GOD'S RESPONSE TO OUR CONFESSION

I John 1:9 ... "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

      When a person obeys the Gospel, his soul is cleansed of the sins of his lifetime, (Acts 2:38; 22:16; I Pet. 3:21). He then walks before God in a new condition of justification, redemption, and righteousness "in His blood through faith," (Rom. 3:24-25). This condition does not, however, render the individual immune to sin. The New Testament contains abundant passages exhorting Christians to be aware of temptation, to resist evil, and to look unto God incessantly for protection, wisdom, and strength against the activities of sin in the world about them. Such Scriptures would be superfluous and meaningless if Jesus' disciples were impervious to sin. Christians, in fact, can and do sometimes fall to temptation and become mired in sin. The New Testament records specific cases when this indeed happened during the period of the early church.

      This initial chapter of the epistle, which is not addressed to the unregenerate but to "children of God," (3:2), emphasizes the failure of Christians to defeat every temptation and remain perfectly free from all sin. The verse preceding 1:9 declares that to deny one's sin indicates that (a) he is self-deceived, (b) devoid of the truth, and (c) is a liar. Verse 10 adds that the person also makes a liar of God. This is very strong and serious language! Remembering that we are God's redeemed people, what must we do about it? Or, is there nothing we can do except admit final defeat and resign our destiny to the wrath of God?

      We need not despair as we confess our sins, because God, who is fully aware of our weak nature, has provided just the help we need. His grace is greater than our sin, (Rom. 5:20b-21), and the blood of His Son is still efficacious to cleanse us of the sins we commit after it initially purges us in baptism from our pre-Christian sins, (I Pet. 3:21). To avail ourselves of the continuing purification of Jesus' blood, however, I John 1:9 requires that we must begin by confessing our sins. Whenever we perceive that we have sinned, we must immediately go to the Lord with our guilt, lay it out openly before Him, and beseech Him to remove it with His forgiveness.

      Although this text does not explicitly mention it, there is no doubt that it assumes the prerequisite of repentance. As mentioned earlier, God's grace negates sin, but only that sin which is abandoned by the one who committed it. We read in Rom. 6:1-2, "Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"

      Here we discover another area wherein the Gospel deserves the literal meaning of what the word denotes, "GOOD NEWS." God continues to extend His grace to His children, although at times we go astray and corrupt our souls with sin. He does not cast us off into the mass of the lost who are reserved for eternal punishment. To the contrary! He opens for us a way to be acquitted of our sins and restored to spiritual purity. This way incorporates two essential actions which we must perform, repentance and confession. Repentance involves the total abandonment of sinful practices because we understand they are indeed sinful and because we know they offend God. The confession, moreover, must be both comprehensive and specific. Not only must ALL SINS be confessed, but EACH ONE of them must be confessed. One who entreats God to cleanse him must bare his soul naked to reveal in utmost shame every ugly spot of sin. A perfunctory mumbling, "Forgive me of all my sins," is insufficient, and from God's vantage point, probably looks more like presumption than abject contrition. This does not mean, however, that the individual must expose the fact of sin with a full description of its nature to people. Very often our sins are known only to God, and then it is only to God that we need confess them. But if we have sinned before people, we must also confess those sins before them, (Jas. 5:16). The principle is that repentance must be as broad as the knowledge of the sin.

GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE

II Pet. 3:18 ... "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

      One of the major characteristics of physical life is growth. Jesus once said it was the purpose of His mission here to confer this gift: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly," (John 10:10). Physical life is God's gift in various degrees to the vast diversity of creatures which constitute the plant and animal kingdoms. But spiritual life is granted only to humans, and then only when they are "born again" (John 3:3) in the water of baptism, having believed in Jesus as God's Son, repented of their sins, and confessed the name of Christ. As converts to Christ, we are told that "we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life," (Rom. 6:4).

      The first stage of this new spiritual life is infancy, corresponding to the initial stage of physical life. With proper diet and exercise, however, infants gradually grow to physical maturity, and with proper education they will attain to mental maturity. The growth of the soul to spiritual maturity is also of vital importance, and God has put at our disposal all the resources necessary to accomplish it. Referring to these provisions by God, we are told they are given "for the building up of the body of Christ (that is, the church corporately and hence individuals), until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ,"(Eph. 4:12-13).

    The featured text above specifies two of the essential dimensions in which our growth from spiritual infancy in Christ must progress. The first is grace. Well defined as "the unmerited favor of God granted to us through Christ," grace is a fundamental characteristic of life in the Lord. The reception of God's grace imposes upon us the duty to make an appropriate response thereunto. That is, grace must stir us to action. We must never accept it passively and indifferently. Paul once speaks of "nullify(ing) the grace of God," (Gal. 2:21), and that is what the recipient does who is unmotivated to yield his life to its purpose.  The first and then perpetual response of a Christian to grace must be appreciation and thanks-giving, followed by steady growth in such essential virtues as faith, love, humility, reverence, and good stewardship. Another vital response to grace is steadfastness in doing the "good works which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them," (Eph. 2:10). When we are thus engaged in the work of the Lord, we actually become instruments by which He confers grace upon still other souls. When we enlarge these two essential responses to God's grace, we are indeed "grow(ing) in grace as the text urges.

      The second essential dimension of spiritual growth is knowledge. In the initial stage of religious education we learn about Christ, that is, we commit to memory the facts about what He said and did and why. Our growth in knowledge, however, must not stop as we gain mastery in this area, (cf. Heb. 5:11 - 6:3). As it proceeds, it must expand into the more important phase of knowing Christ as a daily companion. This is accomplished by internalizing the meaning and implications of what is learned in the first stage. It is of this second, internal phase of growth "in knowledge" that Rom. 12:2 speaks in these challenging words: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and accept-able and perfect." As one's knowledge about Christ penetrates into his conscience and soul to the extent of knowing Christ as a living Person rather than as a mere biographical character, the person's mind is being renewed, and he is being transformed as a person into "the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."

RESCUE FROM TEMPTATION

II Pet. 2:9a ... "The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation."

      When a person is tempted by evil, it is very likely that he feels alone and isolated. Help may seem far away. It might indeed appear that he must stand there in his own strength, trusting in his own wisdom and experience, and offering whatever resistance he can manage from within his own resources. This view of temptation is, nevertheless wrong and even dangerous, for the tempter is Satan, who is stronger than men in their own strength. This was emphasized by Martin Luther in the old, but still appropriate hymn, Ein' Feste Burg, as follows:

      "For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe,                                                                                     His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,                                                                           On earth is not his equal."

      In reality, however, no Christian must face temptation alone, or feel that help is distant and difficult, or think that he has no choice but to trust in his own resources of wisdom and experience. The text above from Peter offers us great assurance, encouragement, and conviction that God is very close to His children and is instantly ready to offer effective resistance unto their deliverance. But how close is God to a Christian? He answers this question Himself in I Cor. 3:16, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"  He adds in I John 4:4, "Greater is He who is in you than he (Satan the tempter) who is in the world."

      Although each person has his own responsibility to resist temptation, and is therefore ultimately accountable for his own success or failure, the Lord is faithful to help him by putting at his disposal everything necessary for him to succeed.

      First, God never allows the tempter to corner the Christian where he has no choice but to commit sin. The Lord always keeps open a route of escape, as I Cor. 10:13 promises: "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

      Second, God limits the power of any temptation within the range of human resistibility, as the words just quoted assure, "who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able."

      Third, God permits no temptation to come upon a Christian which has not already been met and overcome by many other people: "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man," (I Cor. 10:13a). 

      Fourth, God has given us a perfect model in Christ who met and defeated every temptation, thus forever removing some of its power. The inspired writer says of Jesus that He was the "One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin," (Heb 4:15).

      Fifth, God has given us a suit of spiritual armor that is efficacious in resisting temptation. We are urged to "put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil," (Eph. 6:11). This armor consists of a girdle of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, a shield of faith, and a helmet of salvation.

      Sixth, God puts into the hands of His children "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," (Eph. 6:17). With this "armor of God" the Christian can defend his soul against the assaults of evil, and with the "sword of the Spirit" he can counterattack and defeat his foe, routing temptation and sin from the field of his life, at least for a while, (Luk. 4:1-13). The apostle Peter therefore refers to a very great benefit from God when he writes, "The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation." 

        

THE BLESSING OF GRACE AND PEACE

II Pet. 1:2 ... "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord."

      This text is one of those verses in the Bible that people usually read over with little attention in their haste to go to something else that seems more interesting and worthy of study. When this statement is thus overlooked, however, a precious and beautiful part of our relationship as Christians with our Lord is missed. These words do not constitute a mere formality in opening this inspired epistle. Much to the contrary, they are actually the expression of a wonderful development in our spiritual lives as we yield them more fully to the molding fingers of our heavenly Father.

      Grace signifies God's favor bestowed upon people who have done nothing to deserve it. Everyone likes to think that he is special and that God therefore values him a little more than others. But God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34); neither is He obligated to anyone. Of His own will, on His own initiative, and at the time of His own choosing, God manifested His amazing grace to man by sending His Son to die for our sins and reconcile us unto Himself. His grace is further revealed by adding to His church those who obey His will, giving us the guidance of His Spirit, and granting to us the power and wisdom to persevere in the way He wishes us to live. As fallen creatures subjected to the excesses of sin, mankind stood in desperate need of God's grace, for there was nothing men could do on their own to escape the tyranny and eventual ruin of sin. But God loved man whom He had created in His own image so much that He freely bestowed His grace, as we are informed in Rom. 5:20, "But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more."

      Peace is a product of God's grace. When God by His grace overpowered the reign of sin in human life, He laid the foundation for peace between Himself and man. The apostle Paul explains: "For He (Jesus) is our peace, who made both groups (Jews and non-Jews) into one ... by abolishing in His flesh the enmity ... so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near, for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father, (Eph. 2:14f). When peace with God is established through the elimination of sin, it can flow through our lives into our relations with other people. One cannot be hostile and adverse to his fellow men and still live on terms of peace with God, (Mat. 5:22-25; Rom. 12:17-21; Jas. 1:19-20). Also, the conviction that one is at peace with God produces a wonderful consolation that brings together the various parts of the human psyche into a peaceful unity. Christians are assured of this inner peace, which is "of God," (i.e., from God, or based on the action of God's grace), in these words of Php. 4:7, "The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

      Finally, we must notice in our featured text that this most glorious "grace and peace" is "multiplied to (us) in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." This is not the knowledge of the accumulation and retention of masses of facts so that the individual is a walking encyclopedia. It is rather the know-ledge gained in the course of real experience as one struggles with the issues of life in fellowship with Christ and under the guidance of His teaching preserved in the New Testament. It is through this kind of practical knowledge that God multiplies to us His incomparable "grace and peace." 

CAST YOUR CARE UPON THE LORD

I Pet. 5:7 ... "Casting all your anxiety (care) on Him (God), because He cares for you."

      One of the most miserable feelings a person can experience is loneliness; and when it is combined with the perception that no one cares about you, the misery is increased almost beyond endurance. To think that no one cares about you robs life of much of its meaning, joy, and warmth. It deprives you of the motivation to try to accomplish things worthwhile; it obscures goals and plans for the future, and leaves life an empty shell.

      More people than you might think have this sinking feeling that no one cares about them. They get sick, and no one comes to see them. They win some small victory in life, and no one praises them or rejoices with them over it. They experience a time of sorrow, and no one comes to help them bear it. They must face the ups and downs of life all alone, receiving few words of encouragement, advice, or hope.

      Perhaps one reason behind much of this mututal indifference is that we live in an age when hurry and crowds are major factors in social life. To phrase it metaphorically, we have "so many irons in the fire,"  that we find little excess time to show our neighbor we are aware of his existence and are at least slightly concerned about what is happening in his life. And there are so many more people crowded about us than there used to be that we feel, because we cannot divide our available time among all of them, we should not share it with anyone.

      Although people for whatever reason may not show concern and interest in one another, there is One who always does care ... Jesus Christ. He always stands ready to show anyone all of the love, consideration, sympathy, and time that the person needs. Jesus knows your sorrow. grief, and broken heart, and is always ready and willing to share it. How moving is His offer in Mat. 11:28, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  Though His Spirit fills the vast and trackless universe, He yet feels the keenest emotions of the most dejected and neglected soul of man. God's personal knowledge of the individual is exhibited in Jesus' statement in Mat. 10:29-31, "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."

      It is a very comforting thought to know that God is watching over our lives both day and night, that He maintains a real, warm, and active interest in us, and that He is always ready to help us. In fact, He wants very much to share our lives with us. When we are happy, He wants to share that happiness and enrich it to make us even happier. And when we are sad, He wants to share that sadness to lighten its weight so we won't stagger or collapse beneath it. The Lord's words to his distressed apostle surely apply to every other disciple as well: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness," (II Cor. 12:9 NIV). It has been said that, "Man's extremity is God's opportunity." When thick clouds of adversity have enshrouded your life, cut you off from other people, and turned your outlook gray, you have reached an extremity. But that is God's opportunity to act in your life with His amazing grace to lift you up in a way that prosperity can never achieve.

      In spite of the fact that Jesus does care, all too often He never is given the opportunity because we neglect or refuse to admit Him into our lives and integrate Him into our daily experiences. If we fail to let Him share our lives with us, He will not be present to comfort, guide, strengthen, and support us. He cares for us, but we must first "cast our care upon Him" in order to be recipients of the help which He is so ready and able to bestow.

AS THE END DRAWS NEAR

I Pet. 4:7 ... "The end of all things is near; therefore be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer."

      In the Bible, time is considered to be linear, that is, it had a definite beginning, it proceeds on a continuous course, and it will eventually come to an end. The Bible's opening statement is, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." And II Pet. 3:10 declares that "the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up." Before the "beginning" and after "the end of all things," (which is the same as "the day of the Lord"), there stretches out into mind-numbing infinitude what the Bible calls "eternity." Time is really only a "little blip" in eternity.

      But where on the continuum of time is the position of earth existence now? First Peter 4:7 says we are rather near "the end" of it. Does this mean the curtain shall be drawn to terminate time within a decade, a century, or perhaps two or three centuries? Will the world terminate before the century is over? Or will it endure a  few more generations to 2200? No one knows the answers to such questions, (Mat. 24:36), but misguided folk persist in setting end dates. We are informed in II Pet. 3:8 that "with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day." By God's measure of time it has been only a couple of days since Jesus was crucified, so a full week on this scale would extend to 7000 AD, and one of our typical lifespans amounts to only one hour and 41 minutes. The point is that the warning, "the end of all things is near," has lost no meaning at all in the approximate 2000 years since it was written. And it will still be entirely meaningful in the year 7000 AD.

      Our reponse to such meditation should be sobering, or as II Pet. 3:11 advises, "Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness." Realizing that God's wrath upon the impenitent, as well as His mercy on the penitent, shall be revealed, we should seriously prepare to make ourselves the recipients of His mercy on that day by devoting ourselves every days we live to "holy conduct and godliness." At the same time we must be praying with sober minds and sound judgment. In anticipation of the Lord's coming, which Christians ought not to fear, we should rather be "looking for and hastening" its arrival, (II Pet. 3:12). We are not pray with apprehension for the Lord to delay His coming, but much rather we must pray with joy that He will acutally hasten His return!

      How much do we yearn for Christ's return to call us up into the glory of heaven? Mothers of young children often have this experience. When supper is about ready, Mom goes out on the porch and calls, "Johnny, come in! Supper's ready." But the reply comes back, "Not yet Mom, I'm having fun!" Some day God will also call us to the Great Supper in heaven which even now is being prepared, (Rev. 19:9). As we contemplate that call, had we rather it be later rather than sooner because here in this present world we are "having fun"? A lady once told me in a Bible class, "I would be perfectly willing for heaven to be right here on earth." It was great that this lady, now long deceased, enjoyed life so much. But the wonder and glory of heaven will surely cause the delights of earth to become miserable, (see I Cor. 2:9 and Php. 1:23-24).

      Are we ready to express eagerness in our prayers for Christ's return? The first Christians were, for according to I Cor. 16:22, they would cry, "Maranatha!" This word in their native Aramaic tongue meant, "Come, our Lord!" We must likewise think continually upon the imminent return of our Lord, and even seek to hasten it by anxious, joyful prayer. And each day we must diligently prepare for it by developing our lives in "holy conduct and godliness." 

RETURN NOT EVIL FOR EVIL

I Pet. 3:9 ... "Not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead."

      If our world were perfect, that is, if all people were Christians and were obedient to both the letter and the spirit of the "perfect law of liberty," (Jas. 1:25), a person would always do and say something good to another. Conversely, anyone would always find himself being treated kindly, courteously, gently,  honorably, and unselfishly by others. But, unfortunately and realistically, the world about us is not perfect. It is so common to meet people who are unkind, rough, and impolite, who behave with ill temper in their interactions with those about them. It has come to the place where it is a surprise for someone in public to sacrifice a moment of their time or an ounce of their energy to act benevolently toward you.

      Sin has penetrated so deeply and powerfully into human affairs that it has enslaved the majority of people, (Rom. 6:16-21). On every side we experience those who are "filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful," (Rom. 1:29-31). As these terms indicate, which describe the nature of the sin that dwells within and tyrannizes so many, people often do terrible things to other people. In some cases this involves inhumane treatment to recompense its likeness, for the rule, "Do unto others AS they do unto you," prevails among men. Although this is condemned by the Christian standard, (Rom. 12:18-21), it is accepted and even expected by the typical person. It is disturbing, however, that in recent years there seems to be a growing trend for people to commit terrible acts upon those who have done them no harm at all, or who have even shown them kindness.

      Such atrocious acts are so wicked and brutal that they are considered to be crimes against society at large as well as against the individual victims. So we respond with relief and approval when the State assumes the necessary role of "an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil," (Rom. 13:4). Most of the time, however, the offense is not of direct interest to the State but only to the affected individual, who nevertheless is hurt, humiliated, or hindered very much. What course of action is then left for him to follow to redress his injury?

      If the victim is not a Christian, he will probably seek to "even the score" by giving as much as he got, "eye for eye, tooth for tooth,  hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise," (Exo. 21:24-25). Although this might bring immediate relief and satisfaction, it frequently only sets the stage for a counterattack and leads to a feud or even a vendetta. The only remedy other than totally obliterating offenders is to defuse the bomb of bitterness and wounded pride in such a way that the counterattack is not provoked to promote further contention.

      This is the course taught in our text as well as in many places in the New Testament, because it is the way that Jesus used and set as a model for us. When kindness is returned for bitterness, gentleness for harshness, courtesy for rudeness, fairness for injustice, consideration for disrespect, generosity for selfishness, and honor for contempt, the perpetrator of the offense is left in an awkward position. Unless he is a recalcitrant sinner, he will likely be taken aback, perhaps to renew his own behavior with a degree of shame, and hopefully be motivated toward some expression of repentance that might eventually evolve into friendship. Enemies are not converted into friends by inimical responses to their behavior, but rather by expressions of love as noted above. How has God responded to us in our hostility ? (see Rom. 5:10). Should we follow a different course?