BY STEVE BUCHANAN
2 Peter chapter 1. Peter’s epistle. We’ll begin here reading with verse 1. It says
2 Peter 1:1. Simon Peter, a
bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like
precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
So right up front he addresses to whom he is addressing this epistle.
Verse 2.
2 Peter 1:2. Grace and peace
This is Peter’s hope, Peter’s prayer.
2 Peter 1:2. Grace and peace
be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
So this is a situation where it’s Peter’s hope that this grace, this knowledge of who God is, of who Jesus Christ is, and of Their relationship with those that are called. It says here that it “be multiplied.” It’s not just something where there’s just a steady growth, but his hope is that there’s multiples. That it’s a steady growth. It is a steady increase of grace and knowledge. Just those two concepts we could spend a lot of time with but that’s not what we’re going to be dealing with today.
Verse 3.
2 Peter 1:3. As His divine
power has given to us
He begins to show this grace, this knowledge that it’s his prayer that all be multiplied with is a gift.
2 Peter 1:3. As His divine power
has given to us all things that pertain
to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and
virtue.
And as we reflect on our calling, it is God showing Himself, God showing His glory, His virtues that we’re able to see, we’re able to relate to, we’re able to make a part of us.
Verse 4.
2 Peter 1:4. By which have
been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises,
In this calling, we have many things that God promises to us. That He’s going to take care of us. He’s going to change us. We’re going to come to a point where our mind and our hearts are going to mirror that of Jesus the Christ. And we’re going to have an opportunity to be in the very Family of God. Tremendous promises!
2 Peter 1:4b. that through these
Through these promises, through this hope that God is able to extend
2 Peter 1:4b. that through
these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
This calling also involves us being afforded a way of escape of the corruption that is all around us in this world and it says, “through lust.” This Greek word for “lust” has the meaning in Strong’s Concordance, the active and individual desire resulting from another Greek word pathos which describes the diseased condition of the soul.
We’re going to be describing here a lot of things, especially at the beginning. We’re going to try as best we can as the best way that I have come to understand by what God writes in Scripture the diseased condition of our soul and calling. And what God promises to do: change it.
Verse 5.
2 Peter 1:5. But also for
this very reason,
We’ve just talked about all of these things that God provides, all the promises that He says He’s going to extend to us that He will fulfill that’s going to require us to have faith in as we go through this process of our calling. But here there’s something else that has to be added and this has to come from us.
2 Peter 1:5. But also for
this very reason, giving all diligence,
It’s going to require effort. It’s going to require us to see the condition that we’re in, to see the instruction that God’s providing, the ways that we must live our life. And it’s going to require diligence. And there’s a reason why these types of words are used throughout Scripture. And it’s a battle. It’s a struggle. It’s warfare. And believe it or not, the key to all of that is the condition of our very lives, the condition from which we are being changed from.
2 Peter 1:5b. giving all diligence,
add to your faith [which God gives], virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6) To knowledge self-control, to self-control
perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7) To godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love [or agape].
We’ve heard this described. I’ve heard this described in messages. I’ve come to believe this that this is a process. These are stepping stones from one to another. It’s a growth process. And for someone to be on this process, a clearing of their vision of what God is expecting, a clearing of their vision of who God is, of who Jesus Christ is, and a clearing of the purpose for which God called. Being involved in this process is necessary for all of us.
Verse 8, he goes on to describe. As he describes this process, verse 8.
2 Peter 1:8. For if these
things are yours and abound,
They’re growing. They’re multiplying. If this is the condition
2 Peter 1:8b. are yours and
abound, you will be neither barren
In the margin of my Bible, it has “useless.” In other words, it doesn’t have a use. It really doesn’t play a part of what the purpose of God’s calling.
2 Peter 1:8. For if these
things are yours and abound, you will be
neither barren [or useless] nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
So it comes to the point that not only are we to increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, but this knowledge is supposed to afford a change in us that develops fruit that can be used within God’s purpose.
Verse 9.
2 Peter 1:9. For he who
lacks these things
For someone who’s not involved in this process, for someone for whatever reason has been distracted and feet have strayed from God’s purpose
2 Peter 1:9b. is
shortsighted,
Now someone is shortsighted has trouble seeing things far off. So he’s describing an individual who doesn’t have—he isn’t looking very far into the future at all, but he’s worried about the here and now, worried about the comforts that affect that individual right now. They’re shortsighted.
2 Peter 1:9 cont. even to
blindness,
Now we’re going to be talking a lot about that today.
2 Peter 1:9 cont. even to
blindness,
The shortsightedness is a process that leads to blindness.
2 Peter 1:9 cont. and [it]
has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
So this Scripture here is talking about people who had been cleansed from their sins. God had called. They had been involved in a process, but for whatever reason a distraction took place and here this individual that’s being described had grown to a condition that they forgot that they were cleansed from their old sins.
Verse 10.
2 Peter 1:10. Therefore,
brethren, be even more diligent
As these warnings are listed out, speaking to people who have this calling, who have been begotten by the Spirit of God, he says
2 Peter 1:10. Therefore,
brethren, be even more diligent
More on guard. More watchful for what can happen.
2 Peter 1:10b. to make your
call and election sure, for if you do these things
If you’re involved in this process,
2 Peter
You will not be distracted. You will not step off course.
As we go through this message, as we examine Scriptures, we’re going to see coming to believe and understand never stumbling, to be able to be involved in this process without being distracted, without allowing our emotions to become involved and take us away from the purpose that God has is another one of those things that’s so easy to say. It’s something that everyone in here would agree with, without question, that we need this relationship with God.
We cannot be distracted from this, but tell me anyone here that can go a day without the need to ask God to forgive us. Just one day to be able to say, “We have gone through this day and everything that I’ve done has been fruitful!” Everything has been where God has said where what a great job this individual’s doing. I have never been able to do that. As I think about, as I reflect on this, if my attitude is correct, and I think not just about the words that come out of my mouth or the actions that happen, but the thoughts that run through my mind, the beginning of sin, the beginning of distraction is in my mind and in my heart. That’s where it begins.
So verse 10 as we read this it’s such an easy thing to agree with, but, as we’re going to see, it’s so difficult to follow. And there’s a reason for that.
Verse 11. For somebody who can stay in that attitude
2 Peter 1:11. For so an
entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
God’s gifts, as this section of Scripture illustrates, God’s gifts make possible the promises that He makes to be fulfilled. Not one of us would ever have come to the thought of changing our way of life if not for God’s intervention, God’s calling, and God’s shaking of us to bring us to the point where we questioned whether or not our life is right or wrong. God has done that.
Verses 9 and 10 state plainly that our part is required by God. God requires diligence from us. God requires us to hear His instruction and to make it a part of us. He requires choices to be made by us. And we’re going to get involved with that as well.
These gifts provide a path for us to escape from the corruption that is in this world motivated by lust, motivated by the diseased condition of every single person. And I want to emphasize that. And as we go through and we begin to read Scriptures from God, His opinions about mankind, it’s going to be emphasized throughout.
Also getting individual for all of us as we read these Scriptures, as I have done in preparing this, is to examine myself. It is important that we see ourselves that we don’t approach Scripture reading warnings, reading God’s perspective, reading God’s thoughts and applying them to somebody else, especially only to somebody else. In this day and age, we are required to examine the fruits of the conditions that are around us. We are required to do that. But if we ever approach God’s Word in a frame of mind that looks at somebody else and the only thing we get from this is that somebody else is wrong, somebody else needs to change, and it doesn’t affect us, then the purpose of these words are not achieving the purpose God intended. These are God-breathed to correct us. And this calling that we have been brought to is a calling that’s all about change. It’s change from the moment that He begins to deal with us until Jesus Christ returns. There’s never a point in time where that change should stop. There’s never a point in time where the depth of the sin that is in us is going to be revealed. There’s never a time where we should be in a situation where humility doesn’t affect us. Never!
But as I look at my life, as I have examined my life, there have been distractions that have taken me off of that mindset. I’ve been distracted. I can so easily be distracted. We’re going to read Scriptures about that today.
If you turn back to Genesis chapter 6, Genesis chapter 6. We’re going to begin by reading God’s own words. In Genesis 6 and we’re going to begin reading here with verse 5. It says
Genesis 6:5. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts
of his heart was only evil
continually. 6) And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on
the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
There’s some aspects that I want to try to bring forth from these verses. God’s perspective, His judgment of mankind was that the intent, every intent of the thoughts of men were evil continually. Now we can think back and we can say murdering, stealing—as we’re going to see as we go on, sometimes it’s not that obvious—the intents of the heart, because we’re going to start getting involved into deception. We’re going to start getting involved into how an individual, me or you, can allow things to happen that can deceive us.
Verse 6.
Genesis 6:6. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on
the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
This condition, it affects us as individuals. It can affect others that we come in contact with, but even here it brings out a certain sorrow in me that it grieves God. It has an affect on God too. These things that I can be distracted with, the things that happen on a daily basis with me where I know everyday that I am dependent on God’s mercy, that I need to pray for His forgiveness, these slip ups, these times where I just don’t listen, I don’t follow through, I don’t remember, so many words we can use, grieves God. It causes a sadness. It doesn’t bring great joy to God to accept sacrifice rather than obedience.
Verse 7.
Genesis 6:7. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I
have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and
birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8) But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
And, as we’re going to see as we go through this, the grace of God, the mercy that He extends before anybody changes anything is necessary. It’s obvious. Here’s a situation that Noah found grace. Noah found favor from God. It wasn’t that Noah never sinned, but Noah and his family found grace. They had favor.
Please turn to Genesis chapter 8. To emphasize the point, this section of Scriptures, again God’s thoughts, His perspective, and His judgment, this is following the flood. This is after that had taken place and Noah and his family began to leave the ark. Verse 20.
Genesis 8:20. Then Noah
built an altar to the Lord, and
took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings
on the altar. 21) And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord
said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake,
although the imagination of man’s heart is
evil from his youth;
There’s no exceptions given here. There’s no things here that says every man except those people living in this city. All men’s hearts, all women’s hearts are evil from the beginning, from their youth.
Genesis 8:21b. nor will I
again destroy every living thing as I have done.
God states here, after the flood, the condition of the heart didn’t change. The condition of the heart is still the same. And He’s still dealing with the same problems.
Turn to Romans chapter 3. Romans chapter 3 and I’ll begin reading here with verse 21. It says
Romans 3:21. But now the
righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law
and the Prophets, 22) Even the
righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who
believe. For there is no
difference; 23) For all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Again emphasizing no exceptions! This is under the new covenant. No exceptions! All have sinned. All have fallen short. And as Scripture clearly points out, if you’re guilty of one point, you’re guilty of all. If someone is involved here of sinning and falling short, they’re doing something that’s hurtful to themselves. They’re doing something that’s hurtful to people who are close to them. This has great effect. And as we’ve already read, it has an effect with God. It has an effect with Christ. It’s not that They’re naïve. It’s not that They don’t realize this is going to happen, but it doesn’t bring great joy to Them to see us hurting ourselves. It doesn’t bring joy to Them to see us in this state dealing with these problems.
Please turn to Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2. It begins to talk here a section of Scripture—we’ve read this so many times—a section of Scripture that talks about events that occur in our calling as God introduces Himself to us. And again, God inspires these words. He doesn’t pull any punches. Verse 1.
Ephesians 2:1. And you He made alive,
We didn’t do it. He did it.
Ephesians 2:1. And you He made alive, who were dead in
trespasses and sins,
Once again emphasize the point: no exceptions! All people, men, women, children from their youth have all been involved in this.
Ephesians 2:2. In which you
once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of
the power of the air,
We’re going to be dealing a little bit with this too because it affects—as we understand the sin has taken place, the sin that we’re dealing with, it’s going to be important that we understand source, especially as we look and deal with each other, because it’s so easy for us to be affected in one way and attach it to a personality and angry at a personality. That is not what God’s Scripture teaches. We’re supposed to be angry with attitudes and words. We’re supposed to be angry with the thoughts that can arise in our own mind. But no where in Scripture does it say to hate another person. Somehow, someway we’ve got to separate those two. We’ve got to separate actions and attitudes and words. And we’ve got to separate the way we feel about someone else. Again, we’ll touch on that as we go through.
Ephesians 2:2. In which you
once walked
And, as we read this, please individualize this.
Ephesians 2:2. [As] you once
walked [As I once walked] according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air,
I was influenced and I followed. All of us have. No exceptions!
Ephesians 2:2b. the spirit
[that] now works in the sons of disobedience,
And as these words are inspired to be written, they were able to look at the world. They were able to see all of the actions and the words that were wrong, lifestyle choices that were wrong. Obviously sons of disobedience that had not yet been favored by God. They were able to examine that. But what he’s doing here as he begins to detail this stuff is to remember from where you came.
Verse 3.
Ephesians 2:3. Among whom
also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature
children of wrath, just as the others.
I want to pause for just a second. I want you to think of your life before your calling. There are some here, I know, that were children who have grown up in the Church and all they’ve known is the Church. And I understand that. For most of my life that’s the case. But as we think of our lives, we think of the choices we made. And you can make that any choice you want, the job you chose, the way you responded to parents, the things that in your mind you did that in a way you knew was wrong, but did them anyway. Every choice we made we thought was right. Otherwise we wouldn’t have made the choice. We would have chosen what we thought was right or best for us. Would you ever have placed the title on who you were “a child of wrath?” But yet that’s what is described here, “a child of wrath, just as the others.” As we judge ourselves, as we look back, again looking at our lives, we never would have made a decision or a choice we didn’t think was right or best for us or our families. Never! Or else we would have changed our mind. We would have made a different decision. This is God’s perspective. And again, we’re going to be involved in that as we go through.
Verse 4. As God calls us, everything is open to His eyes. He’s not calling us and not able to see every single sin of our character. God has everything open to Him, but we don’t. This is going to be a process of change. Verse 4.
Ephesians 2:4. But God, who
is rich in mercy,
He had to extend that before He ever called us.
Ephesians 2:4. But God, who
is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5) Even when we were dead in trespasses,
Sometimes we focus so much on God’s love for us, God’s favor for us, that we don’t think about God’s love for those He hasn’t called yet. And He has love for them too.
Ephesians 2:5. Even when we
were dead in trespasses, [and sins]
Verse 5.
Ephesians 2:5b. made us
alive together with Christ
As we read through this, what’s required of us? Not much yet. God’s given these things. God’s made this aware to us.
Ephesians 2:5. Even when we
were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have
been saved), 6) And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7) That in the ages to come He might show the
exceeding riches of His grace
And, Brethren, until the future, until—if God continues to have mercy on me that I’m able to experience what it’s like to be in the Family of God, only then can I look back and understand the fullness of His grace. Only then, not until then! I view aspects of it now, but only as His promises are fulfilled and the work He is doing in us is fulfilled will we be able to look back and understand His kindness, His grace.
Verse 8.
Ephesians 2:8. For by grace
you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
A continual emphasis throughout this!
Ephesians 2:8b. it is the gift of God, 9) Not of works, lest anyone should
boast. 10) For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we
should walk in them.
Our lives are supposed to change. Paul is inspired to write here, especially through the first three verses and he paints the picture and accurately so of the hopelessness of mankind without God’s intervention. There’s absolutely no way that we have a chance. We would die eternally without God’s intervention.
Please turn to Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7, a section of Scripture we’ll begin reading in verse 7. It says
Matthew 7:7. “Ask, and it
will be given to you;
Now I want to pause. When do we ask for something? Only when we see the need for something. It begins with that. That’s why we ask. If we just ask just to repeat words, words that may be in Scripture just to repeat them, holds no meaning, then the prayer goes as far as the ceiling and that’s where it stops. But somebody who’s coming before God in the right attitude and asking, they’re asking for something they see they have need of. We’re going to begin to focus on this.
Matthew 7:7. “Ask, and it
will be given to you; seek,
And we don’t need to seek God. God has pointed Himself out to us. What we’re seeking here are the character and the attributes of God. We are seeking. We are learning about Him. And then we’re able to apply that and make that a part of us.
Matthew 7:7b. seek, and you
will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8) “For everyone who asks receives,
And, as we go through this, it’s for somebody who’s involved in that process that God points out is somebody who will never fall, never stumble.
Matthew 7:8. “For everyone
who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be
opened. 9) “Or what man is there among
you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10) “Or if he asks for a fish, will he give
him a serpent? 11) “If you then, being evil,
Emphasize the words. This is speaking to you. It’s speaking to me. He’s speaking here to people who have been called. This is the Sermon on the Mount from Christ, His perspective.
Matthew 7:11. “If you then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
So being evil doesn’t mean that every decision and every choice we make is completely wrong. We can do good things, but it can also add to the deception that lies at the core of who we are. And again, we’ll get into this.
Matthew 7:11. “If you then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more
will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Christ’s statement is clear. Human nature is evil, but we can make right choices from time to time. God is anything but silent. And believe me these are just a sampling of Scriptures where God gives His judgment, His perspective on the condition of every single one of us, the core of our being, what makes us who we are. God is anything but silent on the condition of our hearts’ intent and purpose apart from Him. Apart from Him, our faiths are hopeless. That picture is painted clearly in Scripture. It’s hopeless without what He provides, but due to His calling of us, He has enabled us to understand that fact—that for us it’s hopeless on our own. Only He can show us that. God requires more than just a technical understanding of the words.
If you would, turn to Romans chapter 6. Romans chapter 6. The apostle Paul was inspired to write here beginning in verse 15.
Romans 6:15. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but
under grace? Certainly not! 16) Do
you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that
one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading
to death, or of obedience leading to
righteousness?
I wanted to read this Scripture because so many times in our lives we see individuals who are leaders. We see individuals with strong personalities. We see people, whether politics, city government, who rise above the others and at times use others, but they are leaders. What I wanted to point out here is that no matter who we are, no matter what titles we possess, we’re followers. Every single individual is a follower. You are a follower of Satan’s influence that leads to death or you’re a follower of righteousness that leads to life. We are followers. That’s what we are.
Please turn to Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3, begin reading here with verse 12. Again, warnings to called out people.
Hebrews 3:12. Beware,
brethren,
Beginning in verse 12.
Hebrews 3:12. Beware,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing
from the living God;
So just because God has called us, just because He has revealed things to us, doesn’t mean that we can’t step off base. We can’t step outside the box. We can’t begin another process to pursue following the lifestyle that we came out of.
Hebrews 3:12. Beware,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing
from the living God; 13) But exhort one
another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin.
Again, as we reflect on our lives, all the choices we’ve made, we made them because we thought they were right or best, but they were wrong nonetheless. We were deceived to think they were right or best. In all of us, this is a common theme that is attached to sin.
Please turn to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1.
Hebrews 12:1. Therefore we
also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay
aside every weight,
Or the thing that hinders us from following God.
Hebrews 12:1b. let us lay
aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
Or as The New English Bible has it, “every clinging sin.” One we can’t seem to get away from, a weakness that just continually sticks its head up in our lives that we find ourselves in certain situations and circumstances going back to. The belief is still there and you still act that way, rather than following what God has said.
Please turn back to Hebrews chapter 4.
The points I’m trying to make here, we understand the
diseased condition that we were called out of.
We understand that we are polluted.
Our hearts, our minds were saturated in it. But just because we’re called doesn’t mean
it’s not there anymore. God doesn’t
miraculously wave a magic wand and all of a sudden we’re a hundred percent
right. No desires that are wrong, no
pulls that are wrong. We still fight and
battle that.
In Hebrews 4, begin reading here with verse 11. And I read these as warnings to me.
Hebrews 4:11. Let us
therefore be diligent to enter that rest,
To be diligent, to be on guard, to understand all of the problems and battles we face, but to be diligent to enter that rest.
Hebrews 4:11b. lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
So it’s possible for us to fall. Our own desires can get to us.
Verse 12.
Hebrews 4:12. For the word
of God is living and powerful, and
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and
spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart.
I was reading this Scripture. I’ve read it several times over the past several weeks. And, again, for an individual to approach the Word of God, to be in the right attitude, approaching it, trying to see oneself, the mirror reflection that God’s Word can give us, for someone to be in the right heart and the right frame of mind, God’s Word, by the description that’s given here, is like a two-edged sword that cuts our heart and lays it open. And God does it to where we begin to see aspects of it. He lays us open. God is aware of every aspect of our heart. He’s aware of what we are, the fullness of what we are when He calls us. But this process that He’s involved in, including using these words, cuts us open and begins to show us. It begins to change things within us. It brings it to our attention and requires choices of us. This in verse 12 is God’s perspective.
Verse 13.
Hebrews 4:13. And there is
no creature hidden from His sight,
There is no choice we can make that He doesn’t see. There’s no thought that we can be rolling around in our mind that He doesn’t hear. He knows it. He sees it. Everything is open to Him.
Hebrews 4:13. And there is
no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the
eyes of Him to whom we must give
account.
We must give account for our choices once God calls us, once this process begins. We are under judgment now. Those who have been favored are under judgment now. As we’re going to read, God rewards openly for our actions and our words.
Please turn back to Psalm 51, a very familiar psalm. David, due to the circumstances in his life, his sin with Bathsheba, his arranging the death of her husband Uriah, by situations and circumstances had his heart laid open, had an aspect of his that was brought to his attention. And I want to note some of the words that David uses here. And again, as I examine myself, those times in my life where God lays open something for me to see in me, my sin, my true motivation, my heart, are these the words, is this the intent behind my prayer where I’m striving to ask God to forgive me?
Verse 2.
Psalm 51:2. Wash me
thoroughly from my iniquity,
This word for “wash me” means to wash as a garment or to wash thoroughly.
David is here of the attitude that he needs to be washed. He needs to be clean. He admits that. He acknowledges that. And that is an important factor here.
Psalm 51:2. Wash me
thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Notice as we read through this, David’s not making excuses. David’s not saying, “If this person wouldn’t have done that. If this situation wouldn’t have happened. God, if You wouldn’t have allowed this to take place, if You would have protected me, if You would have guided me.” David is acknowledging his choice, his sin.
Drop down to verse 7.
Psalm 51:7. Purge me with
hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Verse 10.
Psalm 51:10. Create in me a
clean heart, O God,
In The Companion Bible, I like what they said
here. It wasn’t that David was willing
to take the old heart, the old desires, and just change it. He wanted a new heart. He wanted desires. He wanted motivations that were new.
Psalm 51:10. Create in me a
clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
David understood the battles that he faced. He understood the instructions that came from God, but he also saw himself that he would vacillate one way or the other. And it was so easy to happen.
As we look at our lives, examining ourselves, is it not the same way? Every single one of us that can vacillate in emotions and situations and circumstances happen. All of a sudden we can be angry at one moment at an individual and then stop and think, “What did I say? What did I do?” I messed up. I’ve got to take responsibility for that before God and if necessary to go to an individual and say, “I’m sorry.” I’ve got to take responsibility for my own actions. It happens to all of us.
But David here desired this steadfast spirit, one that didn’t waver from God, from His purpose, and His calling.
Psalm 51:11. Do not cast me
away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
David was converted, but yet he still sinned. He still had a very, a very hard thing for him to deal with. David was converted, but he understood his heart was infected. He understood it was diseased.
It’s God’s perspective through His Words, through the intervening aspects in our life. God’s perspective cut his soul and his spirit open so he could see a part of who he was. A part, not all, but a part. It’s a process.
David was in agony and stress over this. It was not just words to David. The purging, the cleansing, the creating in him, it wasn’t just words. It wasn’t just trying to get a shortsighted approach. It wasn’t just trying to get through this situation and appease God and then go on doing what you want. But he desired this steadfast change in him. David desired what only God could do for him. He saw needs he couldn’t fill. He saw problems he couldn’t correct.
And for every single one of us, we have got not only to come to that point. I think all of us have to a degree. We know this, but we’ve got to be careful we don’t forget this, that we don’t forget the cleansing act, the work, the redemption powers of Jesus the Christ and God the Father working in our lives. It’s so easy to forget that we were cleansed, that we were once children of disobedience conducting our lives amongst this society following Satan’s influences. It’s so easy to forget it, because now we’ve been in the Church. We’ve been here for all these years. We pat ourselves on the back. It’s so easy to do this, because it feels good.
But God throughout His Word—and again, this is just a sampling of Scriptures. You can do your own research here. He does not hold back His perspective.
Please turn to Jeremiah chapter 17. Again familiar Scriptures, but as we apply them to ourselves as individuals along this line of thought, in verse 9 God’s perspective.
Jeremiah 17:9. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;
Or as the margin has “incurably sick.” In other words, if I on my own could come to the understanding and knowledge of what was wrong with me, I couldn’t do a thing about it. I would just see it and continue to follow it. There is nothing in me that can stop any of it. I can’t do that. I can’t pay the price other than through death for what I’ve done.
God, when He calls us, understands verse 9 for every single one of us. That the heart, the motivation, the core of who we are has been engulfed in a society that has taught and trained us to live a certain way of life, but this calling and this process is about a dramatic change in us.
To begin verse 9 it says
Jeremiah 17:9. “The heart is deceitful above all things,
When you think about deceit, we can think about other people saying things to deceive me. We have been through situations in the Church where we have heard words expressed that were not from God that we were tested with. Some people bought into it. It was deceitful. What comes from somebody else is important, but we’ve got to understand that deceit can only take place in your heart and in your mind. Deceit for me can only take place in my heart and my mind. It doesn’t matter where it comes from. I can’t stand back and put blame on this person or that person or this situation. Deceit can only take place in me. That is the only place it can happen. And as this verse says for me the most deceitful thing that I have to be aware of in my life is my own heart. We have to be aware of what’s being said. But the only place that deceit has an effect is here. And as we go through so far, how many of us can stand on our own and not be affected by this? We can’t. It requires God. It requires His intervention.
I wonder if we truly understand the deceptive power that Satan has. In Revelation 12 verse 4, I’ll just turn quickly there and read this. It says, speaking of Satan,
Revelation 12:4. His tail
drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.
I wonder if we can grasp and understand the deceptive power of Satan.
This is my opinion. There is no place in Scripture that we can prove this. It’s obvious that one-third of the angels were deceived and followed Satan. As best we have through Scripture, there were three archangels. My way of thinking, it seems logical to me that a third of the angels went with each three. If that’s the case—again, my opinion, you take it for what it’s worth, my opinion—if that’s the case and a third went with Lucifer and a third of them was deceived and followed him, how powerful is this deceit? We’re talking about beings who all they knew was the throne of God, the government of God, the thoughts of God, the actions, reactions of God. But now we’re talking about a being that could deceive a third of all of the angels. Do we understand what we’re facing as human beings? The power of deception.
Back to Jeremiah 17 verse 10.
Jeremiah 17:10. “I, the Lord, search the heart,
God is the one who opens it up and begins pointing out aspects to us.
Jeremiah 17:10b. I test the mind,
God is the one who begins to test us to see what we will do with what He makes manifest to us.
Jeremiah
In other words, we’re going to be judged by what we do with what He makes available to us.
There are many whom Satan can use to distract us, deceive us. And, as I mentioned before, we have to always remember that Satan is in control. Satan is at the helm. Satan is the one who is behind all of this. And the anger has to be toward those hurtful things, those attitudes, those words.
No matter how many are allowed to affect us in a way that tries to distract us, that tries to get us to bite into doing things differently than what God says, the only place it has any effect is inside of us. And we’ve got to understand that weakness.
There’s nothing more important in our lives, nothing more important than our individual relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Christ. Nothing more important than that! God called us to change our heart to a process, a path that leads to righteousness, that leads to His mind, to seek Him, to follow Him with zealousness, with diligence, recognizing our needs, recognizing we don’t have any answer—not one—for the problem that lies in front of us, but we rely totally, one hundred percent on Them.
Again, easy to say. Easy to agree with. Hard to steadfastly follow. Why is that so? Because, as we’ve read, we’ve been called into the Church. We’ve been made aware of aspect, but the heart, the problems, the beliefs, the deceit in some aspects, may still be there that God has not yet opened up for us to see. Deceit has a process and it has a beginning. God’s way of life is a process and it has a beginning.
The only things that I’m going to try to address from here on out are just the aspects of the beginnings of each. Each beginning starts a snowball that a lot of things can be decided, a lot of things can be done.
Please turn to Ezekiel chapter 28. As I said, it’s important that we remember where the deceit originates from. Ezekiel 28 and we’ll read here beginning in verse 15. God inspiring Ezekiel to write these words.
Ezekiel 28:15. You were perfect in your ways from the day
you were created, till iniquity was found in you.
The iniquity was in Lucifer. It hadn’t yet been evidenced through acts or words. It was in him. And we’re going to see it originated in his heart, in the core of who he was.
Verse 16.
Ezekiel 28:16. “By the
abundance of your trading
What we’re going to read now is a process. This is the process that took place in him.
Ezekiel 28:16. “By the
abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within,
The sin had already taken place. The beginning is long past.
Ezekiel 28:16b. you became
filled with violence within, and [eventually came to the point where] you
sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God;
and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones.
Verse 18.
Ezekiel 28:18. “You defiled
your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities,
It began by saying “the iniquity,” singular, was in him. Now there’s a multitude of them. It has grown. It has snowballed within him.
The beginning lies with verse 17.
Ezekiel 28:17. “Your heart
was lifted up because of your beauty;
As best we can grasp and understand, as we back up to verse 12, it says
Ezekiel 28:12b. “You were the seal of perfection,
The Companion Bible has “the finished pattern.”
Ezekiel 28:12 cont. full of
wisdom and perfect in beauty.
Almost as if, if we’re rightly understanding this, as if this was the ultimate creative act God could do. Opinion. But it seems by the words here that that’s what’s being said.
So if that’s the case, Lucifer was different, was created in a different way than others around him. Perhaps more beautiful, perhaps the musical capabilities that were evidenced in him, he could do things others could not.
But the beginning was him looking around, understanding what was taking place. He began to look at himself as more special. He began to look at himself as having more ability. This is the beginning of this. The heart being lifted up is evidence of that. And arrogance, a proud heart, a proud look is evidence of sin. It’s not just in itself, but it’s a snowballing effect. It’s an effect of the beginning of sin. But the sin had to begin with Lucifer in his own mind came to the conclusion, by looking at all the facts, that he was capable to do things himself. He came to the fact that he was able to choose for himself. And at that point, he began to distance himself from aspects that are clearly defined in the character of God.
Everything that comes from that point and, believe it or not, it goes back for us to the two trees, the deception that took place there. They came to the point, Adam and Eve, where they decided for themselves, knowing fully they were rejecting instruction from God. They decided for themselves. Once they came to that conclusion, the snowballing effect of sin began.
The one thing that I want to point out though is the deceit involved. Turn back to Isaiah chapter 14. We understand how deceit can take place in us. That we can pursue a wrong way, but think it’s right. There’s Scriptures that plainly say that in Scripture. Verse 13, again. we’re reading here the effect of sin in Lucifer, but it says
Isaiah 14:13. For you have
said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into
heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the
mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; 14) I will ascend above the heights of the
clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
Please understand Satan is not just the one who’s behind all the deceptions we face. Satan is deceived tremendously himself. This sin in him has deceived him. So much to the point that he not only wanted to, but he believed he could overthrow God. And everything he did went about to fulfill that purpose. Deception occurred in him. He is deceived to this day. It’s not a situation where Satan is there just trying to get us to slip up knowing what’s right. He believes this way of life. He believes that we shouldn’t have to listen to God. We can decide for ourselves what’s right for us.
Please turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 4. 1 Corinthians chapter 4.
There’s no place in Scripture where pride is given a definition, such as “Sin is the transgression of God’s law.” Sin is defined by God, but pride, the beginning stages of pride, it’s not defined anywhere in Scripture. The closest thing, at least the things that I have read, this comes as close as any in verse 6. It says
1 Corinthians 4:6. Now these
things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for
your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written,
And isn’t that what we’re talking about? Not to think beyond the instruction that God gives. Not to try to add to, to take away from, because for Lucifer, for Adam and Eve, that’s exactly what they did. They went beyond what God had said was right and decided for themselves.
Please turn to Proverbs chapter 21. There’s a Scripture here that I’m taking a principle from. Proverbs chapter 21, begin reading here with verse 1. It says
Proverbs 21:1. The king’s
heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
And we see examples in that that in the nation of
Proverbs 21:2. Every way
Verse 2.
Proverbs 21:2. Every way of
a man is right in his own eyes,
And again, from what we’ve tried to cover so far today, as we look back at our lives, as I look back at mine, the decisions I’ve made I thought were right and best.
Proverbs 21:2b. but the Lord weighs the hearts.
Fortunately for us, God shows us. Verse 3.
Proverbs 21:3. To do
righteousness and justice is more
acceptable to the Lord than
sacrifice.
He’d rather us do what He says rather than do something wrong, be deceived, sin, and come back to Him in repentance. He would rather us just obey.
Verse 4 is the principle that I want to try to pull out of this.
Proverbs 21:4. A haughty
look, a proud heart,
These are evidence that sin’s already occurred.
Proverbs 21:4b. and the plowing of the wicked are sin.
The initial aspect that we’ve tried to focus on, the beginning of Satan’s way of life, accepting that “I don’t have to listen to God, I can do things myself, I can make decisions that are right for me,” this aspect of the plowing of the wicked, to me, as I think this through that once I accept that I can decide that much like the Parable of the Sower, the ground begins to be turned up in my mind. And at that point, any idea that I want to throw in there can take root and grow. And as we look around at today’s environment, there’s anything and every idea being expressed that people believe in, that follow, that think everybody should follow.
Just watch a talk show. I’ve never watched Jerry Springer, but what commercials I see from time to time, people who believe this stuff turns my stomach at some of this stuff. But there are people who believe it, follow it. Ideas that have been planted have taken root and grown and producing fruit that affect not only them but someone else.
But it’s not just exaggerated examples like that, but you look at, listen to any talk show on the radio. What do you want to talk about? Politics or news or sports? You will hear one call after another expressing opinion of things that have been wrong, how we can correct them, things we should be doing now, ideas planted in the mind. Decide for yourself what’s right and follow it, produce fruit. Which God calls “children of disobedience,” which God calls “children of wrath,” and it is the exact example of what’s happened with all of us. These beliefs have become a part of us.
Please turn to Psalm chapter 10.
I am sorry. I am going so far into this and I’m no where near being done. Try to get through this as quickly as I can.
Psalm chapter 10 verse 2.
Psalm 10:2. The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
We’re going to be looking at it originates with pride. It originates with that initial aspect of sin, but it snowballs. And we’re going to see different attitudes, different ideas of what people think are right.
Psalm 10:2. The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
We can look around at today’s environment, the rising gas prices. You can’t tell me that the people who own these oil companies can’t sell gas cheaper than what they do, but it’s greed. It’s greed from them. That greed’s then passed on who transports things using fuel. Greed is involved there.
Psalm 10:2. The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
The ones who have power can persecute others.
Psalm 10:2b. let them be
caught in the plots which they have devised.
3) For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
You don’t hear people stand up and renounce God pointblank, but their actions their words renounce the instructions that we’re given in God’s Word.
Verse 4, this is the point.
Psalm 10:4. The wicked in
his proud countenance does not seek God;
Now I want to think about us as we’ve been called. If we ever get sidetracked, if we ever—it doesn’t have to be anything even such as, “Pork is okay to eat,” nothing even exaggerated to that extent—but if I feed on emotion, something comes out me, anger. It shouldn’t. If I continue with that, if that’s not repented of, I’m acting based on my own idea. I’m acting based on my own intent. I’m not seeking God. I’m not seeking after Him. I’m not trying to be like Him. My mind is not focused, again, on that purpose that was explained in 2 Peter chapter 1. And it can happen so quickly with us.
Isaiah chapter 9. Isaiah has a ton to say on the subject of pride. And if it’s something that you would want to look in, just look up the word “pride” and read through the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 9, I’ll begin reading here with verse 9. It says
Isaiah 9:9. All the people
will know—Ephraim and the inhabitant of
Evidence of pride exists.
Isaiah 9:10. “The bricks
have fallen down, but we will rebuild with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut
down, but we will replace them with
cedars.”
I was reading through this.
And so many times it’s so obvious to me the arrogance, especially of
this country. And what happened on
9-11. Those buildings went down. And I remember afterwards hearing speeches; “Things
like this have happened before, but the strong American people have always come
back.” Talk about the strength, the
rebuilding. “We’re going after the
terrorists. We’re going to.” And the only mention of God is at the
end. “May God bless
How many times have we tripped and fallen? Have I tripped and fallen with a weakness, a recurring weakness? Well, I go right back to the same thing. The same thing comes out of me. And perhaps don’t even recognize it. And only later after God opens up an aspect of me, do I have to go back and there’s a sequence of events I have to repent of, not just one thing. It’s a sequence of events where I’ve strayed.
Please turn to Daniel chapter 5. This is talking about what took place in the heart here. Verse 20, breaking into the thought.
Daniel 5:20. “But when his
heart [Nebuchadnezzar’s heart] was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in
pride,
Here’s a situation where pride began, but now it’s a situation that’s believed so strongly that it’s hardened in him. So much so that God had to dramatically intervene and make him like one of the animals for seven years to humble him! And we’re getting in now to the beginning of aspects of what God is doing with us.
Please turn back to Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1, it says
Ephesians 2:1. And you He made alive, who were dead in
trespasses and sins, 2) In which you
once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of
the power of the air, the spirit [that] now works in the sons of
disobedience, 3) Among whom also we all
once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of
the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the
others.
God is beginning to show us that this was us. God is showing and bringing to our reminder this was us. It’s me. I’m guilty of this. How many times have we heard statements made, even thinking thoughts to ourselves as we read through Scriptures, we have all sinned. We’re all guilty of it. All have earned for themselves the death penalty. Every single one of us have. All fall short of Christ’s mind and heart. We’ve read those things today. And there’s not one person in here—I don’t think—who wouldn’t agree one hundred percent with that.
But to show what can be in our heart—not everybody perhaps would be guilty of this—but I’ll use myself as an example. If someone were to stand up here and I would be sitting in my seat and would say, “Steve Buchanan is a sinner! Steve Buchanan has earned the death penalty. Steve Buchanan on a daily basis falls short of the glory of God.” If somebody would stand up here and use your name, what would come out of you? Would you be so ready to agree? Or would you all of a sudden say, “Well, who do you think you are?” Would anger start to rise up in us? “Who do you think you are correcting me?” It can happen. That’s in us! We don’t want to be singled out. But as individuals before God, we have to single ourselves out as we approach this process and this relationship with God. This is the real picture of who we are! If we still battle with sin, pride is still fueling it. Our own ideas are still behind it. The motivations for that is still there in us.
Please turn to Romans chapter 7. I’ve said so many times; it has occurred so many times in my life that I feel like I can’t get past Romans 7. Beginning in verse 21, Paul here is coming to a situation. For him it’s partway through his conversion process. But when God begins to call us, things like this can happen and shakes us and gets our attention. Something has happened in the mind of Paul that’s got his attention, that shook him to the point where he sees something here. Verse 21.
Romans 7:21. I find then, a
law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22) For I delight in the law of God according
to the inward man.
We can all say that, agree with that.
Romans 7:23. But I see
another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me
into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
This can happen to you and me! What causes it? It’s what’s in our heart. It’s the motivation of who we are. It’s the beliefs that we’ve accepted and haven’t gotten rid of yet.
Romans 7:24. O wretched man
that I am!
Paul’s heart was laid open before him here.
Romans 7:24. O wretched man
that I am! Who will deliver me from this
body of death?
The beginning of the process of God, the beginning of our calling was recognizing we cannot fill any need we have. Paul here sees himself, an aspect of himself, opened up.
Romans 7:24. O wretched man
that I am! Who will deliver me from this
body
Who could deliver me from this heart and this motivation that is in me, that affects me, everything about me? But verse 25 follows it.
Romans 7:25. I thank
God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the
law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
All of us are in the same position. This is an example of God’s getting one’s attention. Psalm 51 was an example of God getting David’s attention, stopping him for him to think about something. What we’ve got to understand is this only God can do for us. I can’t stop things from happening once I’m involved in the process. God has to do it. God’s the one that has to start humility in me.
Please turn back to Deuteronomy chapter 8. This was true for
Deuteronomy 8:2. “And you
shall remember that the Lord your
God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness,
Why?
Deuteronomy 8:2b. to humble
you [then to] test you, to know what was
in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
Whether you would rely on your own understanding or
not. Whether you think there’s a better
and a safer way of doing things or not.
Whether you want to go beyond what God has said is right, plain
instruction, or not. It’s as true in our
day as it was for physical
Opposite of pride is being able to grasp that we don’t have the answers. And for all of us, whether at the beginning of our calling or partway through, where we get sidetracked and distracted, it requires God to humble us. And He does so by inflicting pain.
Let’s go on down verse 3, an example of how He humbled them. It says
Deuteronomy 8:3. “So He
humbled you, [by allowing] you to hunger,
Now we can look at physical
Please turn to Philippians chapter 2.
I had no idea it was going to take this long. I apologize.
Philippians chapter 2 verse 8, speaking of Jesus the Christ.
Philippians 2:8. And being
found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself
Here’s a situation. Jesus Christ did not require God to humble Him. Jesus Christ did not require the Father to shake Him, to get His attention, to open His heart up for Him to see, but Jesus the Christ, nonetheless based on the situation He’s in, recognized clearer than any of us every could the need He had for His Father. And Him humbling Himself before Him, not going beyond what was written, not going beyond what was expected of Him.
Philippians 2:8b. He humbled
Himself and became obedient to the point
of death, even the death of the cross.
This was voluntary effort on His behalf.
If you would, please turn to John 10. John 10, we’ll break into the thought reading in verse 17. Jesus Christ speaking
John 10:17. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
Verse 18.
John 10:18. “No one takes it
from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I
have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
It shows here during this process, Christ gives the example that He humbles Himself. This is different than the humbling of God where He shakes us and gets our attention and says, “You screwed up! I’m opening it up. Here it is for you to see.” Christ is involved in the process. He never slipped up. But here He makes it very plain that He volunteers Himself for pain, the pain of sacrifice, the pain of the ridicule, the persecution. He volunteered to do that for us. The analogy is obvious.
Now turn to Psalm. We’re coming up on the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement, I remember that growing up the Day of Atonement always stuck out as you grow up in the Church that I can’t eat. Can’t eat, can’t drink. But how is it labeled so many times in Scripture? That you afflict yourself. There’s a purpose for that. This isn’t something that God forces you not to eat or drink. If the command is there, it’s our choice whether to follow it or not. But it’s afflicting ourself. Psalm 35 is an example of that. David writing here.
Psalm 35:11. Fierce
witnesses rise up;
Verse 11.
Psalm 35:11b. they ask me things I do not know. 12) They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul.
All of his persecutions, trials happening, look at his response.
Psalm 35:13. But as for me,
when they were sick, my clothing was
sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own
heart.
David came to the point—he understood that God humbles him—but he came to the point to see he needed to be in that mindset. That mindset was so crucial for him to be in, this humbled mindset before God, to allow God to teach and to give.
And it brings to mind Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5 and I’m just going to read verse 43. There’s several examples that Christ gives in this sermon, but in verse 43 it says
Matthew 5:43. “You have
heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
And have we not been taught that in this society? We should love those people who are good to us, do things for us, friendly with us, have likenesses, personality meshes with us. But those people who don’t agree with us, there’s a level of hatred that’s attached to the person. People who persecute us, there’s a level of hatred attached to the person.
Christ went on to say
Matthew 5:44. “But I say to
you,
This is what God expects. This is His will.
Matthew 5:44b. love your
enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for
those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
As I look at my life, how many times I’ve failed this because it’s so hard to separate the actions, words, and attitudes of an individual and the person themselves. It’s so hard to do this, but God says we have to. This is part of His training. That we can understand that all of the evil that we see stems from Satan. That Satan is the one who has responsibility for this. We have responsibility for our choices, but Satan bears the beginnings of this through pride.
Please turn to Luke chapter 18.
I’m going to try to cut this off here pretty quick.
Luke chapter 18, this is a parable. I’ve read it recently. I continually think about this. In verse 9.
Luke 18:9. Also He spoke
this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others:
So, here we’re going to be talking about an individual who trusted in himself, trust that he has the answers for his problems, that he could supply his needs. He doesn’t need God. He’s not seeking God. And it’s going to be evident in the words that he says.
Luke 18:10. “Two men went up
to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11) “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with
himself,
The New International Version has “about himself.”
The Companion Bible says, “to himself.”