Giving All Diligence - Part 2 — Alan Martin

Strengthening Faith for the Last Days

We have been talking about being strong in Christ for the last days. Because the Scripture says very clearly that perilous times have come. And there are two letters in the New Testament, not counting the book of Revelation, that address the spiritual conditions of the last days.

And in general, some of these conditions we've already gone over and we'll be going over more specifically. We're going to study the last days' spiritual conditions through 2 Peter and Jude primarily.

But 2 Peter has begun by addressing the need for the believers to become strong, to become stable, to be developed, to be ready to be able to stand. And we've already covered that because God has given us exceeding great and precious promises so that through them we can partake of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And last week we covered because of such great and precious promises, we are to give all diligence to add to our faith. We covered that last week. And so this is just a little bit of a review. Because faith is something that can be amended.

You know what an amendment is. You make an amendment to the Constitution, you're adding, right? You're adding to what's there. Faith is something that can be developed. You can have weak faith, you can have small faith, you can have immature faith.

And faith is something that differs from one believer to the next because God has given to each a measure of faith. But not every believer is developed that faith to their full capacity and potential.

So, just a reminder that faith will thrive when it has been amended by diligently adding spiritually organic elements. We compared it to soil. Soil is not necessarily good in many situations. There is a combination of soil elements when you add the proper elements, organic material that plants will thrive in a soil that has been amended.

We did this in our front flower bed and hopefully we'll see the results. We'll get a vibrant growth out of it. Because diligent amendment of our faith will prevent our faith from becoming fallow. You know how you make something fallow?

You just do nothing. It will become fallow on its own. Land that is allowed to be uncultivated. You don't work it, ground naturally gets hard. And it becomes unproductive. It can be overgrown with other vegetation that is non-cultivated, but it basically becomes unproductive and unfruitful merely from being neglected.

And faith is similar. A neglected faith, an uncultivated faith, a faith where you're not getting all diligence to add virtue and knowledge and godliness and self-control and brotherly kindness and love.

And as we studied last week, if these things are not in you in abundance, what will happen is your own faith can become unproductive and unfruitful. And of course you won't be ready for the conditions that exist in the last days because your faith will be underdeveloped.

And that's what we're wanting to avoid. We know this statement, don't we? Idleness is what? The devil's workshop. In this regard, if you're not developing your faith, he's happy. And it could be that you are just under the influence of his distractions.

He doesn't care what particularly he uses the distraction. His main aim is to prevent your developing, your growing, your reaching a deeper and greater, more productive capacity. Because Christ desires for us to bear much fruit.

He said in John 15, this is to my Father's glory that we bear much fruit, showing that we are actually His disciples. And you know what He said? Every branch in me that beareth not fruit... What? What does the Father do?

He takes it away. He takes it away. You know, they don't grow grape orchards for the grapevine leaves. Do you ever buy grape leaves? You ever seen them on sale in the marketplace? That's not why they have grapevines.

Grapevines are for the grapes. And if part of a vine is producing a lot of leaves and it's not producing any fruit, it's going to be taken away. The leaves take nutrients away from a productive vine. And I did say, notice this, for too long, because God is gracious.

And fallow ground can be broken up and brought back into cultivation. People that have neglected their faith can find through God's mercy, as they give themselves to amend their faith and develop their faith, they will see it respond.

Remember the parable of the fig tree in the middle of the garden? Where the owner said to his... I guess it was his foreman. He said, cut this down. I've come here looking at it for three years and I still haven't got any fruit from it.

And do you remember what the foreman said? Look, give me one year. Let me dig around it and fertilize it. And then, so he pled like Jesus will do. He'll plead to give us time to become productive. He doesn't want to cut us off.

He's patient and He's kind in that regard. But He didn't say, don't ever cut it down. He said, give me a year. And if next year it doesn't bear fruit, then we'll cut it down. So Jesus is not against cutting it down entirely, but He desires for us to become productive.

And this is what verse 9, this is 2 Peter 1 verse 9. This is right after giving all diligence to add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge, knowledge, self-control, self-control, godliness, godliness, brotherly kindness, brotherly kindness, love.

For if these things be in you and abound, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And this is verse 9. That was 5, 6, 7, and 8.

This is verse 9. For he who lacks these things is nearsighted, and even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. The idea of the Greek phrase is he's so nearsighted it's to be practically blind.

He's squinting. He's squinting, straining to see. And in this particular vision, it's very poor as far as it's farsighted. You can't see from a distance at all. It's a dim, squinting to see, only that which is close.

And this is a spiritual blindness similar to someone who's legally blind. People who are legally blind can drive. They can work. They can look. But what it's saying is their vision is extremely limited.

It's not good. And Peter is saying that a believer who is not having these spiritually organic qualities of virtue, knowledge, godliness, self-control, brotherly kindness and love, abounding, I mean increasing, and very present, available, dynamically at work in your life, can come to a state where you can barely see.

It's not that you can't see anything. You've got your morality. You remember what some of the Word says. You're trying to be careful. But your vision is not good. It's not clear, and you're not safe. You're not completely blind, but your vision is extremely limited.

So this person being described here, if he lacks these things, he is only able to focus upon the immediate and present. Everything distant or faint is out of focus. And that's a problem. Proverbs 22 .3 says this, that a prudent man foresees from a distance evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.

You know, most of us got into the situations that we regret getting into because we were not seeing clearly. We got right up into the situation and were in the midst of it before it dawned on us how dangerous and unsafe we had become.

Whereas the prudent man sees evil from afar. And what does that give him? Time. You recognize it coming from afar. You see the temptation coming. You begin to recognize you're not doing well. You begin to recognize you're drifting.

You begin to recognize you're not safe. An example of this, if I begin to recognize that I'm a little bit unsettled, I'm a little bit irritated, it's not very safe for me to be communicating with my wife.

Because I'm probably going to say something unkind or unfair or unloving. So if I don't recognize it and I just come home and I'm just not thinking, she says something to me and I just, boom. It's just, boom.

It's right there. And it's because I just wasn't prudent, not in the Spirit, not seeing clearly. This is why soberness and alertness and having these spiritual qualities in you abounding. If self-control is abounding, you see these things.

You see temptation. You see urges. You recognize these moods and you see them sooner. And of course, the further you see them, the more time you have to react. You can take evasive action. You see it coming.

But the fool just keeps going and he runs into trouble because he didn't recognize it soon enough. So these are verses 10 and 11. So it's interesting, Peter takes us here. He takes these readers and he's taking us along with him.

Making Our Calling and Election Sure

Therefore, and we've got to understand what he has said to get the therefore. Because God has given us exceeding great and precious promises through His own glory and virtue that we can actually partake of the divine nature.

For that reason, we are to give all diligence to add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. If these things are in us and abound, they keep us from being ineffective and unproductive.

Because if a man doesn't have these things, he becomes nearsighted and blind. He's forgotten that he's been cleansed of his past sins. Therefore, knowing that you have both capacity for good and there is actual danger of becoming spiritually without vision, therefore brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure.

For if you do these things, what do you think he's talking about doing these things? He's talking about giving all diligence to be adding to your faith. If that's what you're doing, if you're amending your faith, if you're developing your faith, if you're increasing its capacity.

And what do I mean by this? The increasing of capacity is all through the New Testament. What did Jesus say? To him who has, he shall be given more and he will have an abundance. But to him who does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away.

Therefore, be very careful how you hear, for with the measure you use, it'll be measured to you. Okay, this is all throughout the New Testament. So, we can make our calling and election sure, and you know how we make it sure?

By doing these things, by abounding in these graces, abounding in virtue, abounding in knowledge, abounding in self-control, abounding in godliness, abounding in brotherly kindness and love. If these things are being developed in us, we're in a very safe place.

This is a very safe place spiritually. And it says, 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.

Now, for if you do these things, as in the present tense, if you are doing these things, can I say something just lovingly? God does not get out bonus points for what you have done in the past. Solomon was a wise man, ended up a fool.

David was a righteous king, ended up in a relationship with Bathsheba. Judas went around doing miracles with the Lord Jesus Christ, didn't he? All right? This is not about, we can't rest upon what God has done in the past.

If you are doing these things, is what Peter said. That's the security, that's the assurance Peter is wanting them to experience. You will never stumble. And the word to make sure, it comes from the Greek word babaios, and it's derived from to walk where it is solid.

In other words, if you're doing these things, it's gonna put you in a place that's firm, unshakable, absolutely dependable, a place that is giving you guaranteed support. Can't you see that? If self-control is abounding in you, if godliness is abounding in you, you're amending your faith with that.

If you're experiencing virtue, if you're increasing in the knowledge of God and growing in your salvation, this is a very safe place. You wanna live on just getting by? You wanna live on, oh, I know enough of that, I don't need to know anymore.

Grace, Peace, and Spiritual Vitality

You know what? Almost all the New Testament letters of Paul and Peter, you know what they start with? Grace and peace be multiplied to you. Is that just a simple phrase? Or is that a key to a dynamic Christian life?

Is it grace and peace are being multiplied to you? Paul said in Romans chapter five, he said, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life to the one man?

Are we receiving the abundance of grace? Are we being filled with the Spirit? Are these things in us and abounding? That's the way to come into a very safe and secure place. Well, that's what's safe. The joy of the Lord is your strength.

When you're full of joy, you know, when I leave the Outback, and it's rare, when I am not tempted at all to stop by McDonald's and get a Big Mac. I'm just not. You know, when I am satisfied and happy and joyful in Jesus, I'm not tempted.

You know, I'm not tempted to go drink out of the toilet right now. You know, it's just not appealing to me. But if I was sick and desperate for water, you know what I mean? There's a difference. I might think about it.

But look, the way to live a vibrant Christian life is not trying not to get sucked into the world. You're already on losing ground. Because the world does have a magnetism. It's a downward pull and a downward spiral.

But the best answer to that is the joy of the Lord. Being filled with peace, being full of joy. Seeing your life, being blessed. And when we ask this question, where is the most dependable place a believer can walk securely?

Walking Securely by the Word and Truth

Huh? Your feelings? Is that a very secure place? I wouldn't think so. Your desires? No, because the flesh desires what's against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, so that you don't do what you want.

How about your opinions? You know one of the worst mistakes Moses ever made? In the Scripture actually, Moses says it according to the end of Deuteronomy, when he quotes it back, when the people suggested to him that they send 12 spies to check out the land first.

He said the idea seemed good to him. Well, 10 of the spies brought back a lousy report. And only 2 of the spies said the report was good. And the 10 spies won the day and caused an entire generation to spend 40 years on a slow death march outside the promised land that God had brought them to the very edge of.

So we don't want to trust our opinions. So we're looking for a dependable place. It's pretty dependable. Heaven and earth may pass away, but My Word will never pass away. Is that dependable then? Is that reliable?

If the Word of God will outlast heaven and earth itself, I would walk by that. I would make my decisions by that. I would stake my life in that. That's a dependable place. So walking in the truth, walking in the truth gives the best assurance of our salvation.

Do you remember what the Apostle John said? I believe it's in the second letter of John. We don't ever spend a lot of time there. But here's what he said, He said, I have no greater joy than to hear my children are walking in the truth.

When you're walking in the truth, you should know the truth and the truth shall set you free. You're going to walk in freedom. You're going to walk in freedom from the snares of the Satan. You're going to walk in freedom from the corruption that is in the world.

And it's the truth that sets you free. And it's the truth that renews your mind. It's the truth that teaches you sound judgment. Because it's not that God sits up there as the angry man with the hammer and you do something wrong and He just reaches out there and whacks you.

We're not talking about that. It is that we self-destruct by making poor choices. We do it to ourselves. That's why Paul prayed many times. His prayers were similar to the one in Philippians. He says, I pray that your love may abound more and more in all knowledge and depth of insight, so that you might be able to discern the things that are excellent and may be pure and blameless.

Because if you are not choosing things that are excellent, you can get into the gray areas and slip in ways that you didn't anticipate. Because if you override a check you have in your spirit, and you step into an area that you're not sure of, you're already, you're taking a calculated risk, aren't you?

You're taking, instead of choosing the best, you're actually saying, well, I know this is not excellent, but I'll see how it goes. Is that a sound mind? It's already error. That's not a safe place to live.

And one of the things that will do that is to have some kind of doctrinal position without diligence. How many of us think that just by the correct doctrine you can really have assurance? I believe it's possible.

And by doctrine means the right biblical understanding. And here's an example, and I'm not picking on anybody. This just happens to be one because we're in a Baptist church. One of the doctrinal distincts as a Southern Baptist is, once saved, always saved.

That's a doctrinal distinction. Okay, and some of us have children that have not even been in the church or not read their Bible, not walked in Christ, not been led by the Spirit for years. We're not talking about months, years.

But we want to hold on to that. But at least they know the Lord. At least they were saved. Tell me, has that ever really given you great assurance? Or would you rather see them abounding in faith, abounding in joy, full of peace, seeking the Lord and walk?

That's assurance. That's the way to have assurance. Diligence of adding to your faith would give you great joy. You hope, you do hope that they really knew the Lord. You hope that they were saved. But you can't get the same assurance from just a doctrinal stance that you can from walking in the truth.

It's just not the same. A vibrant spiritual walk is the most reliable sign of a sound spiritual health. And then Peter goes on. This is verse 11. For so, for this person that has these things and he walks in them, for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Do you think he just said, you'll have a better assurance that you're actually going to make it into heaven? You think that's what he actually said? That's just what he wrote, didn't he? By doing this, you'll have a greater entrance supplied to you into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Fruitful saints will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom of heaven. Does it make sense? Those who actually do well are going to be the ones that hear, well done. That's it. Every man is going to be rewarded according to his works.

And those that have experienced genuine salvation, who are walking in the Holy Spirit, who've been called and elected, chosen by God, are going to have this evidence, this fruit in their life. And they're going to hear well done because Christ in them is at work.

He's producing this dynamic work in them. And that's where their assurance comes from. And spiritual vitality is the very best protection against the toxic conditions that are described in the last days.

Enduring Perilous Conditions in the Last Days

And we're about to get into the actual description of the conditions. We're nearing that. We'll begin that next week. But the conditions described by the New Testament in the last days which we are in are toxic.

They're described as perilous. There's a great falling away. There are many people will be deceived. Many false prophets. There's many things described in the last days. It's not smart to enter or think you can survive spiritually in the last days without a vibrant faith.

It's just not wise to think that. Vitality lends itself to durability and survivability. He who endures to the end, saves shall be saved. That should be our goal in endurance and being strengthened and growing in strength.

A weak immune system is very vulnerable, isn't it? Isn't it? And we haven't forgot that in a famine or in an epidemic, who are the first ones that usually die? The weak. The weak. In the parable of the sower, who was the first to fall away?

The one with no roots, right? The shallow soil where he sprung up quickly and rejoiced and believed for a while, Jesus described, but when trouble or persecution arose because of the Word, they quickly fell away because they had no roots.

So a person that's weak already is going to be exposed. A person without a vibrant, dynamic faith in Christ may not survive. The spiritual conditions of the last days, they are evil, they are perilous.

Spiritual vitality is the very best security. And you're going to see, we're almost to these verses, that this was Peter's mindset. He knew he was writing to Christians. And he's telling these Christians, I want you to know what's going to happen.

I want you to have these things in your life. I want you to be ready. I want you to stand because this is what we're about to go through. And this is his whole mindset. And we're following him. So he says this, these are these verses, for this reason, I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things.

You know, I've learned something from Peter. So guess what? If this is what Peter thought was wise, what do you think I'm going to do? I'm going to always remind you of how important it is to be building up your faith.

I'm going to always remind you how important it is to be careful. I'm going to always remind you of the danger of neglecting. Always. I never get tired of it because what matters to me is that you really do well.

That's what matters to me. It's not just about fine-sounding teachings or fine-sounding preachings or things that are uplifting. It is about are you going to stand? Are you going to walk? Are you ready?

That was on Peter's mind. And he said, I'm going to always remind you of these things even though you know them. So guess what guys? Don't think that I don't think you know these things. I know you know.

So what? I'm going to remind you again. I'm going to tell you again. I'm going to make sure you never forget these things because that's how Peter was. And that's how we should be with one another. He said, I think it's right as long as I am in this tent to stir you up by reminding you.

You know what stir you up means in the Greek? It means, wake up! You know what? We're dangerous when we drive drowsy, aren't we? Right? Dangerous to drive drowsy, isn't it? It's dangerous when there's an important test in class.

It's dangerous to be drowsy and not have had a good night's sleep, isn't it? You're going to miss final exam. Is it easy to get detail when you're reading if you're sleeping? Can you make mistakes if you're not alert?

How about if you're just worn out and you're tired? Do you do your best? You see? Spiritually, these things... It's like, where does our spiritual perception go? We understand it in the natural realm.

How vulnerable we are to error and mistakes when we're not careful. And it's the same is true spiritually. And you see that, Vivimos en Texas porque hay una siesta. You know what that means, right? Vivimos en Texas porque hay una siesta.

We live in Texas because of a nap. You don't understand what that means? We live in Texas because of a nap? We're not in Mexico. Why? Why are we not in Mexico? It used to be Mexico. Yes. It wasn't the Alamo though.

Mexico won the Alamo. Mexico won Goliad. But Mexico didn't win the Battle of San Jacinto. You know why? Because 500 troops had just arrived, making, at first, these armies were camped 500 yards apart.

And Santa Ana only had 700 troops. The Texans had 900. They wanted to fight, but San Huston wouldn't let them. And they got mad because during the time he was having them wait, 500 more Mexican troops arrived.

And suddenly, now, the Americans were outnumbered. They were just 500 yards apart, the two armies. But these troops had just got there and they were tired. So Santa Ana said, OK, we can take a nap. And now we live in Texas.

We live in Texas. Well, you think Satan minds? You think like, oh, he wouldn't attack you. You're asleep. He's an evil, supernatural being. And if you make it easy for him, he won't complain. The ten virgins, right?

Look, we want to keep each other vibrant and alive spiritually. Sober, awake. Being sober in the prayer. He said this. This is what Peter said about himself. The reason he was intentioned this way, he knew his time was short.

Knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. I'm still going to figure out how to do that.

But Peter left us. And so because it was that important to him to prepare these saints for what was coming, that's the whole spirit of why we're studying these last days letters. And then he goes on. He turns a corner a little bit and he wants to bring them assurance because he's about to contrast what they know and what the prophets of God know with the first major thing he's going to deal with.

Eyewitness Testimony and the Prophetic Word

Verse 16,. For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the excellent glory.

This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And of course, God said that twice. Once at the baptism of Jesus, but this is not the baptism. This is the mount of transfiguration. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed. Now, the prophetic word is the word of the prophets. The prophet Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and all the minor prophets, they spoke of Messiah coming.

They spoke of what God was going to do through him. And let me encourage you. I would encourage you to become familiar with what the prophets said about Christ coming because they're stressed. Although they mentioned forgiveness and atonement, which is wonderful.

They mentioned that most of the time they speak of dynamic transformation in the life. When He comes, He's going to do a dynamic transformation. He's going to cleanse people of lawlessness. He's going to produce in them a dynamic ability to walk in the way of the Lord.

People are really going to know the Lord and they're going to do what's right and be right because of this dynamic work of grace. And that's the word that Peter's saying we should take heed to as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Because here, Peter is underscoring what is really reliable, the prophetic word. Because he knew his readers would soon be subject to hearing men's words. That's why he explains why the prophetic word is trustworthy.

And do you remember before we go to the next slide where he goes? He's trying to underscore why you and I should be very confident in the prophetic word. Do you remember what he explains why we should have that kind of confidence?

Do you remember? Because he says, because knowing this verse, no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Okay, if you're going to be hearing what men say, how are you going to know whether it's God's word or not? When you hear what the prophets, when you read what the prophets spoke, you know these were men of God, spoke by God, carried by the Holy Spirit, and what they said is completely reliable.

Okay, God's prophets never spoke on their own thoughts. They are fully trustworthy. And the messages they spoke originated and were guided by the Holy Spirit warning. Here's where Peter's going. That's not the way all men speak.

False Teachers and Secretly Introduced Heresies

There are false prophets. And they speak in the name of the Lord. They claim to be a messenger of the Lord. Okay, not all prophets speak only what God has spoken to them. False prophets speak their own words.

And this is what chapter 2 verse 1 says, but there were also false prophets among the people. You see how Peter's contrasting? You should pay attention to the real prophetic word as to a light shining in a dark place until the morning star rises in your heart.

But remember, there were also false prophets among the people. And look what he says, even as there will be false teachers among you. It's interesting. We don't really have an idea of prophets in our day, do we?

But teachers are everywhere. We have men everywhere teaching the Word of God. False teachers will be among you. And what are they going to do? They're going to secretly introduce destructive heresies.

So there will be, not maybe, there will be false teachers among you. As a matter of fact, in Matthew 24, here's what Jesus said. This is what He said to His own disciples when His disciples were asking Him about the end times.

You know the very first thing of His answer when they ask Him, would You tell us when are the end times? When will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming? His very first answer before we get to this verse was, see to it that no one deceives you.

He's talking to His apostles. Talking to His apostles. So if Jesus in His wisdom, thinking about the last days, says, see to it that no one deceives you, what do you think the greatest danger of the last days is?

Being deceived. That simple. And Peter is going to turn his focus on exposing the deceptions that are going to be rampant in the last day. And notice, this is what Jesus said, this is often misunderstood.

Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name saying, I am the Christ and will see and will deceive many. Most people have the idea that that means some man is going to appear claiming he's Jesus Christ.

How many of you have met someone like that? Some may have. It's pretty rare. I don't believe that's what Jesus was saying. He was saying, many will come in My name saying, Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ.

Mormons say Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. Jehovah Witnesses say Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. Oneness Pentecostals say Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. They don't, they don't, they say He's the Son of God.

The problem, it's not who they claim Christ to be, it's what they teach saying Jesus. You see what they're saying? Because look, if someone stood up and claimed He was Jesus Christ, you're going to listen to them?

No. But if someone says they believe in Jesus Christ and they're just teaching, that's how things secretly slip in. Because you're not aware. So few ever claim that they themselves are the Christ. Nearly all say Jesus Christ of Nazareth is God's Son.

So what makes them false teachers is that they will secretly introduce destructive heresies. So how do they do this secretly? You're going to have to find out. You don't have to wait till next week. You can start reading chapter 2 and 3 of 2 Peter.

Because that's what he does. He's going to start telling you what these men are going to be teaching. How can we be this, I mean, look what he's going to actually give us what to watch out for. And that's what we're going to start studying.

Because this is where 2 Peter and the book of Jude particularly really harmonize well. They begin to expose the conditions, the things you're going to be hearing. And as we go through it, every one of you are going to realize I've been hearing these things.

I've been hearing, these are things I've been hearing. These are going on. But we can only cover it by, we have to bite it off a little at a time. We can't do it all at once. All right. We could, but then I might get in trouble.

All right. We're going to pause here.