Last Words - almost Part 7

Last words – almost  Part 7

Now for this very reason also . . . . 2 Peter 1:5

What reason?  THIS REASON !!!

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

(2Pe 1:2-4) NASB

1 Peter 1:2-4		1 Peter 1:5-10
multiplied		increasing,
has granted to us everything		For if these qualities are yours
the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;		true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
the true knowledge of Him		true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
called us by His own glory and excellence.		to make certain about His calling and choosing you;
become partakers of the divine nature,		neither useless nor unfruitful
having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust		for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

There is an interesting parallel between the two passages.  They both focus on assurance.  Verses 2-4 focus on it from God’s perspective, verses 5-10 from the perspective of how we participate in God’s grace.  God guarantees our redemption and provides for us to experience in an ever growing way.  We are not only able to rest on His faithfulness to His promise but we are able to see it worked out through the practice of the qualities Peter (via the Holy Spirit) enumerates.

We are able to be PARTAKERS not only in His promise but in the very practical working out of that promise in our own lives.

There’s a quote I use in my consulting work that I think applies.

“In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles, and positions.”   ― Margaret Wheatley

It is in our relationship with Him, our “partaking” in not just His grace but in His work, that makes plain the power and energy available to the Believer.  It is the development of our relationship with Him – and only that – which makes anything we do fruitful.  That needs to be our focus and here in 2 Peter we are provided with a way of building that relationship.

Before we get into the qualities, I’d like to share the following.  I have no idea who wrote it so if you do, let me know.  It’s cute and skillful and a great way to get started in living out His grace more and more and more ----

Plant three rows of squash:

• Squash gossip.

• Squash criticism.

• Squash indifference.

Plant seven rows of peas:

• Prayer

• Promptness

• Perseverance

• Politeness

• Preparedness

• Purity

• Patience

Plant seven heads of lettuce:

• Let us be unselfish and loyal.

• Let us be faithful to duty.

• Let us search the Scriptures.

• Let us not be weary in well-doing.

• Let us be obedient in all things.

• Let us be truthful.

• Let us love one another.

No garden is complete without turnips:

• Turn up for church.

• Turn up for meetings, in prayer, and Bible study.

• Turn up with a smile, even when things are difficult.

• Turn up with determination to do your best in God’s

   service.

“His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him. . . . “

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  - - - -

Last words - almost Part 2

Last Words – almost  Part 2  Why we should . . . .

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

Ever have doubts?  Ever struggle with the security of your calling in Christ?  I do.

When the flesh bombards me with urges or the world seeks to seduce me and seems so powerful or when those “spiritual forces of darkness,” seem so overwhelming and I struggle, I have doubts.

When I look at the sinfulness of my sin.  When I am confronted by the fact that, “every intention of the thoughts of his (my)heart was only evil continually,”  (Gen 6:5) I doubt.

I wonder why He called me.  I wonder why He keeps me.  I wonder if I am, “good enough,” and finding that I am not, I doubt.

But there is a sure resolution to this, a heaven sent way to confront those times of doubt and press on.  A verse 10 and 11 of our passage provide that resolution.  The answer is:

PRACTICE

Ποιέω  poiéō; [to create, make, do, act],

(I)          To make, form, produce, bring about,  cause, spoken of any external act as manifested in the production of something tangible, corporeal, obvious to the senses, completed action.

(II)        Figuratively spoken of a state or condition, or of things intangible and incorporeal, and generally of such things as are produced by an inward act of the mind or will; to make, cause, bring about, occasion

What is this we are to do?  Verse five makes it clear, “make every effort to supplement your faith with . . . .”  We’ll deal with later (hopefully you’ve noticed we’re moving backwards through the passage).  But we are to practice the supplementing or adding of these qualities to or with our faith.

It has been said that we are saved by faith alone but that the faith that saves is not alone.  Unfortunately many have taken this as an opportunity to add qualifications and conditions to salvation.  But Peter presupposes his audience, you and me, have faith and are saved.  So, what’s this “adding” all about?  What does, ‘the faith that saves is not alone,” mean?

It really isn’t all that complicated or difficult.  I have faith that there is a thing called gravity – therefore I do not jump off of tall buildings.  I believe that there is a thing called friction and so when I want to stop my car I apply the brakes.

I believe that Jesus is the Messiah, rightfully my Lord and that He gave His life for my sins that I might have eternal life – THEREFORE I - - - - - - -

But, I don’t THEREFORE perfectly and I have accepted that for He has covered those failings as well.  Practice doesn’t make perfect but it does bring progress and that’s just the point.  As we make progress in our walk the Him, as we grow in the consistency and effectiveness of our obedience we will become more and more secure n our relationship to Him. 

Now – our relationship to Him – depends upon Him and Him alone – but our sense of it, our experience of it is, unfortunately, is powerfully affected by our attention to and in it.  I don’t have to prove my faith to Him or anyone else - I’m the one demanding proof and the proof is in the practice not the product.  The product is always and ever dependent upon Him>PERIOD!

But our sense of that wonderful intimate relationship, our grasp on belonging to Him – that comes as we practice and watch Him produce. 

Read an almost word for word translation of verse 10:

“be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you”

This is YOU making certain – you making you certain and NOT you making His calling and choosing certain. 

Through “practicing” what Peter has laid out for us we will grow more and more confident in our calling and choosing – and more confident of it.

Now I want to give a warning here about fruit.  Some of us are to grow figs some of us grow mushrooms.  Some fruit is evident to all and some fruit, not so much.  Sometimes we don’t even see the fruit of our practice for years – and years.  Some we won’t see until He reveals it.  But we have faith He can, will and does make good use of every effort undertaken for His glory.

Zodhiates’ The Complete Word Study New Testament he writes, “Poiéō (practice) may well refer to the doing once and for all, the producing and bringing forth something which, when produced, has an independent existence of its own.

There is an old Jewish tale of a Rabbi who was maligned by a man in his town.  The man later repented and went to the Rabbi so seek forgiveness and make amends:

The Rabbi told the man, "Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds." The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a  simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the Rabbi that he had done it, the Rabbi said, "Now, go and gather the feathers. Because you can no more make amends for the damage your words have done than you can recollect the feathers."

Huh?  Well, like those feathers, our practice is scattered to the winds.  Just as the evil words the man had spoken were gone, not to be seen, our practice, what it produces can be and often is just as elusive.  We may not see what our practice produces in the world but He does.

Our practice does however demonstrate to us and for us our faith.  Both the blessings and the tribulations that come with living for Him demonstrate the truth of His promises and His predictions.  Whether we receive thanks or curses for our practice, whether we do or don’t see the results of our practice, practice produces.

We are secure in Him- we will never be secure in us.  Until we are with Him, concerns and doubts will pop into our heads and hearts – that’s just the way we are.  But He never has any doubts!

Why PRACTICE -  Vs. 10,  “if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”

Fall?   = ptaíō;  as 'to stumble against,' 'to collide with,' or, in the more usual intransitive, 'to stumble,' 'to fall,' 'to suffer a reverse,' and figuratively  'to err,' 'to sin.'

Jesus, a first century "techy"

There’s a lot of misinformation floating around about what exactly the Christian faith teaches.  Now we could get into all kinds of theological arguments of minutia, but my point is that there are some fundamentals that are essential and other things that – well – aren’t so much.

 

But let me give you an example of how the misunderstandings play out.

Have you ever seen the bumper sticker, “My boss is a Jewish Carpenter!”

Well – that’s nice – but not quite on the money.

We KNOW that Jesus was raised by Joseph, Mary’s husband, and was considered by homefolks as Joseph’s “son.”  We read:

Mat 13:55  Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

And

Mar 6:3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

But here things get funky.

There was not a lot of work in Israel (in that day) for carpenters.  Why?  There just wasn’t any lumber to mention at all.  Even the lumber that was used to build the Temples in Jerusalem had to be imported from Tyre.

The word most everybody translates as ‘carpenter’ is the Greek work τέκτων/téktōn.  Though such a person might be able to work with wood, they would actually be better seen as a craftsman (possibly master craftsman), able to work in wood, stone, clay, etc.  Kind of a super handyman, a super sub-contractor.  

Why then a “carpenter?”  Well the word is used a lot in non-biblical writings and in those cases (for the most part) the references are to carpenters/joiners who worked in ship building, so it’s natural to draw the carpenter conclusion.  But old records speak of téktōns as being multi-talented, even master craftsmen not just carpenters.

Near Nazareth where Jesus grew up is the Roman city of Sepphoris.  It’s possible that prior to beginning His ministry, Jesus (and even perhaps Joseph) worked there building the city.  Not a lot of wood there but lots of stone.  Even where wood is used, it’s not enough to keep a carpenter busy for long and Joseph (and after his death Jesus) had a family to support.

So, what’s the point?  Is whether or not Jesus was a “carpenter” or a “craftsman” critical to the Christian faith?  Not really.  But as more is discovered about the time in which He lived, our knowledge and understanding grows.  

There is a “history” in which the Biblical events took place.  As we grow in our knowledge and understanding of that history, many of the things we thought we KNEW begin to fade.  But just because the history in which the events took place becomes clearer and challenges some of the things we thought we KNEW, there is no reason to attach that to the Biblical events.  Whether Jesus of Nazareth was a carpenter or a master craftsman isn’t the point.

The point, all theological issues aside, is that after Joseph’s death, Jesus took on the responsibility for the care of his mother and his half-brothers and sisters until His ministry began.  He knew the trepidation of applying for work.  He knew what it was like to work for a bad boss.  He knew hard work with little pay.  

He knew – and knows – the inequities of the work world.  He understands what it feels like to get shafted.  

Think about this:

Heb 2:17-18  Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  (18)  For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Carpenter or Craftsman – not a big thing.  Sure is crucified Carpenter has a certain panache to is but if you’ll consider that as a Craftsman He would have worked with a variety of materials on variety of projects for a variety of contractors – well, His experience broadens quite a bit.  

Does this change who He is and what He did of the cross?  Of course not.  But it does, at least for me fill Him out as a person a little bit.

Think of this if you happen to go to Israel and walk around Nazareth.  Everything you see from that period of time could possibly be something He worked on.  If you go to Sepphoris think about the fact that he may have cut the paving stones and laid them in place.  He may have had a hand in building the magnificent structures you will see.

It’s a small thing – but for me it’s an eye and imagination opener.