --> 00:21:51,600 apostle. 268 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,300 He's going to speak to believers on the 269 00:21:56,300 --> 00:21:58,100 subject of latter-day Christians. 270 00:21:58,940 --> 00:22:02,460 He's appealing to them first as a slave 271 00:22:02,460 --> 00:22:07,020 of Jesus Christ, then reminding them, too, that 272 00:22:07,020 --> 00:22:10,380 he speaks with the authority of an apostle 273 00:22:10,380 --> 00:22:12,100 of the Lord Jesus. 274 00:22:12,420 --> 00:22:14,360 But to me, the beautiful thing is that 275 00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:16,640 there's no pretension here. 276 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,960 You know, some men today, or down through 277 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:24,220 the years, have claimed to be successors of 278 00:22:24,220 --> 00:22:24,540 Peter. 279 00:22:25,380 --> 00:22:27,960 And it's quite amazing the names that they 280 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:31,800 have taken to themselves, such as one of 281 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:35,600 them is Pontifex Maximus, that means Chief Bridge 282 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:36,120 Builder. 283 00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:38,940 I frankly don't get the connection, but that's 284 00:22:38,940 --> 00:22:39,740 one of his cousins. 285 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,080 Another is Holy Father. 286 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,840 Peter speaks of himself as a bond-slave, 287 00:22:48,260 --> 00:22:50,760 an apostle of the Lord Jesus. 288 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:55,060 As a bond-slave, he reminds us that 289 00:22:55,060 --> 00:22:58,560 he and we do not belong to ourselves, 290 00:22:59,300 --> 00:23:03,940 that we've been purchased, that we belong to 291 00:23:03,940 --> 00:23:04,300 another. 292 00:23:04,940 --> 00:23:08,180 And as an apostle, he reminds us that 293 00:23:08,180 --> 00:23:13,820 he was divinely commissioned, he was one sent 294 00:23:13,820 --> 00:23:15,480 by the Lord. 295 00:23:15,860 --> 00:23:18,460 I suppose the parallel today would be the 296 00:23:18,460 --> 00:23:19,940 word missionary. 297 00:23:20,700 --> 00:23:23,520 And so, he speaks of him as a 298 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,400 bond-slave missionary. 299 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:28,720 Very, very beautiful. 300 00:23:31,270 --> 00:23:33,530 I think it's significant that the way a 301 00:23:33,530 --> 00:23:37,050 man thinks of himself tells us what he 302 00:23:37,050 --> 00:23:39,770 puts first in his life. 303 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,040 What am I? 304 00:23:45,700 --> 00:23:46,600 What are you? 305 00:23:46,780 --> 00:23:50,340 What is central in our lives? 306 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:53,380 One of the things we have to guard 307 00:23:53,380 --> 00:23:55,600 against today is putting a lot of other 308 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,500 names, other words after our names. 309 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:03,940 Things that really don't count in the annals 310 00:24:03,940 --> 00:24:04,900 of eternity. 311 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,780 It's so easy to put after our names 312 00:24:09,780 --> 00:24:12,040 subordinate things. 313 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:17,840 And forget the real purpose for which they 314 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:18,260 are given. 315 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:21,480 Some time ago, I went over to the 316 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:25,100 library of a seminary near us, and they 317 00:24:25,100 --> 00:24:29,460 publish books giving the titles of all the 318 00:24:29,460 --> 00:24:32,460 theses that people have written in order to 319 00:24:32,460 --> 00:24:35,660 get a doctoral degree, a PhD degree. 320 00:24:36,740 --> 00:24:39,580 And so, just for my own information, and 321 00:24:39,580 --> 00:24:43,320 perhaps with a streak of naughtiness, I took 322 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:46,700 down two of those volumes to see what 323 00:24:46,700 --> 00:24:49,900 men were spending their lives on today. 324 00:24:52,620 --> 00:24:53,780 And you know, it was quite amazing. 325 00:24:53,980 --> 00:24:55,940 I knew that there would be some things 326 00:24:55,940 --> 00:24:57,660 that wouldn't be too important, but I never 327 00:24:57,660 --> 00:25:01,040 guessed that men would make, as the aim 328 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:03,460 and ambition of their lives, some of the 329 00:25:03,460 --> 00:25:04,500 things that I'm going to say. 330 00:25:05,860 --> 00:25:09,180 For instance, one man wrote a thesis on 331 00:25:09,180 --> 00:25:12,980 mineral deficiencies in the tomato and the poplar. 332 00:25:15,620 --> 00:25:20,260 And another one on sediments in Chesapeake Bay. 333 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:25,800 And another on the browning reaction in potato 334 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:26,260 chips. 335 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:30,720 Now you think that's not good, but it 336 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:31,000 is. 337 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,200 I have a long list of them here, 338 00:25:33,300 --> 00:25:34,580 in fact, if you'd like to hear some 339 00:25:34,580 --> 00:25:34,920 more. 340 00:25:35,700 --> 00:25:37,580 The Sugar Mites of Kansas. 341 00:25:39,360 --> 00:25:42,140 The Nervous and Cold of Shivering. 342 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:45,540 I wonder what he got out of that. 343 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,020 And then this was in 3D. 344 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:53,160 The Summer Habits of Wyoming Antelope. 345 00:25:54,020 --> 00:25:56,180 The Summer Habits of Wyoming Antelope. 346 00:25:56,180 --> 00:25:57,940 And I was thinking, a hundred years from 347 00:25:57,940 --> 00:25:58,940 today, what's this? 348 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,200 I said, I like what Peter wrote. 349 00:26:04,060 --> 00:26:09,160 One servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ. 350 00:26:09,980 --> 00:26:16,200 I noticed that the Apostle Peter characteristically speaks 351 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,560 of the Lord Jesus as Jesus Christ. 352 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:23,000 Paul characteristically speaks of him as Christ Jesus. 353 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,080 Peter accompanied with the Lord Jesus, and of 354 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,420 course Jesus was the name given to him 355 00:26:30,420 --> 00:26:34,060 in humanity, and so he normally refers to 356 00:26:34,060 --> 00:26:35,340 him as Jesus Christ. 357 00:26:35,500 --> 00:26:38,920 Christ is his name, and ascension and glorification 358 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:42,880 is his name as the anointed of God. 359 00:26:43,420 --> 00:26:44,940 But I guess it's not fair to say 360 00:26:44,940 --> 00:26:49,060 this, but I hope that we all have 361 00:26:49,060 --> 00:26:52,900 clear views on the fact that the Lord 362 00:26:52,900 --> 00:26:57,960 Jesus is a man with a glorified body 363 00:26:57,960 --> 00:26:59,300 in heaven today. 364 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:03,480 People have such vague, mystical ideas of the 365 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:03,680 Lord. 366 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,620 They think of him as a spirit being, 367 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:10,280 an ethereal being in heaven. 368 00:27:11,540 --> 00:27:14,040 But the Bible tells us that the Lord 369 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:16,300 Jesus, the one who was crucified on the 370 00:27:16,300 --> 00:27:18,980 cross of Calvary, is in heaven today with 371 00:27:18,980 --> 00:27:22,580 the mark of Calvary upon him. 372 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,100 And that's the one who personally is going 373 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:28,500 to come back for his waiting people, and 374 00:27:28,500 --> 00:27:33,160 that's the one whom the unsaved have to 375 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:33,840 deal with. 376 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:39,920 Not some mystical, vague thought of an infallible, 377 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:45,060 but the God-man glorified at the right 378 00:27:45,060 --> 00:27:46,820 hand of the throne. 379 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:54,080 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus 380 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:56,680 Christ, he says to them that have obtained 381 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:59,960 life's precious faith with us. 382 00:28:00,420 --> 00:28:02,880 Actually, we don't know exactly to whom this 383 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:03,860 epistle was written. 384 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,040 The first epistle was written to Jews of 385 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,580 the dispersion, Jews that had been scattered throughout 386 00:28:10,580 --> 00:28:13,700 the countries of the then-known world, countries 387 00:28:13,700 --> 00:28:16,300 such as are named in Acts 2. 388 00:28:16,620 --> 00:28:18,740 I suppose it would be easy to assume 389 00:28:18,740 --> 00:28:21,620 that this epistle was written to the same 390 00:28:21,620 --> 00:28:23,160 people, but it doesn't say. 391 00:28:23,460 --> 00:28:26,660 It says to them that have obtained life's 392 00:28:26,660 --> 00:28:28,340 precious faith with us. 393 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,340 And so that makes it very applicable to 394 00:28:32,340 --> 00:28:33,560 ourselves today. 395 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:38,860 I like that expression, life's precious faith. 396 00:28:39,530 --> 00:28:41,560 You know, of course, that the word precious 397 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:45,040 is used frequently by Peter. 398 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:47,200 I think it's significant that he speaks of 399 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:52,900 our faith as being precious, because we're living 400 00:28:52,900 --> 00:28:56,520 in a day when one of the great 401 00:28:56,520 --> 00:29:01,360 keywords is tolerance, or toleration. 402 00:29:02,220 --> 00:29:04,380 Doesn't get excited about anything. 403 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,700 And after all, people are entitled to their 404 00:29:07,700 --> 00:29:09,160 opposing views. 405 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:15,380 Now, Peter says here that our faith is 406 00:29:15,380 --> 00:29:19,760 precious, and it deserves to be guarded, and 407 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:21,300 deserves to be defended. 408 00:29:23,060 --> 00:29:25,460 Those who obtain life's precious faith. 409 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:30,200 That also has been translated to those who 410 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:34,740 have obtained an equal standing with us. 411 00:29:35,260 --> 00:29:37,040 An equal standing with us. 412 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:38,300 I think that's the way it is in 413 00:29:38,300 --> 00:29:41,520 some of the other versions of the New 414 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:41,940 Testament. 415 00:29:42,660 --> 00:29:44,760 Now that's a nice thought too, isn't it? 416 00:29:46,860 --> 00:29:49,700 God in his wonderful grace has reached down 417 00:29:49,700 --> 00:29:52,260 salvation to Jews and Gentiles. 418 00:29:52,260 --> 00:29:54,720 He takes people up from the scrap heap, 419 00:29:55,340 --> 00:29:58,120 as it were, and he gives them equal 420 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:02,400 standing before himself in the person of the 421 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:03,580 Lord Jesus Christ. 422 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:07,800 I think that that's one of the truths 423 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,800 that makes me a worshiper more than the 424 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:12,000 other. 425 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,340 Dear, so very dear to God, I could 426 00:30:15,340 --> 00:30:16,340 not nearer be. 427 00:30:16,860 --> 00:30:18,840 For in the person of his Son, I 428 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:19,800 could nearer be. 429 00:30:21,180 --> 00:30:23,900 Dear, so very dear to God, I could 430 00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:24,860 not nearer be. 431 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:27,500 The love wherewith he loves his God. 432 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:31,580 Such is his love to me. 433 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:34,600 Now, Peter says that we who obtain life's 434 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,920 precious faith are in equal standing even with 435 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:37,280 us. 436 00:30:37,740 --> 00:30:39,460 Who do you think that us is? 437 00:30:40,540 --> 00:30:42,840 Well, it could mean the Apostles. 438 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:47,020 And once again, that would be a blow 439 00:30:47,020 --> 00:30:50,820 at the pretension of those who claim to 440 00:30:50,820 --> 00:30:52,680 be Peter's successors. 441 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:55,540 Or it could mean, us could mean Peter 442 00:30:55,540 --> 00:30:57,980 and those who were with him when he 443 00:30:57,980 --> 00:30:59,180 wrote the letter. 444 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:03,840 Or, if you assume that this epistle was 445 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:06,880 written to Gentiles, as some do, then the 446 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:09,120 us could refer to the leading Jews. 447 00:31:09,620 --> 00:31:11,980 The fact that the leading Gentiles are brought 448 00:31:11,980 --> 00:31:15,620 into the same place of Peter as the 449 00:31:15,620 --> 00:31:16,320 leading Jews. 450 00:31:17,780 --> 00:31:19,180 But then the next thing he says is 451 00:31:19,180 --> 00:31:22,400 that we have obtained life's precious faith through 452 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:26,500 the righteousness of God and our Savior. 453 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,020 Now, this is lovely, and it teaches us 454 00:31:30,020 --> 00:31:34,400 that God didn't give us this precious faith 455 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:35,500 unrighteously. 456 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:40,400 He didn't save us through weeping at our 457 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:42,760 sin or weeping at our guilt. 458 00:31:42,980 --> 00:31:45,340 The whole thing was carried on in the 459 00:31:45,340 --> 00:31:47,900 most righteous way. 460 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:52,120 God caused our sin to be placed upon 461 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:53,660 his own beloved son. 462 00:31:53,660 --> 00:31:57,840 Christ paid the penalty that our sins deserved, 463 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:02,260 and God is absolutely satisfied, and now he 464 00:32:02,260 --> 00:32:05,580 has a righteous basis upon which he can 465 00:32:05,580 --> 00:32:08,440 go out to ungodly sins. 466 00:32:09,100 --> 00:32:11,100 So, that's a lovely expression, isn't it? 467 00:32:11,100 --> 00:32:15,460 Through the righteousness of God and our Savior. 468 00:32:16,460 --> 00:32:18,700 God could not pass a sinner by. 469 00:32:18,780 --> 00:32:21,580 The law demands that he must die, but 470 00:32:21,580 --> 00:32:23,940 in the cross of Christ he is raised. 471 00:32:24,700 --> 00:32:27,740 His righteousness yet wonders great. 472 00:32:28,780 --> 00:32:31,460 The sin of life from Jesus' head is 473 00:32:31,460 --> 00:32:33,440 in his blood. 474 00:32:33,740 --> 00:32:35,040 His debt is paid. 475 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:40,220 Stern justice could demand no more, and mercy 476 00:32:40,220 --> 00:32:42,380 can dispense her sore. 477 00:32:42,380 --> 00:32:44,920 You know, there's something else very beautiful in 478 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:45,840 this version of Scripture. 479 00:32:46,300 --> 00:32:48,300 You don't get it in this version, in 480 00:32:48,300 --> 00:32:50,020 King James Version, but it really says, Of 481 00:32:50,020 --> 00:32:51,320 our God and Savior. 482 00:32:52,300 --> 00:32:54,280 Of our God and Savior. 483 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:57,360 Like all people, the Greeks had a way 484 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,200 of saying things, and if they had wanted 485 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:04,780 to express the idea of two different people, 486 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:06,980 they could say, Of our God and of 487 00:33:06,980 --> 00:33:07,780 our Savior. 488 00:33:07,780 --> 00:33:11,320 But when they said, Of our God and 489 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:13,960 Savior, that was a way to then say, 490 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:18,080 They're one and the same, equal here in 491 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:18,820 all respect. 492 00:33:19,180 --> 00:33:21,260 And that's really what you have in verse 493 00:33:21,260 --> 00:33:21,700 1. 494 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:23,700 Our God and Savior. 495 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:26,560 And so I think it's wonderful that in 496 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:30,000 the very first verse of his epistle, dealing 497 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:35,580 with false teachers, that the Apostle Peter introduces 498 00:33:35,580 --> 00:33:37,600 us to the glorious truth. 499 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:42,560 That our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is 500 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:46,600 God over all, blessed forever. 501 00:33:48,980 --> 00:33:52,340 Then he says, To the great and each 502 00:33:52,340 --> 00:33:55,020 be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of 503 00:33:55,020 --> 00:33:58,280 God and of Jesus our Lord. 504 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:01,420 A perfect grace that reached us in the 505 00:34:01,420 --> 00:34:03,540 first place when we were in our sins, 506 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:05,760 and brought us near to God. 507 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:06,720 Grace. 508 00:34:06,940 --> 00:34:13,320 God acting worthily and graciously toward those who 509 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:14,420 did not deserve it. 510 00:34:14,860 --> 00:34:16,639 But grace here means something else. 511 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:21,400 I think grace means undeserved favor along the 512 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:25,420 way in Christian life, undeserved strength for all 513 00:34:25,420 --> 00:34:26,560 that is necessary. 514 00:34:27,199 --> 00:34:29,760 And peace, of course, is the calm and 515 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:33,340 repose that comes to the heart that has 516 00:34:33,340 --> 00:34:35,900 been touched by the grace of God, and 517 00:34:35,900 --> 00:34:38,260 that knows the grace of God in a 518 00:34:38,260 --> 00:34:40,000 day-by-day experience. 519 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:43,000 Now, it's interesting to know that grace and 520 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:44,639 peace can be multiplied. 521 00:34:45,300 --> 00:34:48,639 It's not just a simple addition, it's a 522 00:34:48,639 --> 00:34:49,340 multiplication. 523 00:34:50,780 --> 00:34:56,200 And this holds up the possibilities of Christian 524 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:56,740 growth. 525 00:34:57,740 --> 00:35:00,120 You know, they tell us that in a 526 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:04,600 physical sense, that we don't use a fraction 527 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:08,380 of the mental ability that we have. 528 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,360 They say that our brains are so constituted 529 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:16,180 that there's tremendous possibility there that even Einstein 530 00:35:16,180 --> 00:35:18,760 used it very, very little. 531 00:35:19,940 --> 00:35:21,480 But, you know, if that's true in a 532 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:23,580 physical sense of the human brain, I often 533 00:35:23,580 --> 00:35:25,900 think how much more wonderful it is to 534 00:35:25,900 --> 00:35:31,360 think of spiritual possibility, and what a small 535 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,560 fraction of that we ever use. 536 00:35:34,100 --> 00:35:37,740 It's wonderful to think that the power that 537 00:35:37,740 --> 00:35:40,640 raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead 538 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:43,400 has been placed at our disposal. 539 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:49,800 Just think what a dynamo that is. 540 00:35:51,620 --> 00:35:54,480 But what kind of courage do we draw 541 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:55,000 from it? 542 00:35:55,140 --> 00:35:55,740 110? 543 00:35:56,420 --> 00:35:57,020 220? 544 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:58,680 Just what could it be? 545 00:35:59,620 --> 00:36:02,160 Well, I fear that most of us would 546 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:06,180 have to say that we really haven't scratched 547 00:36:06,180 --> 00:36:06,780 the surface. 548 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:10,180 The spiritual possibility. 549 00:36:10,540 --> 00:36:13,140 Grace and peace can be multiplied over the 550 00:36:13,140 --> 00:36:13,280 years. 551 00:36:13,460 --> 00:36:13,880 How? 552 00:36:14,180 --> 00:36:16,740 It is through the knowledge of God. 553 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,040 Now, I say every word of God is 554 00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:22,560 pure, and nothing, not a word of Scripture 555 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:23,680 is without significance. 556 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,920 And I think it's very significant, once again, 557 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:30,100 that in an epistle dealing with latter-day 558 00:36:30,100 --> 00:36:33,640 teachers, that Peter should use this expression, the 559 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:35,920 knowledge of God, and mind you, he uses 560 00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:38,300 it over and over again. 561 00:36:40,570 --> 00:36:44,250 Grace and peace are multiplied through the knowledge 562 00:36:44,250 --> 00:36:44,990 of God. 563 00:36:45,030 --> 00:36:45,690 What does it mean? 564 00:36:45,690 --> 00:36:48,470 I think it means through coming to know 565 00:36:48,470 --> 00:36:50,770 God more and more. 566 00:36:50,850 --> 00:36:54,130 That's how you grow in the Christian life, 567 00:36:54,970 --> 00:36:56,170 through coming to know him. 568 00:36:56,190 --> 00:36:57,970 And, of course, that brings us right down 569 00:36:57,970 --> 00:37:00,530 to the word of God, because that is 570 00:37:00,530 --> 00:37:03,630 first and foremost where we come to know 571 00:37:03,630 --> 00:37:03,790 him. 572 00:37:04,890 --> 00:37:07,530 You know, all down through the history of 573 00:37:07,530 --> 00:37:11,390 the church, men have been professing to have 574 00:37:11,390 --> 00:37:14,870 greater knowledge than is contained in the Bible. 575 00:37:14,870 --> 00:37:16,590 And, of course, that's just what all teachers 576 00:37:16,590 --> 00:37:17,050 do. 577 00:37:17,490 --> 00:37:19,310 We'll come to that in chapter two. 578 00:37:20,830 --> 00:37:22,790 In the early days of the church, a 579 00:37:22,790 --> 00:37:26,850 group of people known as Gnostics arose, and 580 00:37:26,850 --> 00:37:28,770 they said, We have the knowledge. 581 00:37:28,890 --> 00:37:30,610 I mean, what you have is very nice. 582 00:37:30,710 --> 00:37:33,190 The Bible, well, it's good, but it isn't 583 00:37:33,190 --> 00:37:33,670 enough. 584 00:37:34,070 --> 00:37:36,750 It doesn't go far enough, and you'll be 585 00:37:36,750 --> 00:37:40,010 ever so happy when you are initiated into 586 00:37:40,010 --> 00:37:42,830 the deeper mystery that we have. 587 00:37:43,910 --> 00:37:46,410 And this goes on down through the years, 588 00:37:46,570 --> 00:37:50,530 and in every dispensation, in every generation, young 589 00:37:50,530 --> 00:37:55,330 people are caused by the world to feel 590 00:37:55,330 --> 00:37:57,770 that their Bible isn't enough, you know. 591 00:37:58,550 --> 00:38:00,230 You go off to college, and you feel, 592 00:38:00,330 --> 00:38:02,510 Well, you've got to have this in order 593 00:38:02,510 --> 00:38:04,110 to be effective in the world, and then 594 00:38:04,110 --> 00:38:06,230 you have to have this and that and 595 00:38:06,230 --> 00:38:07,030 the next thing. 596 00:38:08,230 --> 00:38:11,030 And Paul, in writing to the Colossians, speaks 597 00:38:11,030 --> 00:38:11,910 of those things. 598 00:38:11,910 --> 00:38:15,550 He says, Philosophy and high-sounding nonsense. 599 00:38:16,170 --> 00:38:18,610 Now, that's just about what they are. 600 00:38:19,510 --> 00:38:22,210 And I tell you, it is wonderful to 601 00:38:22,210 --> 00:38:27,350 realize the sufficiency that we have in the 602 00:38:27,350 --> 00:38:28,110 Word of God. 603 00:38:28,270 --> 00:38:31,590 God has given us all things that are 604 00:38:31,590 --> 00:38:35,410 necessary for life and godliness, as we shall 605 00:38:35,410 --> 00:38:35,830 see. 606 00:38:35,830 --> 00:38:38,990 So here he says that grace and peace 607 00:38:38,990 --> 00:38:41,550 are multiplied unto you through the knowledge of 608 00:38:41,550 --> 00:38:44,950 God and of Jesus our Lord. 609 00:38:46,310 --> 00:38:48,170 You want to grow in the Christian life? 610 00:38:49,330 --> 00:38:51,030 You want to be able to resist the 611 00:38:51,030 --> 00:38:53,470 false teachers when they arise and as they 612 00:38:53,470 --> 00:38:53,950 arise? 613 00:38:54,770 --> 00:38:58,430 Well, Peter's answer is, Go on in the 614 00:38:58,430 --> 00:39:02,350 knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 615 00:39:02,490 --> 00:39:04,970 This is a knowledge that really counts. 616 00:39:04,970 --> 00:39:07,350 Other knowledge might be important in order to 617 00:39:07,350 --> 00:39:10,030 gain the livelihood here on earth, but this 618 00:39:10,030 --> 00:39:13,470 is a knowledge that will endure throughout all 619 00:39:13,470 --> 00:39:14,010 eternity. 620 00:39:14,090 --> 00:39:16,330 Once again, he says in verse 2, Peter 621 00:39:16,330 --> 00:39:20,730 doesn't hesitate to put God and Jesus our 622 00:39:20,730 --> 00:39:23,310 Lord on the same level. 623 00:39:25,530 --> 00:39:28,670 I can't understand, people, I can't understand the 624 00:39:28,670 --> 00:39:34,840 cultists denying the deity of the Lord Jesus 625 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:38,860 Christ, because all through the New Testament, the 626 00:39:38,860 --> 00:39:42,600 fact of his deity is stated and the 627 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:44,360 fact of his deity is implied. 628 00:39:45,020 --> 00:39:47,980 I believe it's stated here in verse 1, 629 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:51,640 Our God and Savior Jesus Christ. 630 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:54,760 And I believe it's implied in verse 2, 631 00:39:55,340 --> 00:39:58,700 God, the knowledge of God and of Jesus 632 00:39:58,700 --> 00:39:59,240 our Lord. 633 00:39:59,960 --> 00:40:02,260 In other words, he equates them, he makes 634 00:40:02,260 --> 00:40:02,920 them equal. 635 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:06,280 The knowledge of God, the knowledge of Jesus 636 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:07,740 our Lord. 637 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:11,500 Then he says, verse 2, brings us to 638 00:40:11,500 --> 00:40:14,240 his provision for his people in days of 639 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:15,100 apostasy. 640 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:16,800 What has he done for them? 641 00:40:16,820 --> 00:40:21,060 It says, according as his divine power hath 642 00:40:21,060 --> 00:40:24,620 given unto us all things that pertain unto 643 00:40:24,620 --> 00:40:26,520 light and godliness. 644 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:27,100 And how? 645 00:40:27,420 --> 00:40:30,220 Through the knowledge of him that has called 646 00:40:30,220 --> 00:40:32,280 us to glory and truth. 647 00:40:34,100 --> 00:40:37,380 We think of the power of God stretched 648 00:40:37,380 --> 00:40:38,320 out in creation. 649 00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:40,780 We think of the power of God stretched 650 00:40:40,780 --> 00:40:42,740 forth to deliver his people through the Red 651 00:40:42,740 --> 00:40:43,080 Sea. 652 00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:45,580 We think of the power of God stretched 653 00:40:45,580 --> 00:40:48,560 forth in raising the Lord Jesus from the 654 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:48,880 dead. 655 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:52,900 Here's the wonderful thing, that divine power has 656 00:40:52,900 --> 00:40:57,180 been exercised in giving us all things that 657 00:40:57,180 --> 00:41:00,180 pertain unto light and godliness. 658 00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:05,080 God doesn't satisfy simply to save us, he 659 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:09,160 makes full provision for us along the way. 660 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:15,560 And so I refuse to develop an inferiority 661 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:21,620 complex when the learned professors come and say 662 00:41:21,620 --> 00:41:24,880 that the Bible isn't sufficient. 663 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:28,120 I find that I have all things that 664 00:41:28,120 --> 00:41:29,520 pertain unto light and godliness. 665 00:41:29,620 --> 00:41:30,620 Notice the order. 666 00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:34,680 Light first, and then godliness. 667 00:41:35,620 --> 00:41:38,560 He had to give us light before we 668 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:39,680 could ever have godliness. 669 00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:43,160 Of course, this is the greatest mistake of 670 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:47,140 illiberal Christianity today, and of the social gospel. 671 00:41:48,020 --> 00:41:50,160 They would put the godliness first. 672 00:41:51,340 --> 00:41:54,220 They would have been lifting themselves up by 673 00:41:54,220 --> 00:41:57,560 their own bootstraps, but God knows what he's 674 00:41:57,560 --> 00:41:59,580 doing, and he knows that if he didn't 675 00:41:59,580 --> 00:42:02,020 give us light as a sovereign gift through 676 00:42:02,020 --> 00:42:04,400 faith in his Son, we never would have 677 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:04,640 it. 678 00:42:06,150 --> 00:42:09,110 He has given us light and godliness through 679 00:42:09,110 --> 00:42:12,790 the knowledge of him that has called us 680 00:42:12,790 --> 00:42:15,510 to his own glory and virtue. 681 00:42:20,260 --> 00:42:24,220 Now, there's the divine side of it, and 682 00:42:24,220 --> 00:42:25,440 there's the human side too. 683 00:42:25,560 --> 00:42:28,280 He has given us these things, and they're 684 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:32,300 reserved through our coming to know him. 685 00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:35,280 He doesn't give us godliness on a platter 686 00:42:35,280 --> 00:42:37,200 and say, Here you are, my dear friend, 687 00:42:37,720 --> 00:42:38,320 take it. 688 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:41,020 He's made the provision for us, but there 689 00:42:41,020 --> 00:42:44,440 must be the growth and development in our 690 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:45,080 own lives. 691 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:49,440 When a baby is born, that baby has, 692 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:51,180 in a sense, all that it's ever going 693 00:42:51,180 --> 00:42:51,620 to have. 694 00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:55,160 It'll never get any more ears, eyes, nose, 695 00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:58,280 mouth, it'll never get any more brains, for 696 00:42:58,280 --> 00:42:58,920 that matter. 697 00:42:59,920 --> 00:43:04,680 But, God endows that infant with the possibility 698 00:43:04,680 --> 00:43:07,360 of growth and development. 699 00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:11,500 And, of course, the baby grows through food 700 00:43:11,500 --> 00:43:17,340 and through drink and through exercise and through 701 00:43:17,340 --> 00:43:20,620 reading, and that's exactly what we have here, 702 00:43:20,700 --> 00:43:24,540 I believe, a picture of God endowing us 703 00:43:24,540 --> 00:43:28,180 with spiritual light, making full provisions for us 704 00:43:28,180 --> 00:43:31,760 along this journey, and yet our responsibility is 705 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:32,040 there. 706 00:43:32,100 --> 00:43:36,220 There's a wonderful merging of the divine and 707 00:43:36,220 --> 00:43:36,680 the human. 708 00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:40,360 God, he has his divine power, has given 709 00:43:40,360 --> 00:43:44,040 us all things that pertain unto life and 710 00:43:44,040 --> 00:43:47,080 godliness through the knowledge of him that has 711 00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:50,680 called us to glory and virtue. 712 00:43:51,640 --> 00:43:54,280 And so, once again, we're sent back to 713 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:55,100 the word of God. 714 00:43:55,460 --> 00:43:58,500 Get to know the Lord, meditate upon the 715 00:43:58,500 --> 00:44:00,620 Lord, gaze upon the Lord. 716 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:03,120 It reminds us of what Paul wrote to 717 00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:06,000 the Christians, but we all with unveiled faith, 718 00:44:06,140 --> 00:44:09,540 beholding as in a glass the glory of 719 00:44:09,540 --> 00:44:12,340 the Lord, are changed into the same image 720 00:44:12,340 --> 00:44:15,300 from glory to glory, even as by the 721 00:44:15,300 --> 00:44:17,620 spirit of the Lord. 722 00:44:19,830 --> 00:44:22,510 And so that's what Peter is saying here. 723 00:44:23,630 --> 00:44:26,670 The days he's writing about are days of 724 00:44:26,670 --> 00:44:32,910 apostasy, when the voice would be heard, if 725 00:44:32,910 --> 00:44:36,070 the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous 726 00:44:36,070 --> 00:44:36,630 do? 727 00:44:37,110 --> 00:44:40,090 And Peter answers the question, go on being 728 00:44:40,090 --> 00:44:40,650 righteous. 729 00:44:41,370 --> 00:44:44,690 Go on growing in the knowledge of God 730 00:44:44,690 --> 00:44:47,790 and of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 731 00:44:49,290 --> 00:44:51,430 Now, the latter part of that verse is 732 00:44:51,430 --> 00:44:54,230 interesting, because he has called us to glory 733 00:44:54,230 --> 00:44:55,590 and virtue. 734 00:44:56,330 --> 00:44:59,570 And other translations say he has called us 735 00:44:59,570 --> 00:45:02,010 by his own glory and virtue. 736 00:45:02,690 --> 00:45:05,830 Now, if you take the first, it means 737 00:45:05,830 --> 00:45:10,490 that God has a glorious destiny for us. 738 00:45:10,570 --> 00:45:13,730 He's called us to be glorified with him. 739 00:45:13,730 --> 00:45:18,130 If you take the second, it means that 740 00:45:18,130 --> 00:45:22,190 it's by those attributes of his character, by 741 00:45:22,190 --> 00:45:26,130 his own glory and excellence, that he has 742 00:45:26,130 --> 00:45:26,930 called us. 743 00:45:28,630 --> 00:45:31,510 And it's by his glory and virtue that 744 00:45:31,510 --> 00:45:35,070 we are given unto us exceeding grace and 745 00:45:35,070 --> 00:45:36,070 precious promise. 746 00:45:36,590 --> 00:45:38,770 Here's the second mention of the word precious 747 00:45:38,770 --> 00:45:39,590 in this chapter. 748 00:45:40,430 --> 00:45:41,650 Precious promise. 749 00:45:41,650 --> 00:45:44,290 Peter has been saying, God has not left 750 00:45:44,290 --> 00:45:44,820 us defenseless. 751 00:45:45,650 --> 00:45:49,570 God has not left us without provision for 752 00:45:49,570 --> 00:45:50,010 the church. 753 00:45:50,390 --> 00:45:51,850 And now he's going to speak of that 754 00:45:51,850 --> 00:45:52,190 provision. 755 00:45:52,290 --> 00:45:53,650 What are the promises? 756 00:45:54,490 --> 00:45:56,930 I believe that these promises are promises that 757 00:45:56,930 --> 00:46:01,830 have to do with redemption, forgiveness of sin, 758 00:46:01,830 --> 00:46:09,070 adoption into the family of God, sanctification, and 759 00:46:09,070 --> 00:46:11,490 eventual glorification. 760 00:46:13,070 --> 00:46:17,370 Exceeding grace and precious promises. 761 00:46:18,190 --> 00:46:20,970 It says that through these we might be 762 00:46:20,970 --> 00:46:23,990 partakers of the divine nature. 763 00:46:24,430 --> 00:46:26,810 Here we are at the beginning again. 764 00:46:26,810 --> 00:46:30,210 God has made provision, promises in his word, 765 00:46:30,510 --> 00:46:32,910 that we might come into the possession of 766 00:46:32,910 --> 00:46:33,690 the divine nature. 767 00:46:33,750 --> 00:46:36,030 This can refer, first of all, to salvation, 768 00:46:36,730 --> 00:46:40,550 and then to our increasing conformity to Christ. 769 00:46:40,910 --> 00:46:43,050 First of all is the promise of salvation. 770 00:46:43,330 --> 00:46:46,690 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the 771 00:46:46,690 --> 00:46:48,170 Lord shall be saved. 772 00:46:48,450 --> 00:46:50,790 When I avail myself of that, when I 773 00:46:50,790 --> 00:46:53,310 trust the Lord Jesus, I do become a 774 00:46:53,310 --> 00:46:54,850 partaker of the divine nature. 775 00:46:56,010 --> 00:46:58,090 But then there are other promises in the 776 00:46:58,090 --> 00:46:59,490 word of God that have to do with 777 00:46:59,490 --> 00:47:00,110 growth. 778 00:47:00,430 --> 00:47:03,330 And as I grow, I become more and 779 00:47:03,330 --> 00:47:06,930 more conformed to the image of God. 780 00:47:07,050 --> 00:47:10,630 I become more God-like in my behavior. 781 00:47:11,190 --> 00:47:13,430 What I'm especially interested in the latter part 782 00:47:13,430 --> 00:47:16,490 of that verse is having an escape from 783 00:47:16,490 --> 00:47:19,650 the corruption that is in the world through 784 00:47:19,650 --> 00:47:19,950 love. 785 00:47:20,650 --> 00:47:23,590 If you're a Christian and you ever tend 786 00:47:23,590 --> 00:47:29,550 to become discouraged, you can thank God for 787 00:47:29,550 --> 00:47:32,230 this alone to give us escape from the 788 00:47:32,230 --> 00:47:33,970 corruption that is in the world through love. 789 00:47:34,770 --> 00:47:37,890 Think of what lies behind those words. 790 00:47:39,130 --> 00:47:41,870 The corruption that is in the world through 791 00:47:41,870 --> 00:47:42,030 love. 792 00:47:42,270 --> 00:47:44,230 Think of the immorality. 793 00:47:45,370 --> 00:47:47,090 Think of the degradation. 794 00:47:47,770 --> 00:47:49,490 Think of the misery. 795 00:47:50,350 --> 00:47:52,570 Think of the uncleanness. 796 00:47:53,150 --> 00:47:55,750 All that goes with a life that lives 797 00:47:55,750 --> 00:47:59,590 without God and without Christ in the world. 798 00:48:00,670 --> 00:48:03,450 Now, mind you, it isn't by chance that 799 00:48:03,450 --> 00:48:05,630 Peter is using that expression here, because when 800 00:48:05,630 --> 00:48:08,250 we get to chapters 2 and 3, we'll 801 00:48:08,250 --> 00:48:12,470 find that the false doctrine of these latter 802 00:48:12,470 --> 00:48:15,950 -day false teachers lead people right into this 803 00:48:15,950 --> 00:48:17,770 type of behavior. 804 00:48:18,050 --> 00:48:21,750 The corruption that is in the world through 805 00:48:21,750 --> 00:48:22,050 love. 806 00:48:23,150 --> 00:48:27,070 I'm sure that no one of us is 807 00:48:27,070 --> 00:48:31,510 half aware of all that the Lord Jesus 808 00:48:31,510 --> 00:48:37,690 made us from, and probably eternity will be 809 00:48:37,690 --> 00:48:43,970 a perpetual unfolding of all that Calvary has 810 00:48:43,970 --> 00:48:46,990 meant in our lives that we didn't even 811 00:48:46,990 --> 00:48:47,970 know. 812 00:48:50,090 --> 00:48:52,930 And so may our hearts be spurred to 813 00:48:52,930 --> 00:48:55,790 go on for the Lord in the day 814 00:48:55,790 --> 00:48:58,970 when his name is being denied, and when 815 00:48:58,970 --> 00:49:01,910 the truth of his coming is being laid 816 00:49:01,910 --> 00:49:06,230 aside, and when men are turning aside from 817 00:49:06,230 --> 00:49:09,030 the foundations of the Word of God to 818 00:49:09,030 --> 00:49:12,770 humanism and a man-made religion. 819 00:49:13,290 --> 00:49:14,790 And above all, I pray that as a 820 00:49:14,790 --> 00:49:17,830 result of our studies together in second year, 821 00:49:17,950 --> 00:49:20,550 that we'll all go forth with a real 822 00:49:20,550 --> 00:49:26,050 determination to stand up and be counted for 823 00:49:26,050 --> 00:49:27,800 the Lord Jesus Christ. 824 00:49:28,580 --> 00:49:32,360 There are many who are wishy-washy about 825 00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:33,040 it today. 826 00:49:33,920 --> 00:49:38,220 It's a great day to be faithful to 827 00:49:38,220 --> 00:49:38,520 Him. 828 00:49:48,190 --> 00:49:50,730 Let us rise and sing two verses of 829 00:49:50,730 --> 00:49:53,270 191, as we conclude this service. 830 00:49:54,530 --> 00:49:58,490 191, standing on the promises of Christ my 831 00:49:58,490 --> 00:49:58,730 King. 832 00:50:11,230 --> 00:50:16,730 191, standing on the promises of Christ my 833 00:50:16,730 --> 00:50:16,830 King. 834 00:50:16,830 --> 00:50:21,890 He is risen from the dead, He is 835 00:50:21,890 --> 00:50:28,470 risen from the dead, He is risen from 836 00:50:28,470 --> 00:50:30,510 the dead. 837 00:50:31,330 --> 00:50:38,690 He is risen from the dead, He is 838 00:50:38,690 --> 00:50:41,530 risen from the dead, He is risen from 839 00:50:41,530 --> 00:50:46,730 the dead, He is risen from the dead. 840 00:51:31,770 --> 00:51:37,270 He is risen from the dead. 841 00:52:05,090 --> 00:52:12,830 to be praised, and thy greatness is unsearchable. 842 00:52:13,410 --> 00:52:15,210 We pray thee, O Thou who didst bestow 843 00:52:15,210 --> 00:52:18,390 us food convenient during these days, we pray 844 00:52:18,390 --> 00:52:21,210 above all that Thou keep us, Lord, O 845 00:52:21,210 --> 00:52:24,190 keep us pleasing to thyself, and still feeding 846 00:52:24,190 --> 00:52:26,910 me, from the hour of our receiving, promised 847 00:52:26,910 --> 00:52:28,810 joy in heaven. 848 00:52:29,250 --> 00:52:30,830 The act is of the Savior's name.