WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.000 How much does godliness matter to you? Most Christians would say of course godliness matters, but does it really matter? 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:25.000 ! Is a godly life something desirable or is it something essential? Is it something so necessary that we make every effort we do whatever it takes to grow in godliness? 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:34.000 Is it constantly on our minds to be, as Peter says, diligent to be found by Jesus without spots or blemishes? 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:47.000 How much does godliness matter to you? This question is facing us every day. For a long time there's been a trend in churches towards a lack of urgency for godly living. 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:55.000 And the modern gospel is often a watered down version of reasons like this. Jesus has paid for all our sins. 00:00:55.000 --> 00:01:02.000 So yes we should aim for godly lives, but basically it doesn't matter because we're covered with Christ's righteousness. 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:11.000 Godly lies are not strictly necessary, they're optional. Yes they're important, but at the end of the day it's not essential. 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:21.000 Do you see how subtly deceitful that is? It takes things that are true, but it follows them through to false conclusions. 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:32.000 It's true that godly lies are not what saves you. If you think that you can get right with God by living a godly life, you need to know that's impossible. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:38.000 Only Christ's righteousness can make us right with God. That is absolutely Peter's gospel. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:50.000 But his gospel also says the fruit of salvation. Godly living must be present in the life of the Christian. It must be present. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:55.000 As a younger Christian I didn't know how those two truths held together. 00:01:55.000 --> 00:02:01.000 If salvation is all of grace, why do I need to do the hard work of growing in godliness? 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:09.000 And so I was confused when I read verses like these ones. 2 Peter 1, verse 10. I'm slightly paraphrasing these. It says, 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:14.000 If you practice these godly qualities, you will never fall away. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:20.000 For in this way there will be provided for you an entrance into the kingdom. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:22.000 Or chapter 3, verse 10. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:27.000 The day of the Lord is coming when the works that are done on the earth will be exposed. 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:34.000 So what sort of people ought you to be? Living lives of godliness and holiness. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:42.000 Chapter 2, verse 20. If you have escaped from the corruption of the world, and then you go back to your old sinful ways, 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:46.000 it would have been better for you to never have heard the gospel. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:55.000 Chapter 2, verse 9. God knows how to rescue the godly and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment. 00:02:55.000 --> 00:03:02.000 Godliness is not just nice to have. It's essential. 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:07.000 You know, this topic was important for the first readers too. They had a similar danger to us. 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:13.000 False teachers were saying to them, it doesn't matter how you live because Jesus is not coming back. 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:18.000 There will be no day of judgment, no day of accountability. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:22.000 So the apostle Peter writes this letter, his second letter. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:26.000 And we're going to be digging into it over the next few weeks. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:32.000 If you don't know this letter well, it's worth meditating on because these are Peter's last words. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:35.000 When Peter wrote this letter, he knew he was going to die soon. 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:38.000 Have a look at chapter 1, verse 13. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:39.000 Peter says, 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:44.000 I think it right as long as I am in this body to stir you up by way of reminder, 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:51.000 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to him. 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:55.000 Jesus told Peter that he didn't have long left. 00:03:55.000 --> 00:04:01.000 The foundational apostle, the rock on whom the church is built, is about to die. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:11.000 And so this letter begins a big transition from the age of the apostles to the post-apostolic era. 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:16.000 And Peter knows that, so what is he going to say in his farewell speech? 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:22.000 What was crucial for the Christians to never forget after the apostles were gone? 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:26.000 Well, here's a summary of Peter's apostolic message. 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:32.000 Jesus is coming back and godliness matters. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:36.000 And he starts in chapter 1 with the second of those things. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:38.000 Godliness matters. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:43.000 This morning we're looking at verses 1 to 4, so please keep your Bibles open there. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:47.000 And we're asking the question, why does godliness matter? 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:51.000 And what we're going to see is that godliness is the goal. 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.000 Godliness is the goal of the gospel. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.000 So let's dig in. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:00.000 First of all, godliness is the goal of the apostles' message. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:02.000 That's our first point. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:05.000 Godliness is the goal of the apostles' message. 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:14.000 Before we see how godliness is the goal, Peter wants us to know that this is God's word through the apostles. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:18.000 It's the authentic message from Jesus' appointed messengers. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:24.000 And it's easy to miss this the first time you read through, but there's a big emphasis on the apostles here. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:27.000 Look at verse 1. 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:32.000 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:42.000 That's a pretty normal way to start a letter, but it's worth reflecting on the fact that Peter is the foundational apostle on whom the church is built. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:46.000 Did you notice there that Peter uses both of his names? 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:48.000 Simeon and Peter. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:53.000 And that draws our attention to the fact that Jesus renamed him. 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:55.000 He was called Simeon or Simon. 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:59.000 And Jesus said, I'm going to call you Peter, which means rock. 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:03.000 Because on this rock I will build my church. 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:08.000 In other words, Jesus builds his church on the foundation of the apostles. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:12.000 And particularly on Peter as the foundational apostle. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:18.000 And so in verse 1 when he says, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:26.000 He's saying to the readers, your faith is equal to mine and to the other apostles who saw Christ with our own eyes. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.000 Why does he say that? 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:38.000 Well if the foundational apostle is about to die and it may not be long until all the apostles are gone, this is a transitional stage. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:44.000 He's passing on the apostolic faith like a relay runner who passes on the baton to the next run. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:49.000 Peter is passing on the faith to the next generation who haven't seen Jesus. 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:54.000 And he's saying this gospel that we're passing on to you is fully yours. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:57.000 As much as it is ours. 00:06:57.000 --> 00:06:59.000 Isn't that amazing? 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:02.000 None of us have ever seen Jesus physically. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:04.000 We don't know what he looked like. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:06.000 We don't know what he sounded like. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:08.000 But we know him. 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:12.000 Because the apostles have passed on their faith to us. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:18.000 We have a faith of equal status with the eyewitness closest friends of the Lord Jesus. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:20.000 Not because we're great. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:25.000 But because of verse 1, the righteousness of our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:35.000 You know, you feel like they had a real living relationship with Jesus but we've just got a book about him. 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:37.000 It's not the same. 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:45.000 But we'll see later on that what we've received through the apostles is much more than some facts about Jesus. 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:48.000 So this is the authentic apostles' message. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:51.000 Now why would Peter bring up that transition? 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:55.000 Well it's important for understanding verses 3 to 4. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:57.000 Look down with me to verse 3. 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:09.000 Did you hear the change in pronoun? 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:24.000 Us, us, us, us, you. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:35.000 Peter is saying, God has granted to us, the apostles, these things and through us he's granted them to you. 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:39.000 And this is repeated throughout the letter. 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:47.000 Verse 16, for we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:50.000 But we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:58.000 In other words, you weren't eyewitnesses, but we, the apostles, made known to you what we saw. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:08.000 Or verse 19, we have the prophetic word again more fully confirmed to which you will do well to pay attention. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:19.000 Again, chapter 3, verse 2, you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles. 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:27.000 The gospel and all its benefits come to us from Christ through the apostles. 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:32.000 This is the authentic message from God's appointed messengers. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:35.000 Why is Peter laboring this? 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:42.000 Well, the point is that we can have complete confidence that what we're about to hear in this letter are Jesus' words. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:47.000 Because Jesus chose Peter and said, I'm building my church on you. 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:51.000 I'm entrusting this precious gospel to you. 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:59.000 So when Peter says, Jesus is coming back, when he says, Godliness really matters, we can trust him. 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:03.000 We can trust that this isn't something fishy that he just made up. 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:05.000 This is the gospel. 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:12.000 And if anyone tells you that godliness doesn't really matter, they're the ones who are not authentic. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:18.000 So that's our first point. Godliness is the goal of the apostles' message. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:24.000 But we need to see more about what is this message. What is Peter's gospel? 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:28.000 Verses 3 to 4 basically summarise the apostolic gospel. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:30.000 And here's what Peter wants us to know. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:34.000 The whole point of our salvation is godly lives. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:38.000 And God has given everything we need for godliness. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:43.000 That's our second point. Godliness is the certain goal of the gospel. 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:47.000 Godliness is the certain goal of the gospel. 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:50.000 Look down with me again to verse 3. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:57.000 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. 00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:00.000 His divine power. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.000 Who is it referring to here? 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:06.000 Well, the last person that is mentioned is Jesus. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:07.000 Verse 2. 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:13.000 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:16.000 His divine power. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.000 It's the same power that's mentioned in verse 16. 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:24.000 Peter says, we made known to you the power and coming of who? 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:27.000 Our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:30.000 It's Christ's divine power. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:33.000 But what is Christ's divine power for? 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:37.000 What is his purpose that he carries out by his power? 00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:47.000 It says there, Christ's divine power has granted to us through the apostles all things that pertain to life and godliness. 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:50.000 All things for a godly life. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:51.000 That's the goal. 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:52.000 That's the goal. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:59.000 These two words, life and godliness, it's very likely that Peter's using those words together to form one concept. 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:01.000 A godly life. 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:03.000 And that's what is granted to us. 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:08.000 And this word granted in verse 3, it has a royal flavour to it. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:16.000 It's King Jesus bestowing on us from his royal bounty all things that are needed for a godly life. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:18.000 That's his plan for us. 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:19.000 That's what he wants for us. 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:21.000 And that's what he's given us. 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:25.000 Isn't that encouraging? 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:30.000 Sometimes it feels like we don't have what we need for godly living. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:34.000 It's like we know that God expects godliness but we can't do it. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:38.000 It's a bit like building Ikea furniture. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:49.000 Have you ever bought something from Ikea and you're about to assemble it and you've got the manual and you've laid out the pieces and then you realise that there's an important part missing. 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:51.000 It's the most annoying thing isn't it? 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:56.000 Because you need all the parts in order to assemble that piece of furniture. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:59.000 But it's the opposite with our godliness. 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:02.000 God has given us everything that we need. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:08.000 When God has a plan, he secures everything necessary for the outcome. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:11.000 Christ has given you all things. 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:14.000 There is nothing lacking for your growth in godliness. 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:23.000 If you're in Christ, you have everything that is required because it's his divine power which has granted it freely to us. 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:29.000 I don't know about you but I'm naturally cynical and a bit pessimistic. 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.000 I often look at my life and think, 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:33.000 I'm just disastrously sinful. 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:36.000 Am I even growing in godliness? 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.000 It just seems too difficult. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:48.000 I need to be reminded regularly of Christ's divine power and how he's granted to us, not just a bit of help, but all things for a godly life. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:51.000 If you're in Christ, your godliness is inevitable. 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:57.000 So what we're seeing is the goal of the gospel is godly lives. 00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:00.000 And Christ has secured that by his divine power. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:03.000 And we need to not mishear this. 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:08.000 Peter's not saying that you need to be godly so that God will save you. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:13.000 He's saying God has saved you to secure your godliness. 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:19.000 Godliness is not the condition for salvation, it's the result of salvation. 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:28.000 And if that's the case, everyone who's in Christ will become godly because his divine power never fails. 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:30.000 So how does all of this happen? 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:33.000 Take a look with me at verse 3. 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:36.000 How do we receive this gift unto godliness? 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:42.000 Well, the apostles received these things, verse 3, through the knowledge of him. 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:43.000 Knowledge. 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:47.000 Knowledge comes up a lot in 2 Peter. 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:53.000 And this evening we're going to see in verse 5 that we're supposed to keep adding more knowledge. 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:56.000 But the word for knowledge here is a different one. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:59.000 It's not a knowledge that you keep growing in. 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:05.000 This is the decisive knowledge that's given the moment a person sees that Jesus is Lord. 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:07.000 It happens at conversion. 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:11.000 This is like that moment when Jesus asked Peter, 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:13.000 Who do you say that I am? 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:15.000 Do you remember that? 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:21.000 And Peter said, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:27.000 Jesus said, flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:31.000 That's the kind of knowledge that Peter's talking about. 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:36.000 The apostles saw Jesus and it was revealed to them that he is the Christ. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.000 He is the Son of God. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:48.000 And that same knowledge was passed on to us when we heard the apostles' message and our eyes were opened to see that Jesus is Lord. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:50.000 So you see what it's saying? 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:56.000 The moment we are saved and recognise Jesus as Lord, we have everything we need for Godly lives. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:16:05.000 This is not something that's only accessible to a few special Christians who've reached a level of spiritual maturity. 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:11.000 No, the very day that your new life in Christ begins, you are equipped for Godliness. 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:17.000 It's through the knowledge of Him that this growth in Godliness begins. 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:19.000 But Peter doesn't stop there. 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.000 Verse 4 he goes on, 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:34.000 God entrusted his promises to the apostles to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:36.000 And that's what they did. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:38.000 Peter got up on the day of Pentecost and proclaimed, 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:44.000 The promise is for you and for your children and all who are far off. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:53.000 That's in preaching the gospel, proclaiming the promise of the Holy Spirit and of forgiveness of sins for all who call upon the name of the Lord. 00:16:53.000 --> 00:17:01.000 Jesus has granted these precious and very great promises to us through the apostles. 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:07.000 You know, these gospel promises are promises which lead to union with God in Christ. 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:10.000 That's what Peter is going to talk about next. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:17.000 And so these promises certainly include Jesus' great promise to send His Holy Spirit. 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:22.000 Can you think of anything more precious? 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:26.000 When God promises you, I will give you myself. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.000 I will give you my own Holy Spirit. 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:32.000 These are breathtaking promises. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:37.000 That's why it's worth giving up everything in order to gain Christ. 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:41.000 He's worth more than all the treasures in the world. 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:46.000 And here's where things just get too massive to really grasp. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:49.000 These next words are outrageous really. 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:52.000 Here we come to the goal of everything that's been said. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:54.000 The goal of Christ's power. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:56.000 The goal of coming to know Christ. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:58.000 The goal of His precious promises. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:17:59.000 The goal of Christ's promises. 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:00.000 Look at verse 4. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:02.000 Peter says, 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:09.000 So that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature. 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:15.000 Isn't that one of the most shocking statements you can find anywhere? 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:20.000 God is sharing His nature with you. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.000 God is sharing. 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:24.000 I don't think that's something we can really grasp. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:26.000 It's too awesome. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:29.000 And we need to unpack that in a moment. 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:34.000 But can you see that our godliness is the certain goal of the Gospel? 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:37.000 Christ's power secures it. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:40.000 The Spirit gives us the knowledge of Him. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:42.000 Christ grants us His promises. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:46.000 And God shares His divine nature with us. 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:51.000 Godliness is the certain goal of the Gospel. 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:56.000 So we've been seeing all the way through that godliness is the goal of the Apostles' message. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:58.000 And it's not just wishful thinking. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:00.000 It's the certainty for those in Christ. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:02.000 And our final point is this. 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:07.000 Godliness is the result of sharing God's nature. 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:15.000 Peter just said that the goal of the promises is so that you may partake in the divine nature. 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:17.000 God shares His nature with us. 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:20.000 But what on earth does that mean? 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:23.000 Does that mean that we become gods? 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:28.000 Do Christians transcend humanity in some way? 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:30.000 Well, Peter explains what he means. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:34.000 He says that you may become partakers of the divine nature, 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:40.000 having escaped from the corruption that's in the world because of sinful desire. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:48.000 There's a connection between sharing God's nature and escaping the corruption of sin. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:50.000 This is a moral thing. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:52.000 He goes on to say, 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:56.000 For this reason, because you now share in God's nature, 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:59.000 make every effort to grow in Godliness. 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:04.000 Things like virtue and self-control and love, which we're going to see this evening. 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:09.000 Sharing God's nature means becoming like Him in His moral excellence. 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:13.000 In other words, it's the same thing we've been seeing this whole time. 00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:16.000 The goal of the Gospel is godliness. 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:20.000 To be like God in righteousness and holiness. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:24.000 Paul says the same thing in slightly different words. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:30.000 He describes this sharing in the divine nature as a recreation after the image of God. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:33.000 Ephesians 4.24, he says, 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:38.000 Put on the new self created after the likeness of God. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:42.000 What does this likeness, this divine likeness look like? 00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:44.000 Well, he goes on to explain, 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:47.000 In true righteousness and holiness. 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:51.000 Sharing God's nature means righteousness and holiness. 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:54.000 It's his moral excellence. 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:59.000 I don't know about you, but when I read those words in 2 Peter 1.4, 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:00.000 those words, 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:04.000 having escaped from the corruption in the world, 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:05.000 sometimes I think, 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:06.000 really? 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:10.000 We've already escaped from the corruption of sin. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:12.000 It doesn't feel like that a lot of the time. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:15.000 But Peter says, past tense, you have escaped. 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:19.000 Because at the moment that we were converted, 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:23.000 Christ set us free from the tyranny of the devil. 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:25.000 He rescued us from the power of sin. 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:31.000 We were transferred immediately from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:34.000 That means as soon as you become a Christian, 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:39.000 you've escaped from sin being the dominating force in your life. 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:42.000 It doesn't mean all of our sin vanished when we were saved. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:44.000 There's still plenty of sin. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:49.000 But the trajectory is that now we're becoming more and more like God. 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:52.000 We're sharing his divine nature. 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:55.000 Starting to look like Jesus in righteousness and holiness. 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:58.000 Because that was always God's plan. 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:02.000 But it's not that we get zapped when we get converted. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:05.000 Suddenly we have God's moral qualities. 00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:11.000 When God shares his nature with us, that means union with Christ. 00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:13.000 Union with Christ is what it's all about. 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:17.000 It's one of the biggest things at the centre of the Gospel. 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:22.000 And let's finish with just a super quick Bible overview of union with Christ. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:25.000 Because Peter has all his background in mind. 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:31.000 We were created in God's image to share in his divine nature. 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:35.000 So before the fall, Adam and Eve were created in righteousness and holiness. 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:38.000 Morally excellent by God. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:42.000 But after fall, when sin entered in, that image of God was marred. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:44.000 It was messed up. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:48.000 It wasn't obliterated, but now it's twisted by sin. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:51.000 Humans are not morally excellent like God anymore. 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:54.000 Now no one is good. Not even one. 00:22:54.000 --> 00:23:00.000 And so God the Father sent his Son, who is the perfect image of God. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:02.000 He is the second Adam. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:06.000 But unlike Adam, his image is not marred by sin. 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:10.000 And he came to unite himself with our humanity. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:16.000 To become a man in order to renew the divine image of fallen humans. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:22.000 He came so that we may become partakers of the divine nature. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:26.000 So here's what happens when you become a Christian. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:32.000 You become united with Christ so closely that we are said to be in Christ. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:34.000 We are one flesh with him. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:36.000 We're his body and he is our head. 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:40.000 He's our bridegroom and we're his bride. 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:48.000 We're so closely connected with him by the Spirit that we actually share the divine nature of righteousness and holiness. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:52.000 Christians, right now, we are sharing God's nature. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:58.000 Have you ever noticed how married couples tend to become like each other? 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:04.000 You have a conversation with the husband and then you talk to his wife and they say the same things. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:08.000 Or they're finishing each other's sentences. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:12.000 My parents tend to say they only have one brain between them. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:14.000 It's not surprising, is it? 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:18.000 In marriage you share your whole life with another person. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:19.000 You're joined to them. 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:20.000 You're one flesh. 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:24.000 And sex makes that visibly obvious, doesn't it? 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:29.000 As the climax of the relationship, it shows that union physically. 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:32.000 You're literally one flesh. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:39.000 In a relationship that intimately close, how can you not become like each other? 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:42.000 Well, that's what union with Christ is like. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:44.000 Paul says it's a great mystery. 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:47.000 But marriage is about Christ and his people. 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:52.000 In an infinitely greater way, we are joined to him and separately. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:59.000 So do you see how inevitable it is that if you're a Christian you begin to look like Christ? 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:03.000 It's impossible not to. 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:05.000 That's why godliness matters. 00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:11.000 Not because you need it to get saved, but because the goal of our salvation is godliness 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:13.000 through personal union with Christ. 00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:16.000 The praise of God's glory. 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:20.000 Brothers and sisters, I hope we see, and we've looked at God's grand plan, 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:24.000 I hope we see that godliness is not an optional extra. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:30.000 It's the awesome and amazing privilege of God sharing his nature with us. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:37.000 So for this very reason, let's make every effort to grow in godliness. 00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:38.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.000 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.000 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.000 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.000 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.000 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.000 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.000 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:39.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:40.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:41.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:42.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:43.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:44.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:45.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:46.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:47.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:48.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:49.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:50.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:51.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:52.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:53.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:54.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:56.000 Let's make every purpose. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:58.000 Let's make every purpose.