Pressing on for Jesus

         Before we read our scripture reading let me give you a little history surrounding the writing of our text. The great fire in Rome occurred 64 AD about the same time Peter wrote this letter. Nero himself burned the city. Though an inhuman brute, he was a great builder. It was in order to build a new and grander Rome that he set fire to the city, and historians have commonly regarded it as a fact that he was the one who committed the crime. In order to divert suspicion from himself, he accused the Christians of burning Rome. So this brought on the persecution of the Christians in 64~67 AD it was very severe in and around Rome, but not generally over the empire. However, the example of the Emperor, encouraged the enemies of Christians everywhere to take advantage of the slightest chance to persecute. It had suffered persecution in various localities at the hands of local authorities, but now imperial Rome, which had hitherto been indifferent, even in some cases friendly. Now, they accused the church of a terrible crime, and was undertaking to punish it.

         The church was undergoing a world trial. It seemed as if the end had come. It was literally a fiery trial. Christians were being burned at night in Nero’s garden. It did look as if the devil, as a roaring lion was about to devour the church

         It is thought possible, that Peter may have written this letter immediately after Paul’s martyrdom about 66, A D He sent this letter to the churches Paul had founded, to encourage them to bear up under their suffering. Silas personally carried the news of Paul’s martyrdom to Paul’s churches.

         Thus the  epistles was born in the atmosphere of suffering, shortly before Peter’s own martyrdom here he exhorted all Christians not to think it strange that they had to suffer, reminding them that Christ did His work by suffering for them.

          Peter starts off by telling them that the knowledge of Christ is the foundation. Here this Greek word used for knowledge refers to a deep knowledge of God not just a surface knowledge, like most people have today. Next he talks about the things that pertain to life and Godliness. We are given gifts by Jesus, that are enshrined in Him. When we accept Him we receive the power to live a Holy life, which means set apart from sin, we also receive glory and virtue from God when we get saved, we receive Christ’ glory and virtue which  are a part of God’s own nature , and in II Peter 1:4~10 he talks about a Christian’s life.

          "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 besides 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 knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see a far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these" things, ye shall never fall.

         Friends, when we receive Christ we become partakers of His divine nature only after we have escape or turned our backs on the world. (The world here is talking about a society alienated from God by rebellion) James 1:21 says; "WHEREFORE LAY APART ALL FILTHINESS AND SUPERFLUITY OF NAUGHTINESS AND RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS THE ENGRAFTED WORD, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS". Peter says that one must become in practice what they already are in God’s sight. Peter taught, you receive the ability to live a holy life from the divine power which God gave.

         Here Peter stresses the word knowledge because false teachers taught that knowledge was given with the need for morality. Pagan's taught that holiness of living was impossible. You could only receive a divine nature, but, Peter taught it is by sheer “grace”. Pagans taught the better you live the more you escaped the trammels of the material world.

         Friends, for a Christian a divine nature is his starting point, not his goal. Peter claims the same thing Paul does in (Gal 2:20) where he says, "if we are partakers of his suffering we are also partakers of his glory".

         It is because of these divine qualities we as Christians cannot set back and rest being contented with our faith. James says that grace demands, us to do all we can to show Christ in us. A Christian receives his divine nature along with salvation. Although human efforts are inadequate for a divine nature we cannot total dispense with them. The Christian must engage in this part of co-operation with God in the production of a Christians life which is a credit to Him. Our faith got our divine nature but we must add to it. Virtue, is a rare word in biblical Greek but common in non-Christian literature. It means “excellence” it denotes the proper fulfillment of anything. One of the characteristics of a Christian is virtue. A Christian must work out the salvation that God worked in him, his life must reflect something of the character of Christ (you can only gain that likeness from Christ through a personal and continuous encounter with him). A lot of false teachers don’t teach or show this in their lives. To virtue we are told to add knowledge-practical wisdom, this knowledge is gained in the practical excise of goodness which in turn leads to the full knowledge of God. False teaching has a cure, this false teaching is cured, not by less knowledge but buy more knowledge of the truth.

         Next we are to add temperance or self-control As Christians my dear friend we need self control in our lives. This means not only in food and drink but every aspect of life. This word is very common in the New Testament (Gal 5:23) says “meekness temperance; against such there is no law”. Friends, this self-control means controlling ones passions instead of being controlled by them. Friends in short self-control means submission to the indwelling Christ.

         We as Christians are to add to our selves “patience or endurance”. A Christian is not to give up easily, he must stand against the flesh within and the world without. True faith has great endurance.  Friends, you need patience (MK 13:13) says, "YE SHALL BE HATED OF ALL MEN FOR MY NAME’S SAKE; BUT HE SHALL ENDURE UNTO THE END THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED". Patience was not one of the Pagans quality.

         Aristotle says “Self-control is concern with pleasure and endured with sorrows.” Jesus endured the cross. With our divine nature we must realize that God’s hand is in control of our lives.

         Therefore he will enable us to endure all things As Christians Peter says we must have Godliness or rather reverence, this must be added to a Christian life. The word used here is also a rare word in the NT, but, it’s use here is probably in deliberate contrast to false teachers. These false teachers were far from godliness to God or to man. Peter states that true knowledge of God manifests itself toward God and man through reverence and respect toward them.

         Kindness also needs to be add to a person faith a person cannot have godliness apart from kindness one must work at the gift of kindness. We are to bear one another's burdens. We are to guard our Spirit given unity from destruction by gossip, prejudice, narrowness and the refusal to accept a brother Christian for what he is in Christ.

         Charity, or love. The word agape is one God gives to man and require them to return to Him. This is the highest from of love. The word Phi lea is for friends. Agape love is given to us by God not because we are loveable, but because He is agape love. This agape love originates with Him. That is what he wants for us. That is what he has prepared to achieve in us. Man will not believe that God is love unless they see it in the Spirit of His people.

         Friends we as Christians cannot be barren or unfruitful the true knowledge of Christ as opposed to the false does not produce these moral and spiritual death. We must strive for the character traces of a Christian so we will have fruits. The knowledge of Christ is begins with the knowledge of Him who calls us and continues in the knowledge of God and of Jesus. Paul realized that the knowledge of Jesus (not about Him), was both the roots and goals of Christians experiences if these qualities are not manifested in a man’ life he will not be fruitful. He does not realize there is a war on evil and cannot see a far off, it means short sighted, blind to spiritual meanings, looking at the world they hath forgotten their commitment to Christ. The man who makes no efforts to grow in grace is going back on his baptismal contract. This could be the start of apostasy friends Peter gives a call for Christians to be zealous Enthusiastic and diligent devoted in pursuit of a course, ideal or goal;

         Peter says wherefore the rather. This could mean the coming on of spiritual blindness. Peter appealed to them as breather. Election comes from God alone but mans behavior is the proof or disproof of it. Good works are only possible through the gracious aid of God. Christians calling and Christians living go together. Peter says, if you confirm your calling with a life agreeable to it, two results will follow, first you shall never fall, (although you may stumble). Second a Christian radiant life should be the silent proof of Gods election.

         Yes friends we will reach our destination (Heaven) into the everlasting kingdom if we put ourselves out for God He will be generous and equip us for life in the everlasting kingdom, its eternal our entry into the kingdom is still seen as future and the kingdom belongs to Christ As Christians we must press on the city who's builder and maker is God. (Heb 11:10).

         In conclusion: Peter states what we have , and what’s to come. Heaven my friend is not a reward it is keeping accords with the nature of a good and generous God, toward these who trust and obey him.

         A unholy Christian in the judgment is compared to a sailor who just manages to make it to shore after his ship sinks, or to a man who barely escapes with his life from a burning house, while all his possessions are lost.

         Now in contrast the Christian who had allowed his Lord to influence his conduct will have abundant entrance into the heavenly city, and be welcomed like a triumphant, athlete victorious in the game.

         Friends we have been talking mostly to Christians in this message but if you have read this message and no not God as your Lord, I want to invite you to accept Him today. So you to can become strong in the Lord and make that triumphant entry into Heaven. And Christians you need to start applying these principles to your life, that you might walk what you profess.

Dear Christian, let us start apply these principles to our lives today, spend more time praising the Lord who made it all possible.