Faith That Has Nothing to Do WIth Us! (II Peter 2:1)
Wow...amazing how we read things over and over and just don't see things. Sorta makes the doctrine of illumination that much more important, right? I'm glad that I was taught to let the Bible speak for itself...the Lord has so much to say and we're so often missing it. Here is an example from my studies this morning that I wanted to share with you. Studying II Peter 1:1 and here's what I found:
1. Peter is a servant (doulos)- a bondslave of Jesus Christ. Slaves do the will of their master, forsake their own needs/wants/happiness in order to serve their master, don't have their own rights...do you act like a slave of Jesus Christ...or are you "free" as most Christians believe. Free from sin, yes...free to live as you please...no!
2. Peter is an Apostle. Read Acts 1 and realize that this message is coming from one who was personally hand-picked by the Lord Jesus, an eyewitness of the ministry, death, burial and resurrection of Christ to bring you this message...you'd better take heed!
3. The message is written to Christians- those that have obtained the same exact, precious faith as the Apostles; "like precious" in the Greek is one word "isotimos" which is a compound of isos which means "equal" (where you get isosceles triangle from) and "time" which means "value/preciousness"). Christians have the exact same valuable faith as an Apostle of Christ...
4. So how did we get it? This is the neat part that I really enjoyed this morning. How did we obtain this precious faith in Christ? The word "obtained" is very instructive in Greek (the original, inspired language of the NT)...it is the word "lagchanō"...
The Friberg Analytical Greek Lexicon defines this word as "what comes to someone always apart from his own efforts, cast lots (JN 19.24); attain by lot, be appointed by lot, be chosen by lot, of what comes by divine will attain, receive, obtain (2P 1.1).
Strong's says this on the word, "to lot, that is, determine (by implication receive) especially by lot: - his lot be, cast lots, obtain."
Does this mean our salvation was by chance or luck? No! It basically means that it was God's divine MacArthur puts it nicely in his commentary on II Peter; "The manner in which Peter described his readers is theologically rich, albeit brief, and points to the divine source of salvation. Have received implies believers' salvation is a gift. The verb (lagchano) means "to gain by divine will" or "given by an allotment" (as in the biblical practice of casting lots to learn God's will (Lev 16:8-10, Josh 7:14; I Sam 14:38-43; I Chr 25:8-31; Acts 1:16-26, etc). Clearly it refers to something not obtained by human effort or based on personal worthiness but issued from God's sovereign purpose. Peter's readers received faith because God graciously willed to give it to them."
Reader...don't forget that faith is a gift of God (Eph 2:8-9) and it is not based on anything in us...any quality, any foreseen choice or value...it's based on the sovereign God's choosing!
- (2Pe 1:1) 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:
1. Peter is a servant (doulos)- a bondslave of Jesus Christ. Slaves do the will of their master, forsake their own needs/wants/happiness in order to serve their master, don't have their own rights...do you act like a slave of Jesus Christ...or are you "free" as most Christians believe. Free from sin, yes...free to live as you please...no!
2. Peter is an Apostle. Read Acts 1 and realize that this message is coming from one who was personally hand-picked by the Lord Jesus, an eyewitness of the ministry, death, burial and resurrection of Christ to bring you this message...you'd better take heed!
3. The message is written to Christians- those that have obtained the same exact, precious faith as the Apostles; "like precious" in the Greek is one word "isotimos" which is a compound of isos which means "equal" (where you get isosceles triangle from) and "time" which means "value/preciousness"). Christians have the exact same valuable faith as an Apostle of Christ...
4. So how did we get it? This is the neat part that I really enjoyed this morning. How did we obtain this precious faith in Christ? The word "obtained" is very instructive in Greek (the original, inspired language of the NT)...it is the word "lagchanō"...
The Friberg Analytical Greek Lexicon defines this word as "what comes to someone always apart from his own efforts, cast lots (JN 19.24); attain by lot, be appointed by lot, be chosen by lot, of what comes by divine will attain, receive, obtain (2P 1.1).
Strong's says this on the word, "to lot, that is, determine (by implication receive) especially by lot: - his lot be, cast lots, obtain."
Does this mean our salvation was by chance or luck? No! It basically means that it was God's divine MacArthur puts it nicely in his commentary on II Peter; "The manner in which Peter described his readers is theologically rich, albeit brief, and points to the divine source of salvation. Have received implies believers' salvation is a gift. The verb (lagchano) means "to gain by divine will" or "given by an allotment" (as in the biblical practice of casting lots to learn God's will (Lev 16:8-10, Josh 7:14; I Sam 14:38-43; I Chr 25:8-31; Acts 1:16-26, etc). Clearly it refers to something not obtained by human effort or based on personal worthiness but issued from God's sovereign purpose. Peter's readers received faith because God graciously willed to give it to them."
Reader...don't forget that faith is a gift of God (Eph 2:8-9) and it is not based on anything in us...any quality, any foreseen choice or value...it's based on the sovereign God's choosing!
1 Comments:
Amen.
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