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The Book of
2nd Peter: Message Forty Five
By Dr. Michael Guido, D.D.
When Spain was the
greatest nation in the world, there was inscribed on her coins the
expression, "Nothing Further." It was thought that on
seeing Spain, there was nothing more to seek. But Columbus came
along with the idea that there was another continent beyond. His
belief led to action, and he discovered the new continent. Then
Spain inscribed on her coins the expression, "More
beyond!" There are some folk who think that on becoming a
Christian there's nothing beyond, that is, there's nothing more to
do. But becoming a Christian is just the beginning. There's more
beyond. This is brought out in 2nd Peter 3:18 that reads,
"Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ."
Growth implies birth. Dead things
don't grow. Dead things can't grow. Before there's growth there must
be birth. You can't grow "into" grace. There are some
dogwood trees on our grounds. They didn't grow into those places. I
planted them there. Then they grew where they were planted. Just so,
you must be planted in grace before you can grow in grace. How is
one planted in grace? By being born again. It's not anything you
were, or had done, or could do, or will do that saves your soul.
It's entirely and wholly of grace. The Bible says, "By grace
are ye saved." When you are saved, you're given life. There you
have birth. Now God's grace doesn't grow. It's infinite. It can't be
more. It's bottomless. It's shoreless. It's measureless. It can't be
more. But now that you're in grace, because you've been born again,
"Grow in grace."
Growth implies betterment.
Cromwell wrote on the flyleaf of his Bible, "If I cease to
become better I shall cease to be any good." Are you a better
Christian today than you were yesterday? Life is an incline. If
you're not better, you're worse. If you're not more like Christ,
you're less like Christ. Have you ever read "Alice in
Wonderland"? Then you remember how the rabbit said to Alice,
"You have to run as fast as you can just to stay where you
are." You can't stand still. You either go up, or you do down;
you're either closer to Christ, or you're farther from Him - which?
You haven't grown in grace if you're not a better Christian. Instead
you've gone into disgrace.
Growth implies brightness. The
Bible says, "Grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ." It's one thing to know Jesus as your Savior. But it's
another thing to know Him as your Lord. It's one thing to know Jesus
as a resident in your heart. But it's another thing to know Him as
the president of your heart. "To know Christ as our
Savior," said Marsh, "is to be saved by Him from sinning.
To know Christ as our Sovereign, is to be ruled by Him. To know
Christ as our Sanctifier, it to let Him manifest His own life
through us. To know Christ as our Satisfier, is to delight only in
Him. To know Christ as the One who died for us, is to die to sin
with Him. To know Christ in His resurrection power, is to live to
God by Him. To know Christ as our Cross-Bearer, is to take up our
cross daily and follow Him." Oh, to grow in the knowledge of
our Lord and Savior.
It may be that you're asking,
"How can I grow in grace? I have life, I've been born again.
How do I grow?" One day our Lord raised a little girl from the
dead. When life came to her, He said, "Give her something to
eat." When you were saved, you were brought from death to life.
Now you must have something to eat...you must have food for your
soul. What's that? The Bible. It's written in 1st Peter
2:2, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby." The Bible is food for your soul.
Feed your soul as regularly as you feed your body. You eat three
times a day, so read your Bible three times a day. You grab a snack
between your three meals, so do the same with the Bible for your
soul. Not only do you need food, but also freedom. After our Lord
raised Lazarus from the dead, He commanded, "Loose him, and let
him go." Can it be that you, like Lazarus, are "bound hand
and foot"? You have life, but not liberty. Your hands are bound
by habits, your feet by fear, your self by self-will, yours ways by
worldliness. Then yield yourself to the Lord. A yielded life is one
that's been set aside from sin and set apart for the Savior. In the
words of an old man of God, "It's to sign your name at the
bottom of a blank sheet of paper, and then let God fill it in as He
wills!" Say to Him,
"Search me, O God, and know
my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my
thoughts, I pray:
See if there be some wicked way in
me:
Cleanse me from every sin and set
me free.
"Lord, take my life and make
it all Thine own:
I want to spend it serving Thee
alone:
Take all my will, my passion,
self, and pride -
I surrender, Lord, in me
abide."
copyright 2000 Guido
Evangelistic Association
All Scripture
verses are quoted from the New King James Version..
Click here to go to the next Scripture Study on the book of Second
Peter from the Sower.
This series of
messages on the Books of the Bible were originally
written for broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program,
"The Sower." They are collected and
reprinted here for your enjoyment and spiritual
edification.
