"Faith, Grace, & Peace"
[II Peter 1:1-2]
June 1, 2008 Second Reformed Church
This morning, we begin a look at the second letter of Peter. Peter wrote this letter around 68 A.D. At this point, Peter was in jail, and he had been condemned to crucifixion. So, this is his final word -- his last will and testament, if you will. This was his final opportunity to address his hearers. What would you say if you knew you were about to die? If you had one last opportunity to get a message to your loved ones before you died, what would it be? As we look at this letter, let us remember, not only the circumstances of the people he was writing to -- which we'll look at in a moment -- but Peter's circumstances: he knew he would shortly be crucified.
This morning we're only looking that the salutation of the letter -- the opening of the letter. As you read through the Bible, do not neglect to spend time considering the opening and closing of the letters -- we have much to learn from them, as well as from the body of each letter.
What do we find in the salutation?
First, from the very stating of his name, we see that Peter wanted them -- and also us -- to remember that we have been transformed from merely sinners to servants of Jesus Christ.
Peter opened this letter, not like his first letter, where he simply says, "Peter," but with "Simeon," or Simon, "Peter." Why? To remind his readers that he was once Simeon, the fisherman. There was a time when he was a slave to sin, living only for himself, for his wages as a fisherman. There was a time when he was not concerned with the things of the Spirit -- just like there was a time when we were not concerned with the things of the Spirit. But the day came for him, as it comes for all who believe, when he was transformed from Simeon, the slave to sin, into Peter, the servant of Christ. And even more so for him, Peter was an apostle -- he was one who was an eyewitness to the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter told them to remember who he was before Christ -- to remember who they were before Christ -- and to consider who they have become now. Paul wrote, "[God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14, ESV).
We cannot -- we dare not -- forget that we have been changed -- we are not the people that we were born. All those in Christ have been freed from slavery to sin, from being merely sinners, and we are now servants of God. Does that fact bring you joy? It ought to. David said, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked" (Psalm 84:10, ESV). Never forget where you came from and where you are now in Jesus Christ.
Second, Peter explained that we -- all believers -- are united in a precious and costly faith that we have received by the Will of God, which continues to grow until we are received into glory.
Let us remember to whom Peter was writing: in his first letter, he wrote, "To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia" (I Peter 1b, ESV). Peter was writing to Jewish believers -- those Jews who believed in Jesus as the Messiah -- the Savior, and were now being hunted down by the armies of the Roman Emperor, Nero. Peter was writing to a suffering, persecuted church -- to the people of God, literally on the run for their lives. Peter, himself, had been caught by the time he wrote this second letter.
Peter wanted them to know, that though they were on the run, thought they were being hunted to death, though they were scattered throughout the known world, they were still together the One Church of Jesus Christ -- as are we, and all of us are united together in that most precious faith that God gives, by His Own Will, as He pleases, and this faith is not stagnant, but continues to grow in us while we are alive, until the Day of Christ Jesus.
And we ought to remember, faith is the conduit that God gives us through which we receive the sure belief in Jesus Christ Alone for our salvation. We are united in the same faith, given to us by the Same God, that we would receive the same salvation. This faith cost Jesus His Very Life, and this faith is given to us only by the Will of God Alone. We cannot chose it or take it or make it our own -- it must be given to us as a gift. And the gift of faith that we receive is the same for all of us -- it is one faith, and it is a faith, we will see, which is a growing faith. Paul explained, "Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:9-11, ESV).
Now, of course we understand that there were still Greeks and Jews, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarians, Scythians, slaves, free. Paul does not mean that there is no longer any physical or national difference among people. No, what he is saying is that such categories are irrelevant to salvation. We’re told elsewhere that there is neither male nor female in Christ. That does not mean that, in Christ, men can also bear children. No, what it means is that the fact that one is male and another is female is irrelevant to the reception of the Gospel. Men receive salvation as the exact same gift from the exact Same God as women do. In salvation, we are equal, but we are still people -- whatever and whomever we may be. Men and women and all people are equal before God and receive the same salvation through Jesus Christ, but that does not mean that there are no differences among people: Christian men cannot bear children simply because Christian women can.
Third, Peter explained that we -- believers -- receive that precious faith through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, He Who is, our text tells us, both God and Savior.
What does that mean? What Peter is saying is that Jesus is Righteous -- He never sinned and kept the whole Law of God completely. He is the One and Only Holy Man. Therefore, He could be our substitute in taking on the punishment for our sin, and He could impute -- He could credit to our account -- His Perfect Keeping of the Law, so that we are not merely legally innocent, since our debt is paid, but we are seen in Jesus by God as holy. God looks at us and sees Jesus. Because Jesus is both God and Holy Man, He can give to us: faith, righteousness, and salvation.
Paul wrote, "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it -- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and you are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:21-26, ESV).
Fourth, Peter stated his desire that his readers would grow abundantly, that they would multiply in grace and peace. So, through faith, and as God wills, we receive grace and peace which continues to multiply; they continue in abundance. Grace and peace are not received once in their fullness, but are received and grow.
Remember that grace is that gift of the undeserved Favor of God which causes believers to grow spiritually and be spiritually strengthened, and the peace is that peace which comes from God and passes all understanding. It is the peace that can endure anything and everything for the sake of Christ knowing that Christ and His Salvation are worth more than everything else that can be endured.
If we sin, we still need more grace, more peace. If we love Christ, if we understand that He and His Salvation are precious -- worth more, indeed, than everything else put together, we will pray and strive to receive more grace and more peace until we are filled to capacity. Well, how is that done?
Fifth, Peter explained that grace and peace grow in us as we continue to progress towards the full knowledge of Jesus, which will culminate on the Last Day. Those who are growing in the knowledge of Jesus understand that He is Savior, God, and Lord. Understand, this is not just a book knowledge, it is not just a collection of facts -- the word that is used for knowledge -- epignosis -- is a word that signifies an intense and intimate knowledge. Certainly we learn a great deal from the Scripture, but the depth and intimacy of the knowledge that we need for growth and strength can only be found in spiritual interaction with our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. And when does that occur? In reading the Bible, hearing it read and preached. In receiving the sacraments. And through prayer.
Do you want to grow and be strengthened? If you love Jesus, is that not your delight? To know Him more fully day by day? Jesus said, "And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom you have sent" (John 17:3, ESV). So read your Bibles, take part in our studies, be in worship to hear the Word read and preached, go to other services, as you are able, to hear biblical preaching of the Word of God, listen to biblical preaching on the radio, on the TV, on the Internet. Read biblical sermons. Be baptized, and then receive the sacrament of the Lord's Supper frequently. And pray, anytime, whenever you feel the need or the Spirit's nudge. If you need help, ask me, and I will help you. I am here for you -- to lead you to Jesus.
Considering these things, how ought we live?
First, we ought to be thankful to God and careful in the way we carry ourselves. Faith, or the lack of it, is lived out in our actions.
If what Peter says in these opening verses is true -- if we have been changed from slaves to sin to servants of Jesus, if we are all united together through that salvation, having received a precious, costly faith from our God and Savior Jesus, if we are growing in grace and peace through the intimate and intense knowledge of Jesus as we spiritually meet with Him and He ministers to us -- we will find ourselves forever and always thankful! He has done what we could not do and never wanted -- He has saved us and given us His Name and His Righteousness, so let us live lives that make much of Jesus, let us live lives that show we really do believe in Him and His Word, let us face our suffering with the confident hope, that Jesus is better -- Jesus is worth more that the worst we can endure on earth. So let us live in a way that shows Him to be worthy.
Second, we ought to love each other and bear with each other and encourage one another in the faith.
All believers are brothers and sisters, part of the Body of Christ, fellow Christ-bearers. If we love Christ, we will love the bearers of His Name and Salvation. It doesn't matter if so-and-so is not your type of person. It doesn’t matter if so-and-so doesn't do things the way you do, or belong to your denomination, or political party, and so forth. What matters is that Jesus lived and shed His Blood and rose from the dead for me and for every Christian, and we are now, together to let the world know: "Here is the One and Only Salvation, the Only Hope for the World, repent of your sins, believe in Jesus, be amazed by Him with us -- let us joint together in lives of worship."
And we are also to encourage each other, to lift each other up, to remind each other of the Promises of Jesus and His Unsurpassing Worth. When our fellow Christians hear Nero's chariots closing in, we must do whatever we can to encourage them to stand for Jesus, no matter what is done to them, because Jesus is More.
Third, we ought to strive for more grace and peace through knowing Jesus better. Bible, sacraments, prayer. Are you taking advantage of the opportunities we have in this church? Are you making suggestions so you can be part of this body of Christ? It is not possible to be a Christian alone; we commune with Him and grow in grace and peace together. Let us drink deeply of Him together.
If you are a Christian this morning, Jesus has been ministering to you through the reading and preaching of God’s Word, giving you His Grace and Peace. And now as we prepare to receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus is ready to meet us in the bread and wine and continue to minister to us, to continue to cause us to grow abundantly, to multiply, in grace and peace.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, we thank You for Peter's second letter, and we thank You for meeting us and ministering to us in the reading and preaching of the Word. Let us be like those suffering Christians, remembering what we once were and the Righteousness of Christ through which we receive faith, as a gift, the most precious gift. Train our eyes and hearts on You and multiply grace and peace in us that we might be a light to others, leading them both by word and example into the passionate knowledge of Jesus. And may we all, with the apostle Paul, sigh more deeply each day, as he wrote, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:33-36, ESV).
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