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Growth in Grace 13 — Perseverance Must Be Supplied with Godliness 2

by | Oct 6, 2014 | Soteriology

The danger of Satanic counterfeiting that was in the back of Peter’s mind when he penned the passage which has occupied this blog for the last few weeks, 2 Peter 1:5-7.  In this post we continue to consider the phrase in verse 6, and (supply) in your perseverance godliness.  I am opening up this phrase with me under three headings:

I.               The Virtue Viewed
II.              The Connection Clarified
III.             The Lessons Learned

Having seen that godliness is according to the Bible (to use Louw and Nida’s helpful definition): behaviour reflecting correct religious beliefs and attitudes – ‘piety, godliness.’  In this post we consider

II.      The Connection Clarified

We have said many times that there is a clear rationale for the order Peter follows here in 2 Peter 1:5-7.  Thus we now ask, What is the connection between godliness and perseverance?  What is the reason for the order of Peter?  Why in particular is it important that perseverance and before perseverance, self-control, be supplied with godliness?

The answer is this.  Self-control and perseverance can turn into a kind of mere dogged determination and proud moralism unless their focus is upon worshipping and rendering service to God.  This is the meaning of godliness.  There were ancient, pagan Greek philosophers who exalted self-control and doing your duty despite all the opposition and scorn of men.  The name of those philosophers is still a part of the English language.  It describes someone who shows austere indifference to joy, grief, pleasure, or pain;  one who is calm and unflinching under suffering.  It is the name, Stoic.  The pagan, stoic philosopher taught an ethic that exalted self-control and perseverance in the face of suffering and pain and scorn.  Some non-Christians show amazing self-control and perseverance.  Yet all of their self-control and perseverance were not the virtues to which Peter had just referred. The true Christian who is out of shape and overweight has more genuine self-control and perseverance than the pagan who has disciplined himself to run 26 mile marathons. The fact that such self-control and perseverance are the genuine fruit of the Spirit will be manifested by their being supplied with godliness.  Christian self-control and perseverance originates from and is pervaded by correct religious beliefs.  We must never allow our efforts at self-control and perseverance in the face of opposition to degenerate into something irreligious, ungodly, and proud.  While we are supplying perseverance in our self-control, we must supply in our perseverance godliness.

Look at it this way.   True Christianity requires that we be in a right relation both to God and man and ourselves.  Self-control describes the right relation to ourselves.  Perseverance describes the right relationship to other men.  Godliness describes the right relation to God.  Where one of these graces is lacking the other two must be counterfeit.  Where there is deficiency in one of these graces the others must be affected.

Lloyd-Jones helpfully articulates the connection between perseverance and godliness.

“In other words, while you are controlling these things within, and while you are going on in the spirit of patient endurance, remember why you are doing it all; remember that it is all for the glory of God.  Self-culture must not be practised for its own sake, and the danger is to be falling back on our disciplined nature in and of itself.  But if we worship discipline we are not being godly.  There is no point in any of these things unless they are centrally related to God.  Godliness, therefore, first.  Before I think of my relationship to anybody else, I must always be certain that my main motive and ambition in life is to honour God, is to glorify God, and to tell forth His praise.” (2 Peter, 30)

Alford adds that perseverance is not “mere brute stoical endurance, but united with God-fearing and God-trusting.” (Commentary, 392)

III.    The Lessons Learned

First, we learn to beware of being deceived by the counterfeit self-ism of our culture.  Even while most Americans manifest an increasing lack of self-control and an increasing inability to stand against the peer pressure of our culture, there are those dedicated to the worship of self that preach all sorts of self-discipline and resistance to the system.  The perfect body and perfect independence are the ideals of this worship of self.  It is possible to be exercising self-control and resisting peer pressure for all the wrong reasons.  Such self-control and perseverance are no evidence of growth in grace.  You should not be happy if your diet is going great and your devotions are going into the toilet.  You should definitely not think you are growing in grace.

Second, we learn the priority of godliness and our relation to God.  Lloyd-Jones said it,   Godliness, therefore, first!  Are you living for God?  No matter how well you seem to be doing in other areas.  No matter how successful you are.  Unless you are living for God, you are completely missing the boat.  One mark of such a life will be that God is given all the glory.  Are you characterized by constantly giving God praise for what you have been enabled to do?  For your success?  For your blessings?  Let us renew our determination to live for the glory of God and to give God the glory of our lives!

Third, we learn that we must rehabilitate religion in our thinking.  Religion—godliness—is a vital part of growing in grace.  It is a vital part of Christianity.  Do not let anyone sell you a religion-less Christianity.  A religion-less Christianity is not the Christianity of the Bible.  All of life is worship.  Every day is holy.  Christianity is not a religion.  These are half-truths that are destroying American Christianity!

When we rehabilitate religion in our thinking, we will be able to see how very wrong the casual and informal culture is which we have imbibed.  If there really is a difference between the sacred and the secular, then we will not treat religious duty with the same kind of casual-ness and informality with which Americans treat everything else.  We will reject the lazy and slovenly approach to worship which we see in churches.  We will prepare our hearts for worship, we will try to be early for worship, because we think that religious duty is sacred and holy and to be treated with great respect.  We will practice the three P’s:  priority, preparation, and punctuality as flowing directly out of godliness.  If your reaction to my saying such things is that I am being stuffy, formal, and legalistic, let me reply that the worship culture of many churches is irreligious and profane.  Part of what it means to supply godliness in your perseverance is to purge from your life the prevailing irreligious and profane attitudes I am warning you about!

Fourth, you may be religious and not be saved, but if you are not religious, you will not be saved!  Are you religious?  If you have no form of godliness, you certainly cannot have the power of godliness.  You may have the form without the power, but you cannot have the power without the form.

Fifth, we learn that a mark of genuine Christianity is true religion or godliness.  Do you understand and appreciate godliness?  Are you at home in the house of God?  Are you in your element in the place of prayer?  Do you find delight in the duty of prayer?  Is there a sense in which you find it a blessing, a delight, a relief to pray?  Are you happy to give to the church and to its benevolent causes?  Do you rejoice even in the laws of God that limit your freedom?  His laws about modesty?  His laws about masculine and feminine roles?  Do you delight in the law of God in the inward man?  Yes, I know you enjoy seeing your friends when you come to church.  But the real question is, Do you enjoy drawing near to God when you come to church?

Growth in Grace 12 — Perseverance Must Be Supplied with Godliness

by | Oct 1, 2014 | Soteriology

Satan is the great liar and deceiver.  The most effective lies always have an element of truth in them.  In line with this Satan is the great counterfeiter, and you know that counterfeiting always requires something of real, substantial value to make it worthwhile.  Few would bother to counterfeit some third world currency with an inflation rate of 100% per year, but many find it worthwhile to counterfeit the American Dollar.  It is the danger of Satanic counterfeiting that was in the back of Peter’s mind when he penned the passage which has occupied this series for the last several weeks, 2 Peter 1:5-7.  In this post we take up the phrase in verse 6, “and (supply) in your perseverance godliness.”  In this phrase Peter is attempting to warn Christians against the Satanic counterfeits of perseverance and self-control by telling them that the genuine Christian virtues of perseverance and self-control are permeated by and have supplied in them the virtue of godliness.  Self-control and perseverance barren of godliness, devoid of godliness, are Satanic counterfeits with which no Christian should rest satisfied.

I will consider this phrase over the next few days under three headings:

I.               The Virtue Viewed
II.              The Connection Clarified
III.             The Lessons Learned

The first thing to be considered is …

I.                  The Virtue Viewed

What is this virtue or grace called in the phrase we are studying godliness? When you look at all the places in the New Testament where the word, godliness, and its various relatives occur and also at many of the places where these words occur in the Greek version of the Old Testament in use in New Testament times, the short and sweet definition of this word given by Louw and Nida seems correct.  Here it is: behaviour reflecting correct religious beliefs and attitudes – ‘piety, godliness.’  I want to unpack this definition in three stages.

First, this virtue has to do with religious beliefs and attitudes – ‘piety, godliness.’  In our day and age words like religion and religious and piety and pious are often said with a sneer even by Christians.  You may hear things like l am not religious.  I am a Christian.  It would be a kind of religious slur if you called someone pious.  This kind of dislike of the words, religion and piety, indicates how far we are from a biblical mindset.  Peter in our text calls us to add religion to our perseverance, to supply piety in our endurance.  Therefore, Christians must stop treating religion and piety like dirty words.  Whatever the word, godliness, religion, or piety, meant for Peter.  It was a virtue, not a vice.

Now the very idea of religion or godliness assumes a distinction.  It assumes a distinction between what I will call the religious and the secular, the holy and the common.  Now notice that I did not say the holy and the profane.  Nor did I say the religious and the irreligious.  Rather I spoke of godliness assuming a distinction between the religious and the secular, the holy and the common.  (One definition of secular is having to do with this age or world or temporal rather than having to do with the age to come or the church or religion.)

All of life is, of course, to be lived for God.  Therefore, in a certain qualified sense you may say that all of life is holy.  There are, however, some aspects or parts of life in which we have dealings more directly with God.  Those aspects of life are the arena of religion or godliness.  I trust you live for God at your school or plant or business.  I trust you are living for God on the golf course.  But I also trust that you know the difference between the plant, the golf course, and the church.  I trust that you live for God every day of the week.  But I also trust that you know the difference between Monday and the Lord’s Day.  When Peter refers to godliness and religion, he assumes the difference between the religious and the secular.

Look at a number of texts that use this word, godliness or religion, where this distinction is visible and even clear.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,  There is a difference between ungodliness and unrighteousness.   The wrath of God is revealed against both, but unrighteousness has to do with all deviations from the requirements of God’s law.  Ungodliness has to do particularly with violations of the first four commandments that have to do directly with our relationship to God Himself.

1 Timothy 6:5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.  Ask yourself the question, What is Paul saying?  How could godliness be a means of gain?  Clearly, Paul is talking about men using organized religion to make money.  Godliness has to do with organized religion or religious services.

1 Timothy 6:11 But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.  Here Paul proceeds to instruct the man of God about a number of different virtues he is to pursue.  Of course, all of these virtues are related.  Yet faith and love and righteousness are not the same thing.  Even so godliness is a distinct virtue as well and has to do with observance of the ordinances and institutions of the Christian religion.

Titus 2:12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,  Twice in this text the distinctiveness of religion is clear.  Paul distinguishes between ungodliness and worldly desires.  The one has to do with sins of impiety related to God directly.   The other has to do with a lack of self-control.  In the last part of the verse Paul distinguishes living sensibly and righteously from living godly.  Each refers to a distinct dimension of the Christian life.  Even so in 2 Peter 1:6 Peter distinguishes between self-control and perseverance, on the one hand, and godliness, on the other.

2 Peter 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  Here again Peter plainly distinguishes life in general from godliness in particular.  God’s divine power has enabled us to live for God in the whole of life and also and especially in the religious aspect of life.

The virtue referred to in the phrase we are studying this morning has to do with religious beliefs and attitudes – ‘piety, godliness.’  First, this virtue has to do with religious beliefs and attitudes – ‘piety, godliness.’  But …

Second, this virtue has to do with correct religious beliefs and attitudes – ‘piety, godliness.’  In English we have to speak of true religion.  But the Greek word for religion or godliness contains within it—conveys innately—the idea of true religion.  You don’t have to say true religion in Greek because the word itself says it or assumes it.  In this way the Greek word, godliness, is slightly different than the English word, religion.  Peter does not say supply in your perseverance genuine godliness.  He just says, godliness, because the word conveys correct religious beliefs.  Let me show you that this virtue has to do with correct religious beliefs in the rest of the Scriptures.

1 Timothy 3:16 And by common confession great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Beheld by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.  Paul does not say great is the mystery of genuine godliness or of the true religion.  He simply says great is the mystery of godliness, because the word assumes that the religion or godliness under discussion is the true religion the genuine godliness.  Cf. also 1 Timothy 4:7-8; 6:6; Titus 1:1

In the third stage of this definition of godliness we note that godliness is behavior reflecting correct religious beliefs and attitudes – ‘piety, godliness.’  Here we come to the heart of our study of godliness.  For here we ask the question, What is the godliness exactly that Peter says we must supply in our perseverance and self-control?  There are five texts in the New Testament that I think give us a very clear and full description of what behavior manifests this godliness is.

2 Timothy 3:5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.  Here Paul teaches that there is a correct, outward form of true religion that even some who are strangers to the power of godliness may exhibit.  Clearly, a merely external form of true religion is no evidence of genuine conversion.  Nevertheless, the passage teaches that godliness does involve a commitment to this form.  I cannot take the time to give you chapter and verse for all that I will assert right here.  I doubt if I need to.  What is this form of godliness to which Paul refers?  Well, a study of the Scriptures shows that true religion involves a number of visible, outward religious actions.  First, it certainly involves attendance upon the corporate worship of God’s people.  Second, piety toward God clearly involves being baptized in the name of Christ, a public sign of identifying with God’s religion.  Third, true religion involves being formally identified with a local church.  Fourth, it involves taking the Lord’s Supper in that church regularly.  Fifth, it involves the religious observance of the Lord’s Day.  Sixth, it involves giving financially to support the church’s worship and its benevolence to the poor.  Seventh, it involves upholding orthodox Christian doctrine.  Now remember doing all of these things does not mean that you are godly, but all these things are part of the biblical form of godliness.

Acts 10:2 a devout (godly) man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually.  Here Cornelius is described as a devout or godly man.  Then what this meant is explained.  The fact Cornelius was a godly man meant:  (1)  that he feared God.  His whole life manifested that he lived under the eye of God.  (2)  that he practiced family religion.  He feared God with his entire household.  Whatever else this means, it must mean at least that Cornelius somehow led his household in worship.  You could not be in Cornelius’ household for any time without noticing that they were religious and without feeling a holy pressure to join them in their religious exercises.  (3)  that he practiced charitable giving to God’s people.  This is what it means that he gave alms to the Jews.  Perhaps, he helped support the needy among the Jews.  Perhaps, like the Gentile in the gospels he had given to help the Jews construct or enlarge a synagogue.  (4)  that he prayed continually.  Godliness means that you pray continually.  That is to say, godliness in the heart makes a man a man of prayer.  Such a man lives in a spirit of prayer.  He engages regularly and daily in both stated times of prayer and a constant spirit of prayer.  Godliness is manifested by the behavior of prayer.

1 Timothy 2:10 but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness.  Godliness is manifested by certain, specific behaviors in women.  In other words, there is an outward conduct by women that vindicates their claim to be godly.  In this passage three such behaviors are mentioned.  First, feminine godliness is manifested by a practical commitment to the good works of charity (v. 10b).  Second, it is manifested by a manifest commitment to Christian standards of adornment (v. 9).  The appearance of a godly woman attests her claim to godliness.  Her appearance reflects a rejection of immodesty, impropriety, and showiness or ostentation.  Her appearance manifests that her priorities are set by a desire to please God.  Third, feminine godliness is manifested by a submissive commitment to biblical roles in the church (vv. 11-12).  She does not chafe at, she rather rejoices in God’s ordination of masculine leadership in the church.  She regularly and thankfully takes her place in the church to be instructed by its God-appointed teachers.

2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,  The context of this statement makes clear what Paul means here by living a godly life.  Look at verses 9-11. Godliness means living for the purpose of telling others about Christ and seeing the gospel of Christ spread.  A godly person has embraced God’s holy purpose for the spread of the gospel.  Though we do not have either the calling or gifts of the Apostle, every Christian is to live for the spread of the gospel.  He looks for opportunities to further gospel himself.  He fills his part in the body of Christ to enable others more gifted or with a different calling to do what he cannot do himself.  This is what it means to live a godly life here in 2 Timothy 3:12.

Godliness is: behavior reflecting correct religious beliefs and attitudes – ‘piety, godliness.’  John Brown very ably summarizes godliness in this perceptive paragraph.

“The worship of God is either internal or external.  The internal worship of God is just the habitual cultivation of the sentiments and feelings we have just been illustrating.  Supremely to love, fear, trust in Him?-to be ever ready to believe what he reveals, because He reveals it?-to do what He commands, because He commands it?-and to submit to what He appoints because He appoints it:  this is to worship with our spirits Him who is a Spirit, and to worship Him in truth.  The ordinary state of a godly man’s mind is thus silent, habitual worship; and he expresses this state of mind in the appointed offices of religion.  He loves the habitation of God’s house, and the place where His honour dwells.  He dares not neglect the holy assembly for divine worship, as too many do.  He goes into His tabernacle; he worships at His footstool; he is glad when it is said to him, “Let us go up to the house of the Lord.”  “The voice of rejoicing and salvation,”?-of prayer and praise “is in the tabernacles” of the godly; and his family is kept beyond the reach of the curse that lies on “the families that call not on God’s name;” and he enters into his closet, and shuts his door, and prays to his Father who seeth in secret.” (Parting Counsels, 100)

Growth in Grace 11 — Self-control Must Be Supplied with Perseverance

by | Sep 29, 2014 | Soteriology

One of the dangers that Christians face, especially as they get older, is the danger of becoming too comfortable in the world.  They become unaccustomed to suffering, trial, and affliction for the sake of Christ and the gospel.  They forget perhaps the suffering and the loss of friends they experienced when they first became Christians.  They learn too well how just to get along with the world.  They lose their edge.

In the letter of 1 Peter we are studying, Peter is addressing those who have been Christians for some time and have become established in their faith.

2 Peter 1:12  Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.

2 Peter 3:17  You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness

In the opening exhortation of this letter to these Christians to grow in grace, he warns them that perseverance under the afflictions of a hostile world is one of the crucial ingredients of growth in grace.  2 Peter 1:5-7 warns Christians that they must supply perseverance in their self-control.  Let’s look at this phrase under four headings

I.                 The Precise Translation
II.               The Possible Connections
III.             The Proper Interpretation
IV.             The Pressing Applications

I.       The Precise Translation

The NASB translates the key word in our text, perseverance.  The KJV translates the word, patience.  This is not a bad translation, but patience to our modern ears can convey the idea of being patient and kind and forbearing with those who annoy or provoke us.  There is a word in the New Testament that clearly conveys that idea.  It is the one that means and is translated longsuffering.  But that is not the word used here.  The word used here means exactly what the translation of the NASB conveys, perseverance.  The Greek word is defined as “steadfast adherence to a course of action in spite of difficulties and testings perseverance, endurance, fortitude.”

II.      The Possible Connections

One could interpret the idea of perseverance being supplied into self-control as implying that to exercise self-control is easy for a brief period of time, but that this is inadequate and self-control must be persevering if it is to be completed.  It is hard to stick to those diets we start.  Thus, self-control must be persevering.  This interpretation would be true and would be supported by a passage like Hosea 6:4: “What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud And like the dew which goes away early.”

Or, the sense could be that to our ability to control our own selves (self-control) must be added the ability to endure the trials, the insults, the ridicule, and the persecutions of others which our faith brings upon us (perseverance).  We must both control our inward desires and persevere under our outward trials if we are to grow in grace.  Only with both these qualities will our Christianity be whole and complete and authentic.

This is the interpretation adopted by John Brown in his commentary on 2 Peter 1:

Temperance and patience, as we have explained them are intimately connected.  They are, indeed, but two manifestations of the same spirit—unworldliness; in reference to what is desirable in the world, unworldliness is temperance, moderation; in reference to what is undesirable, it is patience.  The man who is temperate, is not likely to be impatient.  An inordinate attachment to the good things of life, is a bad preparation for the endurance of its evils.  He who has accustomed himself to recline in the lap of indulgence, is more likely to be fretful and desponding than patient, when visited with affliction.  They who rejoice as though they rejoiced not, are, when called to weep, most likely to weep as though they wept not.

I believe this is the right understanding of the connection.

III.    The Proper Interpretation

I have really only one major argument that the connection I have asserted is the right one.  It is simply this.  In the New Testament this word (which may be translated either as endurance or perseverance) never refers to continuing to exercise self-control over our inward desires. It usually refers, however, to the endurance of trials and persecutions which come upon us from without or others for our faith.  Look at some of the places where this is seen to be so.

Luke 21:19 “By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Romans 5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance

2 Corinthians 1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer

2 Corinthians 6:4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses

2 Thessalonians 1:4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

2 Timothy 3:10 But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance

2 Timothy 3:11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me!

Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Revelation 1:9 I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 13:10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.

In these many places perseverance is always connected not with exercising self-control, but with enduring tribulation, affliction, and trials in a hostile world on account of the gospel.

There is a very relevant, biblical example of what Peter is talking about here:  his own! Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminded me of this.  Here is what he said:

Oh, the need of patience—patient endurance!  Peter again was probably falling back on his own experiences.  He it was who had said to our Lord, ‘Though all men forsake thee, I will follow thee’; and then, poor Peter had denied Him three times.  There is not much point in making great professions and great promises if we do not carry them out.

The account of which Lloyd-Jones reminds us is Luke 22:31-34, 54-62.  Peter had loudly professed his willingness to persevere under trial, but he sadly defected at the moment of truth.  Who would have thought that bold Peter of all people would fail to endure ridicule and danger for Christ?  Yet at the questioning of a lowly servant-girl, he renounced Christ. Christ had, however, prayed that his faith would not fail.  The faith is denied when one fails to persevere.  Had he not repented he would not have been saved finally.  Because of the power of Christ’s intercession, however, he repented and persevered even to martyrdom for the sake of Christ.

IV.    The Pressing Applications

There is a good reason why perseverance needs to be added to self-control. 

There is a defective kind of self-control that is unable to cope with the ridicule of a scoffing world.  Such self-control is no mark of true grace.  The self-control of such a person may not give into the pressures of their own desires, but it may give in to the pressures of his scoffing peers to indulge in their own kinds of a lack of self-control.  There is a kind of natural self-control that may be a result of someone having a certain temperament or a good upbringing.  But such self-control is not the virtue of which Peter is speaking.  How many young people have given into every kind of sinful indulgence not because they were particularly interested in the things they were offered, but simply because they did not want to be different.

Genuine Christianity will always bring upon us trial and affliction in the world.

John 16:33 says this plainly, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  So does 2 Timothy 3:12,  And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

I do not want to fail to rejoice at any genuine work of God going on in the world.  But I have to tell you frankly, that there is a very popular kind of Christianity that is little different from the world.  It is a very appealing to adopt such a Christianity, because the world will love its own.  The world does not care what name you call yourself.  You may call yourself a Christian, but if you are no different from the world, the world will not reject you.  It will love you.

Let me warn you.  Any Christianity that does not alienate you from the world and bring on you tribulation is not genuine Christianity.  Don’t adopt it.  Don’t identify with it.  Don’t be deceived by it.  Don’t tell genuine Christians they are too strict and too narrow because you have bought a kind of Christianity that the world loves.  Some of you may be saying, I just don’t want to be odd, weird, different like some Christians I know.  But could it be that you what you are saying is odd or weird is just what Christians will have to look like from the viewpoint of the world?  Could it be that the kind of being different you fear is really and simply what it takes to be Christian at all in the world?  All genuine Christianity demands the virtue of perseverance.

We are reminded that perseverance is the sovereign gift of Christ to His people.

Perseverance is not that one thing which we must add to Christ’s finished work.  We have not come here finally to that one thing with which we must supplement God’s grace.  We are not supplying in our grace perseverance.  We are supplying in the grace of self-control the grace of perseverance.  To supply perseverance in our self-control is according to Peter to “grow in grace.”  It is not addition to God’s grace.  It is God’s grace!  In the words of John Piper’s great hymn “all the elect in Christ prevail.”  Thus, in telling you that you must persevere in the face of the world’s opposition, I am not telling you that it is all up to you.  I am telling you to go to Christ and cry for the perseverance without which you will not make it to heaven.  The result of this message should not be to look within yourself for courage, but to look up to Christ for grace.

Growth in Grace 10 — Knowledge Must Be Supplied with Self-control 3

by | Sep 24, 2014 | Soteriology

In previous posts I have answered two of the three questions about the self-control which Peter says must be supplied into knowledge in 2 Peter 1:5-7: Why must knowledge be supplied with self-control? and What is the self-control with which knowledge must be supplied?  Here I take up the third question:

III.    How can such self-control be attained?

A number of times already I have quoted you the text that says that the fruit of the Spirit is self-control (Gal. 5:23).  Have you ever thought of the fact that it contains a paradox?  How can the fruit of the Spirit be self-control?  But this paradox embodies the essence of what it means to live the Christian life and grow in grace.  What can you do practically to attain self-control?

The first thing you must do is confront the issue.  In attaining self-control we must face up to the fact that we are in need of it in some area.  When the Spirit convicts us of an area where we need self-control, we must frankly confess it as sin and own up to it.  We must say to ourselves I am sinning by a lack of self-control in _____.

The second thing you must do is to simply realize that you do not have of yourself the will power of the strength to acquire self-control in the needed area.  You must also confess your spiritual inability and weakness.  You must remember the teaching of Philippians 2:12 and 13 that both the will and the work necessary to conquer sins comes from the Holy Spirit.

The third thing you must do, then, is to receive Christ for the sin of a lack of self-control.  Now you notice how I put that.  I did not say simply to ask God to forgive you for Christ’s sake for that sin.  That is part of receiving Christ in relation to the sin, but it is not all of it.  I said that you must receive Christ.  Faith does not merely take something from Christ.  It takes Christ himself.  So receiving Christ for the sin involves receiving Him as two things.  You must receive Him as the forgiveness of this particular sin.  But you must also receive Christ as the one in Whom the Spirit of God dwells and who gives the Spirit of God to His people.  We have seen that the Spirit alone can give a person self-control.  But you do not receive the Spirit by working for Him or meriting Him or fasting for Him.  You receive the Spirit by faith in Christ.  If you would receive the Spirit, you must receive Him in Christ.

The fourth thing is that when you in this way put on Christ for your need of self-control, there are some unbelieving attitudes that you are putting off.  You must utterly reject the unbelieving attitude that says that no matter what you will never attain the self-control you want and need.  Part of believing in Christ is believing that he can give you such self-control.  You must really believe that Christ can deliver you from your sinful lack of self-control. You must also reject the attitude that says that without the sin you are seeking to kill you can never be happy.  Sin and Satan will try to tell you that if you really do exercise self-control in this area life will be bleak and unhappy.  In receiving Christ you are rejecting the idea that you need sin to make you happy.  You are accepting Christ as able to make you happy.  Part of exercising self-control in any area is being happy and content in Christ and His gifts.

But having confessed your sin and received Christ, and put off these sinful attitudes, the fifth thing is that you must put your faith to work.  You must in reliance on the grace of Christ refuse to indulge your sin.  Your faith must work.  You must work out your own salvation.  You must fight the good fight of faith.  You must run looking unto Jesus.

The sixth and last thing is that you must remember that Peter makes clear that this whole matter of sanctification is not attained instantly.  He tells us to grow in grace.  God does not promise that if we once face our sin, receive Christ, and put our faith to work, we will be forever perfectly self-controlled.  No, he tells us the exact opposite.  He tells that it is a matter of growth.  Growth is a gradual process.  I have not told you how to attain instant self-control overnight today. I have told you how to grow in self-control.  Don’t forget that.  Keep on facing your sin.  Keep on receiving Christ. Keep on putting faith to work.  Christ does not promise you that you will see plants 14 feet tall overnight.  He does promise you that you will grow and the fruit of the Spirit will ripen in your slowly but surely in your life.

Growth in Grace 9 — Knowledge Must Be Supplied with Self-control 2

by | Sep 22, 2014 | Soteriology

In the previous post I noted that we must answer three questions about the self-control which Peter says must be supplied into knowledge in 2 Peter 1:5-7.  We already answered the first:  Why must knowledge be supplied with self-control?  Here I take up the second question.

II.      What is the self-control with which knowledge must be supplied?

A.      Its Identity  (What is it?)

Self-control has to do with self mastery or exercising dominion over oneself.  This root is used eight times in the Bible: six times in NT and twice in the Greek OT called the LXX.  The lexical or dictionary definition is very brief:  “self-control, esp. in matters related to sex.”  I think this definition is correct, but please do not hyper-focus on the reference to sex.  As we will see, there are other important forms of self-control.

B.      Its Necessity (Is it essential?)

2 Peter 1:6 makes perfectly clear that self-control is a necessary ingredient for growth in grace.  As such it is clear that the Christian life requires self-control.  Two other passages which use the very word used in 2 Peter 1:6 confirm that the Christian faith absolutely requires self-control.

Self-control is an absolute requirement of the Christian faith.  Paul so presses the need of self-control to Felix that in an evangelistic encounter the Roman governor was terrified.  As such it may be used to show men their need of Christ.  (Self-control can be preached by way of the first use of the law.)

Acts 24:25 And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.”

Self-control is also absolutely required as an actual development in the Christian life.  It is the last of the nine fruits of the Spirit.  It must be preached as the actual rule of life for Christians.  (Self-control must be preached by way of the third use of the law.)

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Now before we go on to consider the varieties of self-control which we need, a couple of practical matters call for our attention.

First, I want to make clear that the Bible does not condemn food, drink, or sex.  These things are wonderful gifts that are to be enjoyed.  There is a biblical doctrine of feasting or partying.  Christians are told to enjoy life with the wife of their youth.  It is not whether we allowed to enjoy such things—it is how!  Self-control is not asceticism.

Second, we learn that a Christianity that makes self-control unnecessary is a false Christianity.  True Christianity condemns men for a lack of self-control and provides it to them in the gospel of Christ.  God condemns men for a lack of self-control.  As we saw, in evangelizing Felix Paul spoke with him about this matter.

Someone may be reading this who knows that God is going to judge them for their lack of self-control.  Your sexual desires are out of control.  Your desires for food or alcohol are out of control.  Your emotions are out of control.  Your desire for money is out of control.  You have illegal or unhealthy addictions that master and enslave you. Your emotions are out of control and lead you to say and do things that are really cruel and hurtful.  These untamed desires show that you need a refuge from the wrath of God. You need Christ.  In saving men God gives them the Spirit whose fruit is self-control (Gal. 5:22-25).  If you want a Christianity in which you do not have to beat your body under, you are looking for a Christianity that does not exist.  It is a Christianity, however, that false teachers will be only too glad to sell you.

C.      Its Variety

When we look at this root and how it is used in the Bible, three important varieties or dimensions of self-control are underscored.  The Bible calls for emotional, sexual, and physical self-control.  Thus, three varieties of self-control are commended in the Bible.

(1)     Emotional Self-control (Gen. 43:31 with Gen. 45:1 and 1 Sam. 13:12; Tit. 1:7, 8)

Look first at Titus 1:7-8 in this light.

7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,  8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled.”

It seems clear to me, and I hope it does to you, that self-control here is contrasted with not being “self-willed, quick-tempered, and pugnacious.”  Self-control calls for emotional self-control.

This becomes abundantly clear in the key Old Testament use of this passage found in Genesis 43:31:   “Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, ‘Serve the meal.’”  This is the account of Joseph who when seeing Benjamin his own mother’s son after so many years felt overcome with emotion.  But apparently Joseph felt it would be unwise to reveal his identity to his estranged brothers by giving way to the emotions he felt in front of them.  He apparently wanted to test them and see if the same evil attitudes still controlled them as when they sold him into slavery.  Notice Genesis 43:29-30:

29 As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”  30 Joseph hurried out for he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there.

Later Joseph ascertained that his brothers’ attitudes were entirely different.  Then he felt free to give way to displaying his emotions to his brothers.  Look at Genesis 45:1.  The same Greek word is not used.  The original Hebrew word used is, however, the same as that used in Gen. 43:1.

Genesis 45:1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.  2 He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it.  3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

What emotions did he feel and master the outward display of?  No doubt he felt the emotions of gladness, grief, sadness, and perhaps even some anger all mixed up together.  Yet he mastered the outward display of them all until the time was right to let them out.

(2)     Sexual Self-control (1 Cor. 7:9)

The necessity restraining one’s sexual appetites or channeling them in a godly fashion is an important part of self-control.  As I mentioned, this is such a prominent part of the meaning of the word that one lexicon defines it as “self-control, esp. in matters related to sex.”

Perhaps the clearest text on this issue is 1 Corinthians 7:9.   “But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”  Perhaps the best comment on this text comes in the Larger Catechism’s answer to Q. 139. It asks:  What are the sins forbidden in the seventh commandment?  A. The sins forbidden in the seventh commandment … are, adultery, fornication, rape, incest, sodomy, and all unnatural lusts … undue delay of marriage …

This is clearly in view in 2 Peter.  Peter must, when he calls for self-control, have in mind sexual self-control, because of what he says later about the false teachers.  2 Peter 2:2 and 18 use the Greek word for sensuality.  This word is defined:

as living without any moral restraint licentiousness, sensuality, lustful indulgence (2C 12.21); esp. as indecent and outrageous sexual behavior debauchery, indecency, flagrant immorality (RO 13.13).

It is also used in 1 Peter 4:3 and Jude 1:4.

1 Pet 4:3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.

Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 2:13-14 also describes the false teachers lack of self-control.  To sexual lusts is here added lust for money.  Their lack of self-control is manifested in greed and eyes full of adultery.  This is associated with a partying lifestyle.  The words used here describes feasting, indulgence, and luxury of every kind being indulged all the time even during the day.   When people should be giving themselves to useful labors, they are partying instead.

(3)     Physical Self-control (1 Cor. 9:25; Tit. 1:7-8, 12)

When Paul says that elders must be self-controlled in Titus 1:7-8, it seems to include restraining one’s appetites for food and alcohol.

7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,  8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled.”

Later in the same context (Titus 1:12) Paul appears to contrast self-controlled elders with lazy Cretans.  Verse 12 comments:  “One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.””

But the key passage on this variety of self-control is 1 Corinthians 9:25:  “Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”  Everyone knows that an athlete must eat right, refrain from over-indulgence, and generally discipline his body and deny its desires if he is going to succeed.  The self-control required by the athlete involves a general mastery of his body.  It involves the ability to subjugate the body when it cries out for rest, ease, and pampering so that it becomes by such discipline the athletic machine it must be in order to win the prize.  Such self-control Paul says is necessary for the Christian.  Thus, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:27:  “but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

Interim Conclusion on Self-control:

This study of self-control makes a number of areas where self-control is needed very clear.  Growth in grace requires growth in self-control of the flesh.  The restraining of the lawless and excessive indulgence of the flesh is necessary.  Sexual desires, bodily desires for food and drink, for ease, luxury, and partying must be restrained.  The lawless and excessive indulgence of the spirit is also included.  This means emotional self-control.  This also means financial self-control.  The desire for money and emotional displays must be mastered and restrained.  There is no growth in grace where there is not the exercise of self-control in these things.

I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 7:1: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”  I am also reminded of 1 Corinthians 6:12: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.”  Most of us have those issues in which we battle not to be mastered by anything.  In the language of 1 Corinthians 7:1 of it may be a defilement of the flesh, or it may be a defilement of the spirit.  But both in the realm of the spirit and of the flesh, we have need of self-control.  May I encourage you if you have grown weary in the battle with some defilement of the flesh or spirit, to go to war again in that battlefront of your spiritual life.  There is no substitute for self-control, and you will not get to heaven without it.

But here we all face our terrible sense of weakness and inability, do we not?  We know we need self-control.  We want to be self-controlled.  But how can we be self-controlled?  That is the question.  Christians need help here.  In my next blog post I will take up this crucial, third question.

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