Last Words Part 4

Last Words – almost  Part 4  Uhhhhhh – More Ouch~!

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, 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 an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, 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.   (2Pe 1:5-14)  ESV

“is so nearsighted that he is blind”

Lit.: is blind or short-sighted

Blind:  τυφλός,  tuphlós; to envelop with smoke, be unable to see clearly. Blind Figuratively in respect to the mind as being blind, ignorant, stupid, slow of understanding.

• The adjective typhlós denotes human and animal blindness. It then refers to objects without light or access (cf. blind alleys) and also to what is invisible or concealed.
•  In 2  Pet.  1:9 it is the unfruitful rather than the ignorant who are blind and shortsighted (cf. vv. 5-6). Rev.  3:17 complains that the Laodicean church thinks it is spiritually rich but is really blind. Only Christ (v. 18) can cure this blindness of self-deception and complacency. KTD

Nearsighted:  muōpázō;  muōpásō, from múōps, shortsighted, which is derived from múō , to shut, and ōps, the eyes. To shut the eyes, blink, to squint like one who cannot see clearly; hence by implication to be nearsighted. Used metaphorically in 2Pet. 1:9.

Some interpret this as saying that those referred to are so shortsighted they may as well be blind.  Other insert the word “or” in the verse differentiating between shortsightedness and completely blind.  I prefer the view that these folks are so shortsighted they may as well be blind.

There’s no big reason for my preference except that the overall indication is that these people are believers and as such I have a hard time considering them utterly blind.  They see but are unable to see clearly.

I am disgustingly short-sighted.  The greatest problem I have is in recognizing people when I am not wearing my glasses.  I’ve looked right at someone I know well and have not acknowledged them because although I could “see” them I could not distinguish them from anyone else at the same distance.  I have often used the phrase, “without my glasses, I’m blind.”  This, I believe, is what Peter is referring to.  It is a lack of clarity, the inability to make close distinctions, an inability to recognize things for what they are.

Ah, but it gets worse.

“having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins”

Forgotten:  “ληθη  λαβων”

• Ληθη, lḗthē:  from lanthánō , to forget. Forgetfulness, oblivion (2Pet. 1:9). This is the word from which "lethal" and "lethargy" are derived.
• Λαβων from λαμβάνω,  lambánō
•  From the basic sense 'to take,' lambánō acquires the active senses a. 'to take to oneself,' 'to receive,' 'to collect,' and b. 'to seize.'  It also takes on the more passive sense 'to acquire' and middle 'to hold or grasp something or someone.' KTD
•   Sometimes means to receive as merely a self-prompted action without necessarily signifying a favorable reception. In the NT, to actively take, and, partially in the passive sense, to receive.

The gist here is that they have not seized the fact and implications of their:

Purification (from their former sins): καθαρισμός,  katharismós; gen, to make clean.

It actually refers to the process of purification, the sacrifice of purification.

The purification of women (Luk_2:22; Sept.: Lev_14:32; Lev_15:13; see Lev. 12); ritual purification (Mar_1:44; Luk_5:14; Joh_2:6). The baptism both of John and the Lord Jesus is designated as katharismós in Joh_3:25, not that the ritual of physical baptism brought about spiritual results or spiritual purification, but only as a parallel in its results. As water cleanses the body in baptism, the grace it symbolizes cleanses the soul. Its designation as a "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Mar_1:4; Luk_3:3; Act_2:38) means an identification with the forgiveness of sins. In Heb_1:3, the word denotes the objective removal of our sins by Jesus Christ (see Heb_9:22-23; Sept.: Exo_30:10; Job_7:21). In 2Pe_1:9, it refers to the actual purification accomplished in man, while in Heb_1:3 to the propitiation provided by the Lord Jesus.

•  katharós, katharízō, kathaírō, katharótēs.  The group denotes physical, religious, and moral cleanness or purity in such senses as clean, free from stains or shame, and free from adulteration.
•  The purity required of the NT community is moral and personal. It consists of a dedication to God that renews the inner being. Purity of heart - which is far above purity of hands - is what counts before God.
•  Hebrews opposes to the older ritual purity the superior moral purity of the new order (9:13). Cleansing is still needed (cf. 9:22), but only Christ's blood can achieve this with its cleansing from sin (1:3) and liberation from sinful impulses (9:14).

Now, here I see an interesting thing.  The blindness suffered is a blindness to their condition in Christ as well as their obligation in Christ.

We’ve seen Peter’s admonition to practice in order to make one’s election and calling sure.  Perhaps (and I hold this) the biggest problem in not practicing is that we are not sure in our election and calling.  In this state we suffer a lack of clarity – an inability to make sound distinctions.

Not only a lack of clarity, but we are constantly tormented with a lack of assurance of which the world, the flesh and the devil all take advantage.  We don’t know, we can’t say, so in fear we freeze in place, a stationary target.

We get caught in between our Rock and a hard place (the Flesh).  Our Rock says we are His forever.  Our flesh (along with the world and the devil) says otherwise.  We are sure one moment and then terrified the next.  We are confident one day and hiding the next.  We’re a lot like Israel in the wilderness wandering around between Egypt and the Land of the Promise.  Back and forth, back and forth………

But like Israel in the wilderness, God is with us and for us.  We are His by the Word of His promise and NOT by anything we have or have not done. 

Practice = living in the truth of our election and call.  If not perfectly, at least consistently as we are able. 

Like Israel in the wilderness, these “blind” folks have seen but they don’t see.  Their shoes never wear out and yet they doubt.  They are well fed yet they fear hunger.  They are well fed but are dissatisfied with their fare.  God consistently demonstrates His faithfulness and yet they don’t SEE it.

Of course you never know if the bridge will support you until you walk on it.  This is the purpose of practice.  As we practice (however poorly), we should remember it is all in His hands, under His control.  He isn’t up there with a stop watch or a tape measure.  He grades not on the curve but on the cross. 

Have you ever seen an adult throw a child into the air and catch them and then heard the child cry out, “Do it again, do it again!!?”  This is a great picture of how you and I need to work on trusting Him.  As we practice, we are (from our point of view) taking a risk, we’re walking by faith.  While we’re in the air it might be a little frightening – but – He has promised He will be there to catch us.

Now I’m not talking about some ill-considered action taken without prayer, study and counsel.  Yes, if you step of the roof of your house, God can catch you – but when did He tell you to step off your roof?  I am talking about practicing what Peter admonishes us to practice in the verses we’re coming to.

I can sympathize with the believer who feels overwhelmed as God calls them to a mission field or a new undertaking of any sort.  It’s a little (to say the least) intimidating.  But that is not what Peter is calling us to.  And yet, all too many forget they are utterly redeemed and hesitate to risk not getting it perfect.

Near-sighted so as to be blind having too much lethargy to grasp the truth of their Redemption and live it???

Next time  - - - -