Gospel Grace in 2 Peter

Today on the Saturday addition of Renewing Your Mind is the root is sovereign election. The fruit will be a change life there is no way you could be living with a desire to know God and to love God and to pursue holiness, except it is God who has dramatically intervened in your life. The theme of God is sovereign over his creation runs throughout Scripture that includes his sovereignty over the salvation today Dr. Steven Watson continues his look at the foundations of grace, that we find in the New Testament. In this session we want to look at the book of second Peter and we have been in first Peter and we want to continue our study of the apostle Peter as an author and preacher of the sovereign grace of God I believe the stronger the preacher, the more deeply rooted and grounded. He is in these courtrooms that magnify the sovereignty of God in salvation and Peter is one of those prolific powerful preachers that these truths of the sovereign grace of God just flow from his lips and flow from his pen as he is addressing whatever the subject is in in second Peter he gives himself to addressing false teachers, and as he does so he makes much mention of these doctrines and so they become. I believe a comfort and a contrast for the believers. The contrast from with the false teachers are, and what true preachers actually preach, but I want to go through the book of second Peter, as we have been doing. I want us to go through it five times for us to be able to see these wonderful truths. I want to begin with. Again, total depravity with radical corruption and I want you to look in chapter 2 with me, and beginning in verse one as Peter. More specifically, now addresses the false teachers. But what is true the false teachers is what is within the heart and soul of every unconverted person. It's not as though there is something different and those who are unconverted from those who are false teachers and unconverted and so in second Peter two in verse one, he writes, but false prophets also arose from the people, just as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them and I think that is said with some sarcasm that they claim to have this relationship with the master Jesus Christ. But in reality they do not bringing swift destruction upon themselves and the keyword there is denying that yes they did deny the master, the Lord Jesus Christ dead and this word means to refuse and to reject and this is at the heart of every unbeliever there is a refusal to submit their life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ to to become his bondservant, and to become his slave and he their master and so there is this useless claim that they are making in that this master Jesus Christ has supposedly bought them as we continue in this chapter.

In verses two and three we read many will follow their sensuality now.

There were sensuality means habitual unrestrained sexual immorality and this is many will follow their sensuality and the idea is that they will join in the very same sensuality.

This sensuality is in every unbeliever just expressed in fuller measure in some than by others because of them the way of truth will be maligned and in their greed and this greed is a part of total depravity.

It speaks of uncontrolled covetous desire for money and possessions in their greed they will exploit you with false words, their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep so here we see their sensuality and we see their greed and this is pent up within the sin nature of an unbeliever in the same chapter and verse 10 we read, especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority that they despise authority means there un-submissive that they will not yield their life to any authority over them. There self-willed they are rebellious and first and foremost, this is how they are towards God and the Lord Jesus Christ. They are stiffnecked and refused to submit and surrender their life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in. They also indulge the flesh that they pamper their flesh. They feed their flesh. This too is the result of total depravity and then also in verse 10 we read that they are daring the ideas reckless that they have no restraint and no careful thought or just daring in their sin. They are bold in their sin they send in a high-handed manner and are self-willed and the idea is self pleasing conceit they they are obstinate they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties in the ideas that they have no fear of God. They have no reverence for holy things, they instead revile, which means to blaspheme and to slander that which is holy and in verse 12, but these like on reasoning animals and the idea here is, they just live by the instinct of their flesh. They do what they want to do when they wanted to where they want to do it how they want to do it there just like an animal in heat. But these like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed reviling were where they have no knowledge they have no true knowledge of God. They just have knowledge of sin and knowledge of their own pleasures. What we read here in second Peter chapter 2 of these false teachers is but the tip of the iceberg of this doctrine of total depravity that is like drops of poison. Put into a glass of water and that poison permeates the whole and such drops of poison are in every unconverted person with the second doctrine of grace is sovereign election and we see this too and we see what a miracle it is that anyone is saved and in second Peter one in verse 10 second Peter one verse 10 we are introduced in second Peter to the doctrine of election and in this verse we read. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling, and choosing you will talk more about this calling in just a moment, but standing behind this effectual call of God is the doctrine of election. He only calls God only calls those who are chosen and all who are chosen will be called by God. Those chosen in eternity past, will be called within time into saving relationship with Jesus Christ. This calling is election minute speaks of how all believers are chosen out of this cesspool of this world chosen out of the muck in the Meyer of this world and this is your testimony in my testimony as well that God has chosen us for himself and did not leave us in the foul evil system of this world want you to note also in chapter 1 and verse one hint that definite atonement. This in and of itself is not enough to secure the doctrine, but the but there is a hint here and in verse one. He he he writes to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. By the way, this is one of the great verses in the New Testament for the deity of Jesus Christ our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is Jesus Christ. Well, he is our God and he is our Savior and only one who is God could be our Savior, because it would require the infinite power of Almighty God and his abundant grace to save and deliver us from his own wrath, but here in in verse one we see that there are those who receive faith as a gift will talk about that just a moment, but it comes by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. And I think that there is implied that Christ has become the Savior of all those who have received a faith of the like kind. But what is abundantly clear in this verse is the irresistible call of God and what you look at verse one, yet again, Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours. That means they were without faith in order to exercise faith. They had to receive faith and there is only one giver of such faith and that is none other than God himself. None of us could have faith in Christ until God gives us faith in Christ. It's very clear in this passage and also when you do a word study on this. It also implies that we have been chosen to receive this faith. Also, he knows that this faith that we have received is of the same kind as ours, meaning it's saving faith.

It's true faith is genuine faith. It is authentic faith because there is a non-saving faith that is mentioned. For example, at the end of John chapter 2 many believed in Jesus, but Jesus was not believing and trusting himself to them.

There is a faith it's only in the mind but is not in the heart.

There is a faith that is an acknowledgment of facts, but there is never the surrender of the will and the, the giving of one's life to Jesus Christ.

So when he says that we have received a faith of the same kind as ours. He is referring to a genuine and authentic saving faith now. Please note also in verse three.

Seeing that his divine nature has granted to us everything pertaining to life. Stop right there will if he is granted to us everything pertaining to life that would also include saving faith that would also include repentance of its everything pertaining to life and in this context based upon what we just read in verse one. I think that is a reasonable conclusion to which to come. But notice how this verse continues through the true knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence. Here again we see Peter making such a strong emphasis upon the doctrine of the effectual call of God. He called us the us refers to the elect. He is not called the entire world.

He is not called every person in the world.

Instead, he has called us and the us are those in verse one, who have received a faith as the same kind as ours. In the context it's it's very clear who the us is so he's called us. It's almost hard for me to come up with something new at the moment after we've gone through so many times of looking at this call of God, but is like a nail being driven down into a board deeper and deeper and deeper into the bordellos permanently lauds there. I think that the idea of what Peter is wanting to convey to us the reader of his letter that there is the continual driving emphasis that he is making on the critical nature of being called by God. If you would look at verse 10. In this very same chapter.

Second Peter one and verse 10.

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling, and choosing you for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble yet again. Here is the doctrine of God's irresistible sovereign effectual call that is inseparably connected with being chosen by God and he says you need to make certain about your calling, make certain about your being chosen by God, that tells us very clearly you can know that you've been called by God and you need to know that you have been called by God and how may we know that we have been called by God will number one that you have believed. Upon his son the Lord Jesus Christ, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Have you called upon the name of the Lord to save you from the wrath that is to come. However, not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father who is in heaven indicates there that yes many will go through the motions of praying a prayer and saying, Lord, Lord, but have never been born again and the ultimate acid test is that you do the will of your father who is in heaven that you are now walking a new path headed in a new direction. You have new affections for God and for Christ and you have new desires now to live a godly and holy life.

That's really the argument that Peter is making in verse 10 of chapter 1. As he says to be diligent to make certain his calling, and choosing you if the latter half of this verse that indicates how we can make certain his calling, and choosing us and he says as you practice these things.

If the root is sovereign election.

The fruit will be a change life and you can know that the root is genuine. As you observe the fruit of a change life there is no way you could be living the way that you are living with a desire to know God and to love God and to pursue holiness, except it is God who has dramatically intervened in your life and the mere fact that you now love the truth and love the Lord Jesus Christ and you practice the things that he requires of you, then that becomes a validation of the genuineness of the call of God that is come upon your life if you claim to be called by God, but you are living an ungodly life. You have serious reason to call into question the validity of your supposed conversion but as you continue to practice what the Lord requires of you from the heart that becomes a means by which you make certain his calling, and electing you well.

I want to stick to now look in chapter 3 and verse nine. Chapter 3 and verse nine a text that is tripped up many says the Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Some would say will see he he wants every person in the world to be saved and some could argue that there is a general desire of God that all would come to the knowledge of the truth so he does not call all however, please note, he says that God is patient toward you, the user clearly refers to true believers who are chosen by God, sanctified by the spirit sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and who had been born again that we can go back to chapter 1 verses one through three. For that Ms. patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, and I think the word in the is modified and qualified by the use, such that the meaning of this is patient toward you, not wishing for any of you to perish but for all of the elect to come to repentance. God is patient in waiting to send his son wants all the elect are converted and brought into the body of Christ. So given the rest of Scripture. That is my understanding of this particular passage and it is Scripture interprets Scripture and we need the rest of the verse to help us on this. And so God is patient toward you believer, you elect one, not wishing for any of you elect ones to perish but for all you elect ones to come to repentance. And finally, we need a verse on preserving grace and that would be in chapter 1 and verses 10 and 11 second Peter one verses 10 and 11. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling, and choosing you for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Now it's obvious. These are already converted.

He calls them at the beginning of verse 10 brethren. So in verse 11 when he talks about entrance into the eternal kingdom is referring to people who have already entered into the kingdom, but the eternal kingdom signifies the eternal phase of the kingdom there already in the kingdom because there brethren. The eternal phase of the kingdom. Or, as he says here the eternal kingdom refers to heaven and refers to the kingdom not in this world, but the kingdom in eternity to come in heaven, and so all those who are called and chosen in verse 10 will find entrance into the eternal kingdom in verse 11.

So much so that the entrance into this kingdom is abundantly supplied to you, meaning there is much grace and much access into heaven for you, who are called and chosen so that becomes. To me, the very clear understanding of what Peter is saying and if you've entered into the kingdom in this world you are certain to enter into the eternal kingdom in the world to come again.

He is stressing here the eternal security of the believer. He he is stressing that all true believers will one day find themselves before the throne of God in heaven with that blood washed throng of worshipers around the throne of grace, proclaiming the worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ and ongoing adoration and praise throughout all of the ages to come. This really is a great text that teaches the perseverance of the saints, and the preservation of the saints, not only in this world, but taking us and ushering us into the very presence of God in the world to come. Saving grace is sovereign grace and sovereign grace is securing grace that keeps us say not only in this life, but throughout all of the ages as leader, teaching fellow, Dr. Steven Lawson on the Saturday addition of Renewing Your Mind.

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