the Peace OF God

Introductory Thoughts

v I know of no area of practical Christian doctrine about which there is more heresy than what we teach on tonight, and I know of no area of Christian doctrine about which there is a greater need for solid teaching.
v Perhaps because so few believers really know and understand what the Bible has to say about the Attributes of God, that God is Absolute, many fall prey to false prophets who prophesy a life of ease and worldly wealth.

1. The Heresy of Worldly Christianity

a. The attitude and doctrine of the false prophets toward God and the universe.
(1) God, in their mind, is little more than an errand boy for the whims of their life.
(2) I heard a heretic on the radio this week, claiming that it was a false teaching to say that God’s sovereignty ruled over whether or not trials came into our life. This man claimed that we can control the trials of our life through self-generated and controlled faith—this man does not worship the same God I worship!
(3) In some churches, an opposite idea exists that Trials are the result of sin, that God punishes us through trials, and that prosperity is the result of works. There is a grain of Truth here, as sometimes God is chastising us in trials, but the ups, downs, trials, and tribulations of our lives are not due to our works either.

b. The problem of the false prophets.
(1) Their problem is that they do not understand what the universe is all about.
(2) They, and perhaps we, are too caught up in comforts and pleasures to realize that comfort, ease, success in this life, and so on, are of no importance.

c. The doctrine of the false prophets
(1) You can control your circumstances by faith.
(2) If you are not blessed, it is your fault for lack of faith.

d. Spiritual application
(1) In our warfare, the objective is to glorify God by making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
(2) In our warfare, the conflict is a spiritual one, not a physical, worldly one.
(3) In our warfare, victory has already been won on the Cross, and is being worked out by the power of God’s Spirit through the preaching of the Word and the salvation of sinners.
(4) The victory of Faith is overcoming the world, living eternally, seeing the enemies of God crushed. The heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 include not only those who had victory in this world, but many who would be considered losers by the world.
(a) Heb 11:32-35a—At this point, all of the lovers of the pleasures and comforts of this world are shouting, “victory, victory!”
(b) But now it changes— Heb 11:35b-39
(c) So, what about this second group? Are they losers for not claiming the same victory as those before? Are they second-class believers? Is their faith weak? NO! They are classed in the same boat as the others, because the point is not relative comfort in this world, but whether or not you followed God in faith!


2. Glorying in Tribulations— "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:

a. Our attitude in tribulations

(1) Is not to be one of bitterness, nor of stoic acceptance of trials and troubles.
(2) Is not to be one of grudging acceptance of circumstances.
(3) The attitude of the mature believer in Christ is to be one of Glorying in What God has done or allowed to be done—to glory in God’s will alone.
(4) “Not Only So…” Not Only What?
(5) We Have Peace With God-- Rom 5:1
(a) By Faith we are justified, declared holy and righteous in the Blood of Jesus
(b) This justification is a present possession, a priceless possession, and a permanent possession.
(c) This Peace is only in and through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
(6) We Have Access to the highest—Rom 5:2 “…We Have Access By Faith Heb 10:19-22
(7) We stand in an unmovable place called Grace—Into This Grace Wherein We Stand
(8) We rejoice in a blessed Hope— And Rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God

b. Glorying in Tribulations— but we glory in tribulations also:
(1) The word for tribulations is thilipsis, which means pressure (lit. or fig.):--affliction, anguish, burden persecution, tribulation, trouble. It was a word used to describe a wine press squeezing the last drop from grapes. MacArthur says, “…they are not the normal pressures of living, but the inevitable troubles that come to followers of Christ because of their relationship with Him…”
(2) Mat 5:10-12, John 15:20, Tribulations are the normal lot of Christians—John 16:33, Acts 14:22, Rom 12:12, 2 Cor 1:4, 2 Cor 7:4, 1 Th 3:4, Rev 1:9
(3) The Work of Trials in Our Hearts— Patience, Experience, and Hope—“…knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:…”
c. What is it that trials do for us? What do they teach us, how do they mold us? There are three results that are given here, and they all result in changes in our character.
(1) Patience—the word can also be translated “perseverance.” 2 Th 1:4
(2) Experience—or character. The word in the original has to do with proof, as in assaying a sample of metal to find out whether or not it is pure.
(a) Our experience in the Lord, our proven character, the reality of our faith, all come out in times of trial.
(b) It is easy to be a believer when the sun is shining and everything is fine—the test comes when times are dark and things are not good at all.
(c) It is in the crucible of trials and tribulations that our character is molded, proven, purified. James 1:12
(d) This, of course, is totally opposed to what the so-called Faith Message teaches. I was listening to one of those heretics this week, and he ranted and raved on about how God’s Sovereignty has nothing to do with trials, and how that we can claim victory, etc. Then he stated that he had shot holes in the idea that God is sovereign over our trials—and he quoted not one scripture, just his own rantings and ravings.

(3) Let’s remember Who God Is—He is Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient, the Absolute God, and He either brings trials into your life or allows them, for He could prevent any one of them.

(4) The Faith Message “god” is the “god” of dualism. They see Satan as dominating the world, and God can’t help us unless we add our sovereign faith—what heresy, what malarkey, what lies! This is nothing other than sheer crass paganism!

b. Hope—Hope in the Bible is not an indefinite word, but a word of strength, a definite certainty that something is going to happen.

2. The Christian life is a process of growth in Grace—How does this whole process work?

a. Elements of the process of growth—1 Pet 2:2 , 2 Pet 3:18, Eph 4:13-15
(1) We believe and begin to follow Christ, we become disciples, learning from His Word. We master the doctrinal teachings of the Faith.
(2) God brings things or allows things in our lives that mold us, and that help us to understand walking by faith, not by sight.
(3) After overcoming each challenge, our confidence and faith in Christ grow, and we mature to be able to handle the next lesson and test. We continue to feed on the Word, continuing to grow in faith and knowledge of God.
(4) Like Job, we come to really see God as He is, not as the pagans want Him to be. We understand the way the universe works more and more every day.
(5) We grow into mature Christians, able to withstand the false prophets of this world and able to speak the Truth in witness to others.

3. Explanations of the process of Christian growth—2 Pet 1:1-8, 1 Pet 1:3-9

4. Applications

a. If we are going to have peace of mind, we must know what the Word says.
b. We must understand how the universe works, what God is like, what the nature of the war is, what the meaning of victory is.
c. We must realize that tribulations in this world are normal for a believer in Christ.
d. We must understand that the Christian life is one of growth, development, following, learning, maturing, and entry into ministry, as God has gifted each one of us.
e. We must understand that God is there to walk with us through each and every one of our trials.