The politician who gets elected

2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. 

The politician who gets elected but does nothing after that will be voted out of office in the next election. He has not done enough to make his election sure. 

The word “sure,” means firm, steadfast, secure. Likewise, Peter exhorts Christians, the elect of God, to make their calling and election sure and steadfast. It implies that Christians can lose their salvation if they are not careful with it: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). 

Peter's second epistle makes a strong warning to believers. He informs us that everything we would ever need, that pertains to life and godliness, has been supplied to us by our Saviour (2 Peter 1:3). And not only that, he also informs us that “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” (2 Peter 1:4). 

2 Peter 1:4 is the key point of Peter’s message:

1. We are given exceeding great and precious promises.

2. We are partakers of the divine nature.

3. We have escaped the corruption of the world. 

But the fact is that when we began this walk the devil will try to lure us back into his fold. Peter therefore writes that we must add to our faith the following items to prevent a failure to our faith: “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” (2 Peter 1:5-7). 

The Christian man or woman who has the qualities mentioned, and who has them in increasing measure, will be a fruitful person (2 Peter 1:8). He has made his election sure and steadfast. But the Christian man or woman who lacked these graces is “is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9). 

1. He is blind to the blessings of God. He only professes to know God in words, while in works he denies Him. He is ignorant (blind) of the requirements of him to live as a child of God. 

2. He is short-sighted; he can only see what is near. He can see only the things of this world and not the things that are of God. For this reason, he is worldly and cares only for the things of this world and miss out on eternal life: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).                                                                

3. He is also forgetful. Peter said that we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But the Christian who has not added the Christian graces to his life is living a life of sin. He has forgotten he has been cleansed from his old sins. He has forgotten he has been made holy by the blood of the Lamb and has taken on the divine nature: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). 

We have all things that pertain towards life and godliness. And we have escaped from the pollutions that are in the world. But there is a danger of forgetting this truth. It is sad when Christians become spiritually blind to the knowledge of God, only seeing the things near him and missing out on the things above, and return to the world. It’s the reason Peter exhorts us to give diligence to make our calling and election sure: for if we do these things, we shall never fall (2 Peter 1:10). 

Is your election sure and steadfast?

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

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This email was sent to Brad@abiblecommentary.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Lim Ah Pin Church of Christ · 20 Lim Ah Pin Road · Singapore 547839 · Singapore

Peter’s purpose in writing the two epistles

2Pe 3:1  This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. 

Peter’s purpose in writing the two epistles  Peter’s purpose in writing the two epistles was to stir up the readers’ minds by reminding them the important truths which they had before heard, but which they were in danger of forgetting. In both letters his aim was to exhort them to holy lives and to beware of false doctrines. Their minds, he says, were pure, that is, free from the corruptions of this world and free from the corruption of false doctrines. Therefore, he did not want them to become corrupted by the evil influences around them. 

The word "stir" means literally to "arouse" or "awake". It carries the idea of one who is sleeping and is not aware of his surroundings or one who is ignorant of a certain danger coming towards him. In this case, the Christians were made aware of the evil influence and corruptions of this world, and the false doctrines that were attacking the church. Peter had to remind them by putting them in remembrance the things that were taught to them before. 

We are apt to forget the things that we have heard and learned. Who can remember the sermon that was preached last Sunday? Therefore, elders and preachers have to constantly remind us, either by of preaching or by writing. We all need to be aroused from time to time. 

As we go about in our 24-hour day after day, we are often so caught up with the business and pleasures of this life that we lose sight of the things more important to us – our heavenly goal (Hebrews 12:2). There is the danger of becoming lukewarm, and even fall away from the faith. Hence we need the daily exhortations and the constant reminders from the pulpit (Hebrews 3;13).

The church at Ephesus had left her first love (Revelations 2:4). Their love for Christ had become cold. They were not as enthusiastic as when they first started. They did not retain that strong and ardent affection for God. Christ had to stir them up in remembrance. 

The church at Laodicea had grown lukewarm (Revelations 3:16). The church at Laodicea thought they were in right relationship with God because of their blessings. They boasted they were rich, self-sufficient, and were in need of nothing. Well, according to this world, that’s a sign of God’s blessings on them and so they must be doing the right things. But Christ said they were wretched, poor, blind and naked. 

Lukewarm Christians see themselves as “rich” and self-sufficient, but the Lord sees them as “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelations 3:17). Their lukewarm faith was hypocritical; it was a show of faith but without the substance. Being lukewarm is saying that you are in a right relationship with God but living like you aren’t (Titus 1:16). Christ had to stir them up to repentance. 

Do you need stirring up? A self-sufficient attitude will result in a lukewarm faith. This happens when Christians live lives of ease and prosperity. They may go to church and practice a form of religion, but their inner state is one of self-righteous complacency. In other words, their faith doesn’t mean very much to them. They aren’t particularly enthusiastic about it, nor are they hostile toward it. They are simply seat warmers. They need stirring up! 

We need to be constantly stirred up because we are ever so forgetful of the things that are taught to us. It’s the reason we need to assemble each Sunday: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:24). The word “provoke” means to stir up. 

Are you growing cold in your faith? Are you living a holy life? If you aren’t, I hope this message will stir you up.

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

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This email was sent to Brad@abiblecommentary.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Lim Ah Pin Church of Christ · 20 Lim Ah Pin Road · Singapore 547839 · Singapore

Rethinking the Benefit of Suffering

 

Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. 2 Timothy 4:20. Why would Paul leave him sick when he had power to heal?

 

It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. Acts 28:8-9

 

God must have reasons for allowing His people to suffer – when it is in His power to heal.

 

James, under inspiration, said something that many could almost quote by heart – they’ve heard it so often:

 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

 

Apart from the normal polite greetings, those words are the way James begins his letter to fellow-Christians. And it’s almost as striking as the way James ends the same letter:

 

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

 

Among all the beliefs that needed correction, is perhaps also the idea that “God will heal all our diseases,” Psalm 103:3 – a common misunderstanding among many Pentecostal believers today. The Hebrew word for ‘diseases’ here has various possible meanings, including ‘grievances.’

 

The bottom line is that – while it is much easier to say than to bear – there is divine benefit in suffering. Even eternal divine benefit. Jesus’ suffering is the supreme example. We can learn from His suffering.

 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Hebrews 12:1-4

 

If suffering draws us closer to God, it has accomplished much that is positive.

 

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5-7

 

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:12-13

 

If suffering draws us closer to our brothers and sisters in Christ, it has accomplished much that is positive.

 

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church Colossians 1:24

 

If suffering draws us back to reading and obeying the Scriptures, it has accomplished much that is positive.

 

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:12-25

 

The word ‘peirasmos’ is the word for test, trial or temptation – the meaning dependent on the context. This is the

word James uses six times in just three verses in the Scripture above. God tests us; He sends us trials; but He

never tempts us.

 

Our suffering can test our faith and build our character, but it can also tempt us to sin.

 

God sends us trials. He has also sent us the Scripture. Our salvation is the purpose of both. Our trials should send us to God and the Scriptures to improve our Christ-walk as we prepare for eternity. Is this not James’ point?

 

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:13-16

 

In my congregation, a brother who is suffering with cancer, recently sent me a reference to this Scripture (James 5:13-16) as he closed his email. I thought he may have been asking for my prayers, or other help, and I offered to come and be with him to encourage him. But he said he was just reminding himself of the attitudes he needed to have at this time.

 

It’s a tricky passage in some respects, isn’t it?

 

If you’re suffering, pray!

 

If you’re sick, call for the elders of the church and let them do the praying! Their righteous prayers will raise you up from your sickness, and if you’ve also sinned, you will be forgiven. Compare 1 John 5:16.

 

But, what’s the difference between suffering and being sick??

 

Well, in the Greek James is using, suffering is kakopathei, while sick is astheneo. Suffering implies suffering misfortune or trouble, while sick implies sick and weak.

 

When you are suffering misfortune of some kind, pray for wisdom to know how to handle it. This is what we read in James 1:5.

 

But when you’re really sick, you may not even have enough mental strength to pray. However, you can possibly send a message via a brother or sister to the effect that someone righteous pray for you.

 

So suffering is not often easy to handle, but when handled spiritually, it can benefit the sufferer, and it can also benefit others in the same church with the sufferer.

 

It benefits others in that it presents them with opportunities to pray and extend love and other forms of help.

 

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4

 

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honour such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. Philippians 2:25-30

 

The Weight of Evidence: God’s Glory

 

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. 2 Corinthians 4:16

 

The Hebrew word for glory, ‘kabod,’ means ‘weight.’ Most of the known universe is made up of unknown substances that scientists call “dark matter” and “dark energy”. They call it dark because they cannot see it or detect it with any scientific instruments but they know it is there, and it has mass, because they can see the effects of it. It is interesting that this invisible substance in the universe makes up most of the mass (weight) in the universe. It holds celestial bodies of the universe in place and it also causes the motion of stars, planets, and galaxies.

 

Jesus is called the brightness of God’s glory. Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3 The word upholding means to carry or move; it is Jesus who holds together and moves all things in the universe. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalms 19:1.

 

Except for the heading, excerpt from The Glory of God, the manifestation and revelation of His love. https://god.net

 

David Hunter

 

Weshould be on our knees with a grateful heart thanking God

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--Ephesians 5:20

 

To the Thessalonians, Paul says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thess. 5:18). To the churches of Galatia, Paul says, "...be ye thankful" (Gal.3:15).

 

I pray that we fully understand that being thankful is one of the great marks of a child of God while on this earth. Just a few days ago we celebrated the day we call "Thanksgiving Day". This day marks a time in which the spirit of thankfulness fills the air and men and women openly mention those things for which they are thankful and encourage others to do likewise. All of this is proper and good but lest we forget being thankful and expressing that thankfulness for the many blessings we enjoy should be an integral part of our lives on a daily basis, every day of the year.

 

 We should be thankful that we live in the greatest nation on earth (even with the problems that now beset it). Thankful for God fearing spouses; thankful for children who love and are faithful to God, thankful for loving families and even though we may have aches and pains, thankful for the reasonable amount of health that we enjoy,

 

Then there are the spiritual blessings, It is here that I think about the love of God (1 John 3:1-2); the love of Christ (Rom. 5:8) and the church (Matt. 16:13-19; Acts 2; Matt. 6:33).  And then there are all the blessings of being in Christ: redemption (Rom. 3:24, Col. 1:12-14); Forgiveness (Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14; salvation (Acts 4:12. 2 Tim. 2:10); support (Heb.4:16); comfort (2 Thess. 2:17); peace (Phil. 4:16-17), along with a place of refuge with hope as an anchor for our souls (Heb. 6:18-19). Our hearts should be filled  with praise and thanksgiving for all the physical and spiritual blessings we enjoy not just once or twice a year or only on certain occasions. Every day of our lives, we should be on our knees with a grateful heart thanking God for his abundant blessings bestowed upon us.

 

Charles Hicks