God’s Recipe for Reaching Your Full Potential

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2Pe 1:1-9  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

First of all we notice that this is a recipe by which a final product is produced. One ingredient is added to another and when complete the desired product is created. There is addition and multiplication and a final Total.

The FINAL PRODUCT IS FULL KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

GOD”S PART the powerful raw ingredients:

  • vv 1-2 Grace and Peace multiplied through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord, upon which our faith rests.
  • v. 3 his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called [summoned] us to glory and virtue
  • v.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature [one of God’s purposes for giving us everything mentioned above], having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

God has given us (for our possession) grace and peace, all things that pertain to life and godliness, exceeding great and precious promises by which we can have share of God’s nature. And escape the corruption in the world. This is God’s purpose/plan for saving us, and he used his power (v.3) to make sure it happens.This is not a wish!

We can see that God himself has given us everything necessary to produce the final product.

Our Part, the Cooking:

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence [stay busy producing what God intends],

add to your faith [faith received by lot (grace) in verse 1] virtue [vigor, energy, likely the utilization of God’s power in v.3. “Put on the whole armor!”}; and to virtue knowledge [intelligence, understanding]; And to knowledge temperance [self-control opposed to instinct driven impulsive behavior]; and to temperance patience [brave waiting, endurance]; and to patience godliness [god likeness, behavior designed to please God, like he intended when he made Adam and Eve]; 

2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness [Philadelphia; genuinely loving fellow Christians because they are cherished by you.]; and to brotherly kindness charity [Agape; loving others because they are God’s valuable creation.]

We can see in the text, all of these virtues come from their own level of KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST OUR LORD. These are the “all things which pertain to life and godliness” in verse 3. God has given us these virtues through the knowledge of Himself and Jesus our Lord. Remember we are, in this Christian life, learning every day who Jesus is as our Lord/ruler/king/manager etc.  Each of these ingredients, when added to our lives, gives us a greater experiential knowledge of who our Lord is to us and in this universe.

We add each of these virtues because we receive KNOWLEDGE of their value to us in his word, the Bible. In that way virtue is seen and taken hold of, first through knowledge. (No wonder God gave us his written Word!)

So, these virtues can produce a full knowledge of Jesus Christ because each one when added is a measure of experiential knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound [multiply. This is the other math in this recipe, it’s multiplication. v2 tells us God has already solved this equation, he’s the multiplier.],

they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[God’s intended transformation is realized—FULL EXPERIENCIAL KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. We were born to be like him, and through experiencing him in every aspect of our life, through the knowledge and direction of scripture, we gain a full knowledge of him.]

2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten [taken hold of forgetfulness] that he was purged from his old sins. 

The Knowledge described in this passage is knowledge gained through perception/spiritual sight; this knowledge is seen and acquired in the words and promises of the gospel and scripture, believed in faith, and embraced. The person who lacks the added virtues is blind to them, he cannot see the promises and hope to which the gospel points, so he has no way to value them enough to “give all diligence and add…” He like those in the parable of the sower, “received the word of the gospel with joy”, but that’s as far as his eyes could see, so he is barren and unfruitful in the true FULL knowledge of the Lord Jesus. In fact he has even left behind (forgotten) that he was purged from his old sins. Thus he can add nothing to what he has left behind.

Peter will not let his readers take FORGETFULNESS:

2Pe 1:10,15  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in REMEMBRANCE of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in REMEMBRANCE; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in REMEMBRANCE.

This passage is an amazing promise and detailed, step by step recipe for experiencing a full knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord in this life.

There is addition and multiplication and a final Total. The FINAL PRODUCT IS FULL KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Think about finishing the whole chapter and letter.

What’s in a name? Paul

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“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Spirit….,”

Acts 13:9 KJV, From this time forward Saul is called by the name Paul in scripture.

Observations:
Hebrew names are not sacred as some imagine: Saul is a Hebrew name, and it was discarded. Paul is a Roman name with a totally different meaning, and became his identity.

In the OT Hebrew names were changed to Gentile names by Kings like Nebuchadnezzar to erase Hebrew religious identity. Was this also God’s intention with Paul?

“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5

Paul means small. Could the name describe his unimpressive stature?

2 Cor.10:10  “because the letters indeed–saith one– are weighty and strong, and the bodily presence weak, and the speech.”

Or his spiritual posture among the saints and before the Lord?

2 Corinthians 10:1  And I, Paul, myself, do call upon you–through the meekness and gentleness of the Christ–who in presence, indeed am humble among you, and being absent, have courage.

My friend the meaning of the name is important, not the language spoken.

The Lord of Hosts and the Battle for Faith

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Deu 33:24 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, WHO RIDETH UPON THE HEAVEN IN THY HELP, AND IN HIS EXCELLENCY ON THE SKY.

God is our defender ready to go to BATTLE on behalf of those who are upright and trust Him! This is a symbol of WAR!

We never raise your arms in surrender, because we know who is on our side!

WHAT WAR? We’re at peace!

THE MOST IMPORTANT fight on planet earth is a fight for FAITH, the battle to prove the promises and faithfulness of God!

Faith is a verb! Because it is active, constantly alive, it is being met by opposing forces in this world. Faith is never at rest on this earth–“there is no discharge, [furlough, recess, sabbatical, vacation] in this war.”

Faith begins its life with persuasion and CONTINUES with action. This is how “the just live by faith: from faith as a source, to faith as a destination”. (Rom. 1:17) Faith is our road map, the precious cargo, without which the journey and destination are not only impossible, but invisible. The prize, the hope, the resurrection to life is never lost sight of, especially as we don’t know when our tour of duty will be over.

The Clear Path Marked

The testimony, life, death and resurrection of the human being Jesus, changed everything on planet earth. Being persuaded of this fact overcomes the pressure, the assault from the world on the mind and affections to love and trust worthless, temporal decaying earthly things.

1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth (trust, to be persuaded) that Jesus is the Son of God?

 

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand…
Luk 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy FAITH fail not: and when thou art converted (turn back), strengthen thy brethren.

The GREATEST fight on planet earth is a fight for FAITH, keeping in focus the things God has revealed in his word! GOD  (the LORD of Hosts) IS Our Helper and Defender!

PREACHER’S KID PHENOMENON:

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It is a puzzle that many people who attend very strict (legalistic) religious churches which tightly control behavior (women can’t wear makeup, pants, large number of rituals like scheduled daily prayer, strict diets, no television, etc.,) ultimately abandon religion completely for secular culture, suffer inward depression,  are strongly drawn to perverse secret behavior. They are forced to change their definition of sin to include their worldly practices and allow for a clear conscious.

The cause of this contradiction between religious profession and worldly practice is: the legalist focuses on the flesh and works, while the Spirit of the gospel focuses on change in the heart through focus on Christ. We see legalism in OT Israel who under the law became worse idolaters than the pagans whose religion they adopted because they didn’t love the LORD. (2Chron. 33:2, 9)

Compare: Col. 2:23, “which are indeed having a reputation of wisdom in self-imposed religion and [false] humility and severe discipline [or, non-indulgence] of [the] body, [but which are] not of any value against indulgence of the flesh.”

Excerpt from my upcoming book on Romans 6 in the Overkill series:

Rom 6:14, For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Interpretation: Now this is a statement that stumps many students and bible teachers. What does the law have to do with sins dominion over us? How does not being under the law free us completely from Sin’s dominion? (This is impossible to understand if you interpret sin in this passage as a indwelling principal, sinful nature, which abides with us all, until we get to heaven.)

*Paul will develop our relationship with law more fully in the next chapter (7) but for now; two facts:

1. The law aroused sin. Consequently no law, no sin or no awareness of sin. With awareness comes prominence. (Rom.7:7-9) The more we are aware of a thing the greater its impact on our lives. More law equals more sin, More Jesus equals more fruit (J0hn 15)…”

The Essence Of Christianity: 1Peter 1:2

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Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:2‭-‬5 KJ
The Apostle Peter sums up the essence of what it is to be a Christian in a few sentences. Each word is heavy. Each is carefully chosen and profound in themselves.
You will notice that God himself is the active force in the believer’s spiritual birth–it’s HIS POWER from the beginning to end!
What Peter is doing is impressing on their minds the fact that God himself has chosen them. I am spiritually alive and able to spiritually perceive Him and understand his message, because he has brought his power to bear on me. (check the text again)
This new birth, in this dangerous, fleshly world, is kept secure by faith. You will notice the believer is passive (i.e., he is kept, he doesn’t keep himself)—The POWER of God keeps the Christian.
The means of that security is through faith/belief in God word. The means is not the power, it is the channel through the power reaches its destination. Your faith is important in this transaction, but it’s NOT the mighty force which sustains or delivers the salvation. We are Dependant on GOD’s power. Faith is what RELIES on His Power.
 
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. –1 Peter 1:7‭, ‬9 KJV
 
The testing of that faith is not for God’s knowledge, but for ours. It’s purifies that faith, making it stronger, more firm. Thereby increasing the saint’s confidence in its power to keep, overcome, and to deliver the inheritance promised at the end this journey.
So when you look around after overcoming the “manifold trials” you have faced, and your faith in God’s providence is still in tack and stronger than ever, you know that THE POWER OF GOD IS PRESENT IN YOUR LIFE! Next stop? The marriage supper of the Lamb.

What Does It Mean To Take God’s Name In Vain?

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Deu 5:11  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

This warning is often taken to mean “do not use/speak the name of God by swearing”. Vain then means to curse or swear disrespectfully.

The context however is the Covenant between the Lord their God and the children of Israel. In that covenant they pledged by oath to TAKE that covenant between themselves (to be literally married), OBEY His commands, and worship Him; and in turn the Lord would bless them like no other people on earth.

To take his name in vain simply means to call themselves God’s people but not obey him or keep their part of the Covenant.  VAIN means FALSELY. It’s hypocrisy, it’s a lie.

Here is the NT equivalent spoken of professing Christians:

2Ti 3:1ff  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a FORM OF GODLINESS, but DENYING THE POWER THEREOF (vain/fruitless): from such turn away.

Marriage Love: Assuring a Strong One Flesh Union Part 1

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The command to Love for the husband is from a leadership position. For the wife it is from a supportive position.

Why aren’t wives specifically instructed to love their husbands in the same way husbands are instructed love their wives? Wives are however  instructed to submit to their husbands?

  1. The Bible is concerned with truth, and what is primary and important. It is concerned with building a solid foundation and structure in a fractured world with wayward humans. So it addresses the positive essentials, the fundamentals, and the negative dangers.
  2. The truth is, submission to God is a demonstration of love: Jesus said “if you love me obey my commandments.” So, the focus for the wife is on the critical aspect of love necessary for a strong union between her and the man God tied together with her. That critical labor of love is submission. “In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives, When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him–to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband]. –1 Peter 3:1‭-‬2 AMPC.  So submission to your husband in love to God is equal to loving your husband.
  3. Why was Peter led to say “IN LIKE MANNER, YOU WIVES…” Like what? Answer: a. Like he has just described in the previous paragraphs (Read previous chapter): like the Christians submission to the gospel (contrasted with the world’s rejection of it.) b. Like servants subjection to their masters out of submission to God’s providence in their lives. c. Like Christ’s submission to suffering to save his lost sheep.
  4. The Spirit gives Paul the very same instructions for the married: “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:” –Ephesians 5:21‭-‬26‭, ‬28‭-‬29 KJV
  5. The husband’s love, care, protection, nourishment, honor, cherishing, of His his wife, demonstrates submission to and love for God. But, the focus is on care and sacrifice, which is the critical aspect of love necessary for a strong union with the woman God has tied him to.  Love in all leadership is demonstrated by CARE, NOURISHMENT, PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT: “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. –John 21:15‭-‬17 KJV

    Notice that love to Jesus must be given to others: his sheep who need care and nourishment. This was to be Peter’s PRIMARY FOCUS from that day forward. His leadership would be a position defined by love and care for those the Lord desires to care for.

Wives don’t have this burden of leadership and care for the husband; their burden is to demonstrate their love to God and love for their husband by honoring his leadership and submitting to it, in the same way the Church submits to Jesus. So, both the husband and wife have a command to love, albeit from different directions so as to assure a strong one flesh union.
God know how he has designed and equipped men and women. The one who wants to please God humbly submits to his wise instructions.

God’s Love Floods!

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God’s Love Flooding The Core Of My Soul.

 …And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. —Rom. 5:5
  • Hope: Is the SURE EXPECTATION of the final glory, promised by God to the faithful. HOPE is the structure left standing after we have overcome all of the necessary trials which purify our faith.
  • It’s the final stage in the 4 stage construction project of The Glory of God. (tribulation, patience, endurance, hope.)
  • The monumental structure of CERTAIN HOPE in turn fortifies us, banishing any sense of inadequacy. Because the victory through the trails is proof of God’s love for me. He has lavishly poured out his love in the core of our being, through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us who believe.
  • Our unshakable belief and the circumstances surrounding its creation, prove the presence of the Holy Spirit and love of God for us.
There’s much more. Check out Romans 5 for the full story.

How to Prevent Brainwashing?

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So I’m sitting down with a fellow teacher who has a title in front of his name. He’s trying to convince me to accept and obey his point of view. (He doesn’t know how long I’ve been studying the Bible. It happens to be longer than him.) But I take it he assumes his “position” puts everyone else in a submissive posture and an open head. Don’t get me wrong, I’m hoping for some nuggets of truth I can add to my file of knowledge and beliefs—that’s why we were having this conversation:-)

The Open Mind

The LAST thing you want is an “open mind”. (The kind brain washers love.) As students we must learn from experts/authorities. We should be EAGER to learn valuable new information and take instructions. However, all information and instructions must be filtered by The Word of God if you are a Christian.

The danger is to accept the “title”, “position”, or “reputation” of the would-be teacher as proof of the accuracy of their teachings and instructions. “This is Pastor, Dr. So and So, so whatever he tells me I will believe and do.”

The Closed Mind

The truth is: Let no one pour information into your brain without consulting God Almighty to confirm this man/woman has been taught by The Master Teacher Himself. (1Tim. 3:16)

Eagerness to learn, but not an open mind. The mind is closed until God’s truth fills it. Check with God before you let some teacher or expert fill your head with what they claim to be right.

Even the Apostles had to pass this test!

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. -Act 17:11

The Multitude of Counselors

If you are still have doubts consult more authorities from diverse positions. Don’t consult the questionable teacher’s students or partners. I would examine those who are likely to differ and weigh all of their interpretations and teachings.

Pro 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.