Shortsighted In Your Faith?

(2 Peter 1:1-11)

"Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained likewise precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord, 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, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins."

"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Have you forgotten that, or how, you were cleansed from your old sins? It was by the life lived by Jesus Christ and, ultimately, His cross. Those Peter was addressing had "obtained like precious faith with us (Peter, John, James, Paul as examples)".  They, like those in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, had trusted in Him to begin by the gospel of salvation. They believed and were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. They were coming to the understanding of Jesus' calling. Now, with Peter's letter, they were becoming aware of the works of His calling to which they must "give all diligence". Any excuse for shortsightedness was being removed. He was explaining to them how to make their calling and election sure. The anointing of the Holy Spirit for the testimony of Jesus will show you how!

But We See Jesus

"But one testified in a certain place, saying:

'What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that 
You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.'

'For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. BUT WE SEE JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which He is not ashamed to call them brethren,.." (Hebrews 2:6-11)

In the NKJV, the preface of the epistle to the Hebrews states that "many Jewish believers, having stepped out of Judaism into Christianity, want to reverse their course in order to escape persecution by their countrymen. The writer of Hebrews (presumed to be Paul) exhorts them to 'go on to perfection'."

"We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourself from idols. Amen." (1 John 5:18-21)

Paul and John (and those following them) understood that those who were being born, or made by God so to speak, do not sin. They do not transgress (go ahead of; depart from; fall away) in the midst of the discomforting circumstances. They receive what "the God of all comfort" provides in the testimony of Jesus.

Some Of The Keys Of The Kingdom Of Heaven

"When they came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, 'Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?' So they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'

He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, AND WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH (with the keys) WILL BE (that which is) BOUND IN HEAVEN, AND WHATEVER YOU LOOSE ON EARTH WILL BE (that which is) LOOSED IN HEAVEN." (Matthew 16:13-19)

There is no fulfillment in exercises that produce no fruit. Conversely, there is fulfillment in any exercise that does. What kind of fruit am I talking about here? The fruit of righteousness in Christ!

Jesus instructs His disciples to say "to this mountain" (Mark 11:22-26), "to this mulberry tree" (Luke 17:1-6), and to "ask what you desire and it shall be done for you" (John 15:1-8). His teachings work to begin the process, and continue it, for justification (James 2:24), saving the soul of those who work these words. Work them, how? Read the verses, say what He said, and let the head of all things to the church show/reveal the how to do (them).

His words in Mark and Luke "bind" the workings of confidence in the flesh and offense in our hearts and minds. His words in John "loose" Him to continue to prune the branch in the true vine that you are, that it (you) may bear more, even much fruit of the vine! A very fulfilling exercise. As with any fruitful exercise, it worthy of continuing. Through this work of faith from Jesus Christ, no one will eat fruit from us but what has been formed from heaven.

Walking in Truth: The Doctrine of Christ (2 John v. 4-10)

"I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment (1 John 5:19-21) from the Father. And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we LOVE one another. This is LOVE, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we (you) do not lose those things we worked for, but that we (you) may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds."

The deceiver does not "confess" Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; does not reveal Jesus Christ coming by/in circumstances; does not testify of Jesus Christ in the living of life. John teaches that love keeps His commandments. Whose commandments? Those that Jesus Christ kept!

Paul agrees. "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss FOR the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things (all lusts of the flesh, eyes and pride of life), and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found (confessing Jesus Christ coming in his flesh) in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH, IF, BY ANY MEANS, I MAY ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD." (Philippians 3:7-11)

John was not concerned that "the lady and her children" would consider that Jesus Christ, himself, had not come; but that they would transgress the understanding John had confessed, losing "a full reward" in bold print above.

Good for their sake. Good for others to see. A good confession!

Has Paul Therefore Become Your Enemy?

"Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, I would like to be present with you now and change my tone; for I have my doubts about you."

(Galatians 4:16-20)

"You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel 

to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel (or messenger) of God, even as Christ Jesus. What then was the blessing you enjoyed?" (Galatians 4:13-15)

It appears that the Galatians willingly received Paul's message of the cross of Jesus Christ. It was when they started to pay a price for it, themselves "being crucified with Christ" (2:20) that they were tempted to be "made perfect by the flesh". Paul discusses Israel's experience with the law, which kept them under guard "till the Seed should come", but I am a Gentile who received Christ, having never been under the law. The Gentile's calling is to allow God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to separate them from the "wisdom" of this world. As we understand, Paul was sent to the Gentiles to advance the Way through them. As you allow Jesus Christ to set you apart from that "wisdom", those who remain attached to it will gradually separate themselves from you! The requirement of His calling had become more difficult than the blessing of hearing only! Yet, we must be doers of His words not hearers only, deceiving ourselves with activities that won't purify.

"Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame - who set their mind on earthly things. For our (Paul and those who follow his example) citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, ACCORDING TO THE WORKING BY WHICH He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:17-21)