Title: The Great Word of the Gospel
Text: 2
Peter 2: 18-19
Date:
July 29, 2012
Place:
SGBC, New Jersey
2 Peter 2: 18: For when they speak great
swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through
much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19: While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in
bondage.
Peter
is here speaking of false teachers. And
he speaks of their method to attract their hearers.
1) He
tells us what they speak—great swelling words of vanity.
2) He
tells us how they allure—bait, entice—through the lusts of the flesh, through
much wantoness—through that which the flesh craves
3) He
tells us what they promise—they promise them liberty, but he says, they
themselves are servants of corruption.
By
these methods they bring back—entangle again—those who were almost escaped from
them who live in error.
Title: The Great Word of the Gospel
Divisions:
1) The gospel we speak; 2) The attraction of the gospel; 3) The promise of the
gospel
I. THE WORDS WE SPEAK ARE THE GOSPEL—V18: they
speak great swelling words of vanity,--
The
gospel we preach is great and it is through the word, but it is not vanity.
GREAT--Salvation by the Great God
Our
gospel is “great” because it declares salvation is by the great God.
Deuteronomy 10: 17: For the LORD your God is God
of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which
regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18: He doth execute the judgment of
the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and
raiment.
Psalm 95: 3: For the LORD is a great God, and a
great King above all gods. 4: In his hand are the deep places of the
earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 5: The sea is his,
and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
Titus
2: 13:…the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
GREAT--The Gospel of so Great Salvation
Our
gospel is great because the gospel declares “so great salvation”—“the LORD
wrought a great salvation for all Israel” (1 Samuel 19: 5). It is the great
salvation to which all praise and glory goes to the Lord alone—God the Father,
God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
1. God
the Father elected whom he would save
Ephesians 1: 3: Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ: 4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his
will, 6 To the praise of the glory of
his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Romans 9: 15: For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of
God that sheweth mercy.
2. God
the Son fully, accomplished, the complete redemption of all the elect of God by
his obedience unto death for them
John 17: 4: I have glorified thee on the earth: I have
finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Hebrews 1: 3: Who being the brightness of his
glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the
right hand of the Majesty on high;
Hebrews 10: 12 But
this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the
right hand of God; 13 From henceforth
expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for
ever them that are sanctified.
3. God
the Holy Spirit regenerates every elect child of God and brings us to faith in
Christ.
John 1: 13: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Romans 2: 28 For he is not a Jew, which
is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the
flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which
is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and
not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
4. Each
child chosen and redeemed and called shall be kept by our God and none shall be
lost.
Philippians 1: 6: Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the
day of Jesus Christ:
John 10: 27 My
sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they
shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me,
is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my
Father’s hand.
THE WORD--the Incarnate Word, Christ Jesus
the Son of God
John 1: 14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among
us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.”
THE WORD--The word of truth which we preach
James 1: 18: Of his own will begat he us with the word of
truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
1 Peter 1: 23: Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Ephesians 1: 13: In whom ye also trusted, after
that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation…
1 Thessalonians 1: 5: For our gospel came not unto you in
word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance;…
NOT VANITY—always accomplishes God’s purpose
Our
gospel is not vanity for the gospel we preach never returns to the Lord void.
Isaiah 55: 11: So shall my word be that goeth forth out
of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that
which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
GREAT SWELLING WORDS OF VANITY
But any
word that makes salvation conditioned upon the will and work of the sinner—are
“great swelling words of vanity!”
1. Salvation
is by grace—not works—any words that say otherwise are great swelling words of
vanity.
Romans 11: 5: Even so then at this present time also
there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6: And if by grace, then
is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it
be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
2.
Salvation is by grace, by the finished work of Christ through faith which rest
entirely in his doing and dying on our behalf—not by our law-keeping—any words
that say otherwise are great swelling words of vanity.
Galatians 2: 21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for
if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 3: 21: Is the law then against the
promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have
given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22: But the
scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus
Christ might be given to them that believe.
3. The
believers sanctification is Christ into whom we have been separated by the Holy
Spirit of God—and not by the works of our flesh—any words that say otherwise
are great swelling words of vanity.
Galatians 3: 2: This only would I learn of you, Received
ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3: Are ye so
foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Hebrew 2: 11: For both he that sanctifieth and they who
are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call
them brethren,
Hebrews 7:19: For the law made nothing perfect, but the
bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Any and
all words that would turn you again to your flesh, to the law for justification
or sanctification are speaking great swelling words of vanity.
THE GREAT WORD OF GOD DECLARES THE BELIEVER
COMPLETE IN CHRIST
Colossians 2: 8: Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of
the world, and not after Christ. 9: For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily. 10: And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all
principality and power: 11: In whom also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12: Buried with him in baptism, wherein
also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God,
who hath raised him from the dead. 13: And you, being dead in your sins and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven
you all trespasses; 14: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was
against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to
his cross; 15: And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a
shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
The
word of our gospel is great because God receives all the glory and all the
praise
Ephesians 1: 6: To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
II. THE ATTRACTION OF THE GOSPEL—IS JESUS
CHRIST, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS--V18:…they allure through the lusts of the
flesh, through much wantonness,
False
teachers beguile, allure, bait and trap sinners by appealing to the flesh.
Flatter by Preaching Works
They
flatter sinners by putting a part of God’s salvation in the sinner’s hands.
Psalm
12: «To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.» Help, LORD; for
the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. 2:
: They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and
with a double heart do they speak. 3 The
LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh
proud things: 4 Who have said, With our
tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over
us?... 8: The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
Hear
the word of God!
Isaiah 40: 6: The voice said, Cry. And he said, What
shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is
as the flower of the field: 7 The grass
withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it:
surely the people is grass. 8 The
grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for
ever.
Romans 3: 10: As it is written, There is none righteous,
no, not one: 11 There is none that
understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are
together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13 Their throat is an open
sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is
under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is
full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their
feet are swift to shed blood: 16
Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their
eyes. 19 ¶ Now we know that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
What about after a sinner’s conversion
·
David, the man after God’s own heart, said Psalm
39: 5: Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is
as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether
vanity. Selah.
·
The apostle Paul after he was converted said,
Romans 7: 18: For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good
thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is
good I find not.
·
Simon Peter saw the power of the Lord Jesus
Christ…Luke 5: 8: “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’
knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Flatter By Giving
Titles and Position
False
teachers bait men by giving men titles and offices in the church. Only God is
able to make a man faithful so that he can serve him in his kingdom.
A new
church begins to assemble—right away they begin ordaining deacons. Do you know how many were in the church
before Peter first told them to call men to help with the widows?
·
They began with 120
·
Then on the day of Pentecost, Lord added 3000
·
Later the Lord added 5,000
·
Later is says, Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the
Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
·
Acts 6: 1: And in those days, when the number
of the disciples was multiplied,…and IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE LORD HAD PROVIDED
AND PROVEN FAITFUL MEN, THAT THE NEED FOR THOSE MEN AROSE.
But when
Simon Magus came seeking a position in the church—Peter did not bestow upon him
titles
Acts 8: 18:…he offered them money,…20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish
with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with
money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot
in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and
pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of
bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Paul
told Timothy to commit the gospel “to
faithful men who can teach others also.” But we wait on Christ--the Head of
the church—who alone makes faithful men.
Ephesians 4: 11: And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12: For the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ:…
The Believers Attraction is Christ and him
Crucified
False
teachers appeal to the lusts of the flesh—but God draws his children to
Christ—we preach Christ and him crucified.
1
Corinthians 1: 17: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel:
not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none
effect. 18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom
of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the
scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish
the wisdom of this world? 21 For after
that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by
the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks
seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both
Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than
men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that
not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are
called: 27 But God hath chosen the
foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak
things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things
which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to
bring to nought things that are: 29 That
no flesh should glory in his presence. 30
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Yokes
and constraints and entertainment to attract will bait men in. And when some come out of that—appear escaped—it
often turns out that the gospel of Christ and him crucified is not enough for
them. They are allured back by great
swelling words which appeal to the lusts of the flesh. But never the elect of God—my
sheep hear my voice and they follow me. It
is not possible for one of God’s elect to be led into bondage with them.
Matthew 24:24: For there shall arise false Christs, and
false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it
were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
III. THE PROMISE OF THE GOSPEL—V19: they
promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of
whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
False
teachers promise health, happiness, prosperity, other things temporal, while
they, themselves, are servants of corruption—servants in bondage to the
flesh. As soon as they bait sinner’s in
they bring them back under the bondage of legalism and law which the flesh
lusts after—craves the glory which belongs to Chris alone.
Colossians 2: 18: Let no man beguile you of your reward
in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things
which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the
body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together,
increaseth with the increase of God. 20
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world,
why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;)
after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23
Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility,
and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
But I
can make no promises to you—I have no power to fulfill any—let alone the
promise of liberty to you—I can’t give it.
Nor does the false teacher.
1
Corinthians 3: 5: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by
whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave
the increase.
Great and Precious
Promises
But my
gospel IS the gospel of God’s great and precious promises. Peter said that by the
power of God through the knowledge of Christ Jesus God has given us all things
which pertain to life and godliness…
2 Peter 1: 4: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great
and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
·
The promise of “no more offering for sin.” “Whereof
the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us” (Heb 10: 15-17.)
·
The promise of Reconciliation by the body of
his flesh through death (Col 1:21-22.)--Ephesians 2: 19: Now therefore ye are
no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of
the household of God;
·
The promise of eternal life.--John 6: 54:
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will
raise him up at the last day.
·
The promise of inheritance--Romans 8: 17: And
if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
·
The promise of resurrection. 1 Corinthians
15: 52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall
be changed.
·
The promise of reigning with Christ--Revelation
3: 21: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as
I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
These are promises of the new and everlasting
covenant of which Christ is the Mediator, surety, and messenger, the Author and
Finisher. They are confirmed by his oath. Each one is made good by his power and
faithfulness. They are all better
promises than those of the covenant of works.
There is not one of thise promises which are merely temporal, none are conditional
or legal; but each one are spiritual and eternal, absolute, free, and
unconditional, irreversible and unchangeable.
No, I
can make no promises of liberty to you—but my God, my Savior, Jesus Christ can!
John 8: 36: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye
shall be free indeed.
He
bores our ear and makes us willing bond servants—not as servants, not in the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but as sons and daughter in love with him.
LET ME END BY REMINDING YOU OF WHAT WE HAVE HEARD
HERE TODAY
1) Our
gospel is not great swelling words of vanity—but the great word of the gospel
of our great God and Savior, of salvation wrought by his grace.
2) The
attraction of our gospel—is Jesus Christ and him crucified—the power and wisdom
of God.
3) The
promise of our gospel is made in the heart of his saints through the blood and
righteousness of Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.
Has
Christ made you free?
Ephesians
4: 17: This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk
not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because
of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being
past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all
uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye
have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be
that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your
mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man,
which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man
truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go
down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place
to the devil. 28 Let him that stole
steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the
thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of
your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister
grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve
not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and
anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. 5: 1:
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved
us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour.
Galatians 5: 1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of
bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you,
that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is
circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you,
whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope
of righteousness by faith. 6 For in
Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but
faith which worketh by love… [the rule of faith which worketh by love is the
believers rule of life]…6: 16: And as many as walk according to this rule,
peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Amen!