Lesson 5
Second Peter
Warning against dangers
facing the Church
4. The promises in view here include the "mystery doctrines"
that are unique to the Church age.
a. Ministry
of the Holy Spirit
1. Baptizing
- enters each believer into union with Christ
1 Cor
2.
Indwelling each believer from the point of salvation Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16
3. Filling or empowering ministry of the Spirit in the life of the
believer so that we're able to understand the word taught and walk by the
Spirit reflecting the character of Christ.
b. The indwelling of Jesus Christ - Gal 4:19 until
Christ is formed in you
- The verb formed is morfo,w and illustrates the use of
aorist; here its culminative; this then looks at the end result of many
decisions to take in the Word and to learn who Christ is and His thinking.
- Basic idea of the word is to cause
something to have a certain form or nature; in the passive to take on a form, be formed, here Christ be formed in you;
- Ultimately what Paul is anguished
over is that they should be reflecting the character of Christ in their life;
That Christ's life and nature be seen in them.
- Also must ask with the passive,
since it places an emphasis on something external what is it? What's the mechanic? The how!
- The answer is the Word! Word of Christ richly dwelling within Col. 3:15 parallel to Eph
5:18 where we're commanded to be filled by means of the Holy Spirit, which
describes the Holy Spirit filling us with Christ, that is the Word and does so
through faith. Eph 3:17
- Verb is in the Subjunctive mood
which points out that this is potential therefore tells us what Paul is
referring to happens or occurs, this Christ being formed in us, during our life
after salvation.
This capacity for Christ being formed in us flows from what is ours in Christ
positionally.
- Paul is saying much the same thing as he did earlier
in
c. Being in union with Christ we become royalty 1 Pet 2:9 "a royal priesthood"
d. Heirship/inheritance which is unique Rom
- As a believer, as a son, you are an heir of God, not only that,
you are also fellow heirs with Christ!
What
belongs to Him belongs to you! How much
is that?
Look at
Heb 1:2 Christ's
inheritance is awesome!
- This is what adoption is all about; God has placed us as sons, with all
the rights privileges and benefits and blessings that comes from being God's
son; this includes an inheritance;
present [Eph
1:3; and future [1 Pet. 1:3-4]
e. The
Rapture of the Church, that is the believers of the
Church age 1 Cor 15:51
5.
What's a mystery?? Need to go to
Eph 3:1-4 to gain some insight on this.
- "mystery" musth,rion; this is another major
word for Paul [6 in Eph.; 4 in
Four aspects
1. It refers to something previously concealed but now revealed.
2. It was concealed in the past but is revealed in the present.
3. It speaks of a part, an aspect of
God's will, His purpose, His plan, that was concealed from man in the
past but is now revealed through Paul.
4. Very important: It is something undiscoverable by human
reason; it was
only known by divine revelation.
Clearly Paul is not the source or
originator of the mystery truth is emphasized 2 ways in vs:3
- First that its "by revelation" avpoka,luyij avpokaluyisj the unveiling of that which was hidden or
concealed.
- Second "was made known," is in the
passive voice; he received the revelation, he did not originate it!
* What was
revealed and made known to Paul was the mystery truth, doctrine
Something else that is important is
indicated here!
- When he says
that he has placed it in writing, the content and explanation of the mystery
has now become inscripturated, a part of the revelation of truth in the Word of
God! part of
the Canon.
- Notice carefully
what it says; "when you read you can, [you are
able, have the ability - du,namai dunamai] to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ; that is both Jew and Gentile in one Body in
Christ!
- The word for understand describes mental
activity, noew;
means to
perceive, to understand, to gain an insight into;
This does not refer to reading in the
way you would sit down to read the newspaper, a novel or what ever; but the
idea of the word is to read analytically, carefully with some intensity in your
concentration on the content.
* Our insight
comes from intense reading, study of the written Word! Along with the
illumination of the Holy Spirit! NO
shortcuts! Must be in
fellowship empowered by the Holy Spirit for this to be a reality.
*** Do you realize
what this does? What this says about
Christianity?
The fact is that
Biblical Christianity is not ritual, it is not based on emotion, it is
thinking!
I want you to know how to think, what
to believe, and its not lighting incense or candles,
or going through some elaborate ritual, what it is, is having your act together
mentally, knowing what you believe!
If we don't have
proper thinking, belief, if we don't think right, we will not act right.
6. All of these valuable and exceedingly great promises flow to us based
on our salvation in Christ. 1 John
7. The result of understanding these promises is assurance in life of
our future in Christ.
8. We are partakers of the divine nature through positional truth
(realized at salvation) also experiential righteousness (living out the truth
in time) and finally in glorification in a resurrection body for eternity.
9. The goal or objective for the believer should be to have the capacity
to realize these valuable and exceedingly great promises in time.
10. When we realize these valuable and exceedingly great promises in
time we then have the capacity to reflect His glory, His character in our life.
- this is what is referred to as
experiential righteousness, knowing what is right and doing it
11. Peter recognizes that we are free positionally from the corruption
of the sin nature but we must be experientially free from its domination and
therefore its corrupting influence in our life if we
are to reflect the character of Christ.
12. The more epignosis we possess the greater becomes our freedom, our
capacity to operate independent of the debilitating influence of the kosmos system out there under Satan’s
domination and therefore be able to glorify and serve God.