Remember This!

Second Peter chapter 1 verses 10 through 15.

Therefore, her brothers be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall for in this way there will be richly provided for you and entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, I intend always to remind you of these things though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right as long as I am in this body to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me and I will make every effort so that after my departure, you may be able at any time to recall these things which pray father by your grace you have granted to us everything that is needed for a life of godliness or Jesus by your righteousness we have standing before the father. Holy Spirit is our comforter and guide. We pray that even in this hour, you would remind us of the truth that you've revealed made known to us as you have regenerated our hearts and made us alive in Christ and opened our eyes to see areas to hear people's watchful keep us alert people's faithful as we long for the day when we will stand in the presence of our Lord and send his precious name that we pray. Amen may be seated. Where were you on 9/11 know most of us may be a few ones that are under 20. Don't let that most of us remember that awful day Libby and I were in a U-Haul traveling from Newton Grove, North Carolina to Nashville, Tennessee, and we first heard of what was happening on the radio later on. So those gripping images as the towers were falling. If there are other days that stand out in our memory.

Days like 9/11 are easy to remember some of us who are little more senior remember the day that Pres. Kennedy was shot, or when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Some things stand out our memory. Others tend to fade. In fact, we have a tendency to forget only Marla Jones is of the opinion that the biblical doctrine of sin is more clearly demonstrated and manifested in this matter of memory, then perhaps in any other respect.

We always tend to forget things that we want to remember.

And conversely, we forget things that we find it impossible to forget things that we want to forget. Wish we could forget that's part of what sin has done to the human race letter text align the apostle Peter says I intend always to remind you to stir you up by way of reminder. He says that you may be able at any time to recall these things he wants to stir up our memory is not teaching some new thing. He is calling to mind things that we know things that have already been known and are established in our lives. The truth that we have. He says encourages diligence and eagerness to be certain of our salvation and he points us to the ultimate reward of our entrance into the kingdom, the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ there some keywords in this passage that open up the message force. I think a little bit if you look back in the previous verses that we looked at before. Verse eight, he uses a Greek word there that he actually uses five times in the next eight verses he speaks of these things.

These qualities these things. It's one great word that he uses over and over, and he points to the necessary effort on our part, diligence and urgency in making sure of our salvation. He uses words like always and at any time, to point to the fact that this is something that is ongoing. It's a practice that we need to continue. He reveals that the Lord has made it clear to him that his time on earth is short that he will soon be going to be with the Lord, and he wants to make sure that this final message gets through.

So what is this urgent all-important message. What must we do want the things that we must give attention to, and be diligent about how can we fulfill this task in what will be the result was we look to the text, the first word of course is the word therefore this word points us back to what has gone before.

In the letter it points us in at least two verse three where he says that God's divine power has granted to us all the things that are needed for life and godliness.

He points to the action that God has taken what God has done for us everything that we need to live godly lives has been granted us by God. In fact, he may be porting is only back to verse one, where he says that the recipients of this letter have obtained faith by the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Not only does this point as to what God has done.

He also with this word therefore points us back to the things that he really requires us to do in verses five through seven. He talks about the fact that we must work at this matter.

Salvation, we must make every effort to supplement our faith to supply our faith with these things that he's pointing to it parallels what Paul says in Philippians 2 and he says seek to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure to God. Not only does for us. God also works in us and through us and enabling us to work out what he has worked into our lives is therefore also points us back to verses eight and nine and here we find both a promise and a warning. We have a promise that if these things that he's mentioned are in us and growing and increasing in our lives, then we will be fruitful and not ineffective because also the morning that whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that is blind. Therefore, brothers says because of what God has done because of what we must do what we are called to do therefore make your calling and election sure, succumbing to the text and let me share the first of all, the divine command that is to be followed to be obeyed.

Verse 10 a says be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure calling and election of course are God's work is God's redemptive act. This is something that God has done. If you look at this and in the great task text.

There's an interesting little banner there that these two nouns are joined together by a single definite article and scholars of Greek tell me that that means that they are practically synonymous. They are a package deal, and that is true you know. We hear a lot and are they about bundling things you get your Internet all these things if you bundle together Internet cable to get you home insurance and auto insurance, you bundle as well. Salvation is a bundle. It's a package deal what God begins. He completes ones whom he elects he calls and justifies and glorifies and he sanctifies and it's all part of what God does. He accomplishes this work and we can make our calling and election sure because of the fact that our assurance rests not in what we do but what God does.

At the same time we have a responsibility we have a command that must be obeyed. We have this action that we are to take that we are responsible for when he says we are to be diligent as the command to be diligent. The word is a word that has the idea of speed and urgency eagerness. It also includes the fact that this is labor it's it's an endeavor.

That's difficult and hard. So put out something interesting and in the Greek here. I am not a Greek scholar but it fascinates me. What God has done with this language in giving us his word and and you may ask why we getting into the weeds of grammar. Well because of the beauty and the precision of God's word is he's given it to us in the New Testament.

This command to be diligent is in what is called terrorist active imperative tents in those three aspects are important.

First of all, it's in the interest tents. This points back to something that happened in the past one scholar explains this way. He says if a word is in the aorist active, imperative tents, it means that the action that the verb is describing is the result of something that happened in the past and gives rise to the action that you are commanded to take in the present active of the aorist active imperative means that the responses fitting for what happened before and so Peter is pointing us back. He says therefore be all the more diligent because of what is happened in the past because you've been born again. You've been created in Christ you been indwelt by the Holy Spirit you been set apart for the virtues of Christian life because of all that God is done and you do this you the diligent to make your calling and election sure. Not only is it an error stance and some active verb and that means that the subject is doing the action. This is not something that's done to us. This is something that we are commanded to do something we must do. It took imperative. It's a command and so we must obey the Greek languages is fascinating. I wish I had taken advantage of some of the opportunities I had and learned more this, but one of the things that I find in this pretext here is that when it says make sure in the Greek that's put the beginning it's emphatic.

This is something that you must do is to make sure it's the word has an idea of stability and steadfastness and firmness, we shouldn't feel an emotional roller coaster's about our salvation. We need to be certain insurer and firm in this is not just that we have assurance but we were And there's an urgency and do it now. Be diligent all the more diligent to make this happen. So how did how do we work in this.

How do we make sure of our calling and election. The second thing I would support two is the biblical conditions that must be fulfilled if we are to do this, of course, everything that is required of us is grounded in the fact that God has already worked God's redemptive act in Christ is the ground for all of this and it Peter is addressing believers from the very beginning of this letter, he addresses those who have faith those who are believers. Those who are in Christ and and he and those whom God has given what they need to live godly lives so there are some things we must do if we look back at verse five, he started started giving us some of these things that are necessary for us and I verse five he says that we are to make every effort to supplement to supply our faith. These virtues and that he lives there and in verses five through seven. It's the same word that he uses in verse 10. Racism may call and make every effort be all the more diligent and so we are to weird to do these things, they were commanded inverse latter part of verse 10. He uses another word that's that's important here.

He says if you practice these things.

This is a word that is in present tense which in the Greek means of something that's ongoing is continuing. It's not just a one and done it's ongoing it's something that we must give attention to.

It implies something that happens daily. It reminds me of what we are told in Hebrews 313, Murray told to exhort one another daily.

We need to be reminded of these things every day. And so, in the latter verses of what we read. Peter says that he wants us to be able to recall these things and remember these things to be reminded of the word is used in the Greek is a word from which we get our word pneumonic talks about things that assist us in memory so being reminded being stirred up on a daily basis. What are the things that we can do to stir up the reminder. The remembrance of these things in our lives. First thing I think yesterday we need to rent it to realize that we're asleep, we tend to go to sleep. We tend to not be alert.

We tend to not be watchful and and so this is a word that is using here about stirring up has a sense of becoming fully awake. We need to be aware that we tend not to be watchful. I wonder if when Peter wrote this he remembered him self in the garden, Jesus came and they would all fall asleep. Jesus said can you not even want for one hour. We tend to fall asleep, we tend to be forgetful and we need to realize that that we are in danger because of that we need to realize our need of the body.

We need to be encouraging each other and exhorting each other. We are told, and in Hebrews again that we are to consider how to stir up one another to love and good works and not neglect the meeting together and and encouraging one another, and all the more so as the day approaches Christ coming again realize the need that we have for each other.

We need to realize the danger that were in we face difficult following enemy the devil is subtle and Wiley. Paul uses the word in Ephesians, he talks about the schemes of the devil.

We need to be aware that we are facing the great enemy and he really is out to get us being Peter in his first letter talks about how he's like a roaring lion prowling about for someone that he can devour the devil is subtle.

Sin is deceitful. We are warned and in Hebrews that we should exhort one another daily, because if we're not being worn before not being awakened and then reminded on a daily basis and we tend to become deceived by sin and because of that hardened because of it.

So we we need to be aware of the deceitfulness of sin and just as an aside here.

Our culture is such that we find it difficult to encourage and exhort one another on a daily basis to we come together on the Lord's day in the list and I and other times we're scattered in the city and sometimes we don't even see each other between Sundays and and and and so it's not conducive though the place that that kind of daily education can really happen is in the home. The family and it is vitally important in our day that we make sure that daily where encouraging and exhorting one another in our homes.

Another thing we need to do is to realize the depth of our own depravity. And yes, we are at war with the devil weird war with the world system but we also in a battle with our own flesh: the apostle put it this way, for I know that nothing good dwells in me that is in my flesh I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out for I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

We have that strong battle going on, need to realize that our home nature apart from Christ is at war with God and his ways that we really are in war, we need to realize that we don't wrestle with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places that we are even at war with ourselves.

James says that war come from within and from our own desires. Our passions are with her at war within us, so we must wake up to the fact that that were in constant danger. We can so easily forget we need to hear the gospel every day.

We need to tell ourselves every day.

Be reminded to remember these things that we already know and be encouraged to wage the war the battle that is ours, so let's look then at the apostles commitment to be faithful in reminding his readers that his purpose is to remind them and to help them to remember what they know and to bring to mind in such a way that it any time they can recall these things and be encouraged.

This points to the fact that we have a duty as believers to encourage each other and to remind each other and to point each other to the truth. And this is something that is in an enduring and ongoing purpose. Peter uses words like always. As long as I'm in this body he's committed to making this a part of what he does for his fellow believers as long as he's here and fact, he says, even after my departure, I want to be able recall these things and that's what I'm writing to you. Peter knew that it he was in his last days and that soon he was going to be putting off this tabernacle of flash and going to be with the Lord. Any one of these believers to be able to recall these things in any time and so his final instruction is his last words are. Remember this the reminder recall these things.

What were these things. What are the things that we know that already established in our lives that we need to be reminded of well were sinners in the side of God and yet we been granted, right standing, through Jesus Christ, his divine power has granted us everything that we need to live lives of godliness before him. He's granted us his precious promises. And through these we are able to become partakers of the divine nature, so we should make every effort to supply our faith with virtue and knowledge and self-control and steadfastness and godliness, brotherly love and affection just these things should be. Hours should be in us, and should be growing and increasing in our lives. And so Peter says. Remember, this recall these things and practice these things. This is how you make your calling and election sure that being reminded and practicing and recalling the things that you already know that are part of your life that are established for you. Finally, just consider for a moment the glorious consequence of all this we can just feast on and relish and enjoy even now in this life you know it. It is daunting to consider the perfection to which we are called as believers even you take one little thing like what we're stating in our Sunday school lessons about being peacemakers's heart you know it's it's daunting to think I can't react like I want to in my flesh. I've got to be Christlike in dealing with conflict with other believers. No one reaches the goal in this life, but we are to strive toward that perfection.

Even the apostle Paul in his letter to the flippancy said not that I've already obtained your already perfect. I do not consider that I've made it my own that we don't ever get there all the way that we never achieve sinless perfection, but we shouldn't be struggling with the same sins to the same degree year after year after year.

We should be growing in these things, and they should be increasing at us, the Christian life is hard work. It's a struggle it's a war, but the reward is glorious we can come to know more and more and more of Christ. The wonder who he is, of the glory of what it means to walk in his way. We can grow in these things. These qualities can be ours. They can increase and develop in us. And if that's true, if we are practicing these things is says there in the latter part of verse 10, whenever fall will we stumble along the way. Of course I would never ultimately fall in the psalmist beckoning some 37, said no he fall shall not be utterly cast down why the Lord opposing belong to the Lord. He sustains he keeps never fall. In fact, he says that if you practice these things you'll never fall for verse 11. In this way there will be richly provided for you and entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that's the best of all to be with Jesus. And that's what Jesus prayed for in John 17 when he prayed for his disciples and also for you and me. He said of the father not to spring for these good for all those who believe because of their word and he prayed this father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am to see my glory. Another little touch of grammar here. This is passive here. It will be furnished to you and will be provided for you. This entrance into the kingdom is not something we climb up grasp. This is provided for us and it is richly provided abundantly. So it's not dependent on how well we grow in the faith or how diligently we practice these things these virtues or how faithfully we recall the truth and how well we are reminded each day to do these things we must do them, but ultimately our life, our eternal life rests on the grace and mercy of our Lord, like the thief on the cross. We only have one hope, and it's in Christ that thief in repentance and faith cried out to the Lord Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Lord responded today you will be with me in paradise.

I have confessed that over the years as I've read that many times I've focused on the fact that he said is what happened today and you will be in paradise, but it struck me as I read this this week will be paradise because I'll be with him today you will be with me in paradise brothers and sisters, we must be diligent to make sure our calling and election run the Jesus cry out for mercy. His mercy is everlasting. He will forgive you, will richly provide an inference into the eternal kingdom and so shall we ever be with the Lord. That's what makes it happen. That's what makes it paradise.

That's what makes it the eternal kingdom we close with the words of an old hymn, it will be worth it all.

When we see Jesus life's trials would seem so small.

See Christ one glimpse of his dear face.

Also will erase so bravely run the race to see Christ practice these things do these things let them grow in you never fall entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord will be given to you spring father done, we are overwhelmed with your love and your grace and the joy which is before us that one day you who are able to keep us and to make us stand.

You will present us to your self in your very presence, not in fear of the great joy. Lord, our greatest joy will be that we see you face-to-face thank you that you have left us with an everlasting love that we are camped in the palm of your hand. Nothing can ever snatch us, be glorified in us as we rest secure in what you have done and obediently following her command. We pray in the name of Jesus our Lord