Author: Jay Lehman

You Raised Your Hand

Studies in First Peter Part 1

“1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.” (I Peter 1:1-2).

Believers live as “aliens” in this world because our true “citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).  We look forward to the city “whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10) where we will finally and physically dwell with Jesus.  Peter’s letter encourages us how to live as agents of grace in a world where we are only passing through.

And we are aliens who are “chosen” by God.  Words like “chosen” can carry all kinds of implications because of the myriads of theologies built upon specific words.  Theologians sometimes take a verse or word and create an entire belief system like a “house of cards” built on human logic.  There is a lot of God can’t do this or won’t do that or ifs, ands, and buts that muddy the water.

We need to read these loaded words in light of the overall message of the New Testament.  “Chosen” is one example of that.  Reformed theology teaches that few were “chosen” before the foundation of the world to receive the gospel, and the rest of the population was condemned to hell before they were even born.  But this thinking does not align with the character of God as we see it displayed in Jesus.  It also doesn’t fit the message of the New Testament.

The focus on Jesus coming to take away the sins of the “world” is all over the New Testament.  The invitation for “all” to receive the gospel is all over the New Testament.  Right here in Peter’s writing we have this example, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for ALL to come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9).

The gospel is available to all.  But not all will receive it.  The gospel is an invitation.  The gospel is a gift.  Christ’s sacrifice in our place is a gift that one must receive to be saved.  So, in a way, we are the ones doing the choosing.  We chose God when we chose to believe the gospel message of Jesus Christ.  So how did God “choose” you in the context of our opening verses?

You raised your hand.  Think back to your sixth-grade math class.  When the teacher asked for a volunteer to go up to the front of the class and do the problem on the blackboard, students raised their hands.  And she chose a student from among the hands raised to march up front and work the problem.  If you were the “chosen” student, did the teacher “choose” you?  Yes, she did.  But she chose you because you raised your hand.  She did not choose from the group who kept their hands down.

Likewise, when you heard the gospel, you “raised your hand.”  You said “Yes” to Jesus’ invitation.  You accepted the gift of salvation in Jesus.  And God picked you based on that raised hand.  God “chose” you to become a beloved son or daughter in His family.  But unlike the teacher example where only one student was chosen, God chose every person who raised their hand.  “ALL who call upon the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

God’s foreknowledge knew that you were going to raise your hand.  And now as one “chosen” by God, you have been sanctified, set apart, by the work of the Spirit.  “By the sanctifying work of the Spirit” in verse 2 is such an interesting phrase.  We will dive into it next time.

Spiritual Amnesia

Check out this beautiful passage from II Peter chapter 1,

1Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3seeing 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.  4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

5Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.  8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins (II Peter 1:1-9).

In this introduction to his second letter, Peter commends the qualities of faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love as of great value in leading a fruitful Christian life.  He then makes an interesting observation in verse 9 regarding those who lack these qualities.  What does Peter conclude?  Are they not working hard enough?  Do the slackers need more teaching, more education, more knowledge in regard to what God expects in the quality of character department?

Peter attributes their lack to spiritual amnesia.  Look again at verse 9, “For he who lacks these qualities is blind or shortsighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.”  Our number one problem with sin may not be the power of the flesh, nor the lure of temptation, nor our lack of effort.  Our number one problem might be forgetting the precious and magnificent promises of God regarding all that became new at our new birth, especially our new found cleansing and freedom from the power of sin in our life.

Forgetfulness in daily life has been an increasing challenge for me, usually attributed to my current stage of life (think theater discounts, junk mail from AARP, and a closer parking space at church).  I don’t like it and have not been adapting well to it.  My young wife has already increased her penchant for lists.  She is the queen of lists.  She has lists of lists.  As for me, I just keep it all in my head, a stubborn attempt to live in the past.  Whenever I forget something, Rhonda gently asks, “Where is your list?”  I tap my temple and reply, “Right in here, Baby, with all the other lists.  Right here in this steel trap brain.”  She sighs, “That’s what I was afraid of.”

I know what she is thinking but is too nice to say it.  “That steel trap has been left out in the rain a few times too often and is starting to rust.  It might also have a loose spring.”  We can laugh about our forgetfulness after failed trips to the grocery or hardware store.  But in the spiritual life, forgetfulness drains us of our spiritual power and energy.

Remembering is so important that Peter returns to this theme further down the page in verse 12.  “Therefore, I shall 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 in you.  And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder.” (II Peter 1:12-13)

We cannot be reminded too often that “God’s divine power has granted us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (vs 3).  May we never forget the promises of God regarding our new birth.  May we always find our spiritual energy in the resurrection power God has bestowed upon us.  May we embrace and live into all that God has promised when He literally “created us anew.”

God Will Be Our Light Forever

The Coming of the Light of the World   Part 10 of 10

“No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light;
But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And your God for your glory.
Your sun will no longer set,
Nor will your moon wane;
For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning will be over.” (Isaiah 60:19-20)

Isaiah prophesied that a day is coming when we will have no need for the sun or moon to provide light for us.  Life will be totally illumined by the glory of the Lord.

“And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).

We see this promise repeated in Revelation chapter 22 by Jesus.  And we also learn a little more about the when and where.  It will be in our forever in the new heaven where “He will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4) and “our days of mourning will be over” (Isaiah 60:20).  Oh, what a day that will be!

A day is coming at the consummation of the age when we will dwell in the presence of the Light forever.  Until then, let’s press on as we celebrate this Christmas the Light that came into the world 2000 years ago; a Light of salvation for all who believe.  I implore you, believe the gospel message of Jesus Christ and come home into the Light!

Jesus will be our Light because Jesus is the Light of the world!

Children of Light

The Coming of the Light of the World   Part 8 of 10

“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord.  Walk as children of Light for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:8-9).

Notice this timeline.  You were FORMERLY darkness.  But now, today and every day, “you are Light in the Lord.”  You are ALWAYS in the Light.  Now as children of Light, let’s walk according to our new identity.  Let’s display the fruits of who we already are; goodness, righteousness, and truth.

“Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12).

Let’s lay aside that former way of life.  Let’s lay aside those deeds of darkness.  Even though we no longer walk in darkness, we can carry out dark deeds.  We still sin.  We still walk according to the flesh at times.  We may even go as far as to “look” like a lost person; to “look” like we are walking in darkness.  But as a child of God, you are always in the Light.

And we find the power to lay those dark deeds aside by putting on the “armor of light.”  By putting on Christ.  He is our Light.  He is our armor.  And by virtue of His Light living in us, we have everything we need to “lay aside the deeds of darkness” and to walk in the Light and the power of our indwelling Savior.

We are clothed with the armor of Light because Jesus is the Light of the world!

Walking in the Light

The Coming of the Light of the World   Part 9 of 10

“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all … And since we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 5,7).

Is this sounding a bit repetitive?  I will say it again anyway.  God is light and there is no darkness in Him.  So we, having been found in Him, have no darkness in us.  We are children of Light.  And two of the things that happened to us when we were transferred from darkness to light are …

First, we have fellowship with each other.  We are now part of a community of Light.  We are now in a family of Light.  We are now a kingdom of Light.  And the other?  We have been washed clean from our sin.

“For you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor of darkness” (I Thessalonians 5:5).  You are not just a son of Light.  You are “all sons (plural) of Light.”  You are part of a community.  You are in the body of Christ.  You have a home among the beloved.  Welcome home.  We are happy you are here!

We have become a community of Light because Jesus is the Light of the world!