The Gift, the Inheritance & the Reward
Feast of Tabernacles
October 6, 2012
Presenter: Mr. Bob Fahey

We attended the Wisconsin Dells Feast site in 1973. We weren’t there for the first year but we were there for the second. Evelyn and I lived overseas, we went to England and the college in 1963 and in 1973 we came back to the Dells to keep the Feast with our family in the Midwest. There were about 40 of us together, we had a wonderful Feast and ever since that time it feels like when you get to the Dells you’re ready for the Feast. It’s just the beautiful environment, the fall colors, the rural environment basically and it’s really a delightful pleasure to be here at the Feast and now we’re here far more often since we live down in Chicago and we always appreciate the wonderful music that we enjoy. It takes hours of practice, hours of sacrifice and of course, there are many people who sacrifice to make the Feast work smoothly and we appreciate them all. Somehow the music is unique to the Dells and we’re grateful to have that – so many talented people who are willing to give of their time and energies to benefit the rest of us.

As you know, the Feast of Tabernacles is great blessing to members of the body of Christ. Together we rejoice in anticipation of God’s kingdom being established on the earth. That’s when the prince of darkness will have been vanquished.

Darkness will have vanished and Jesus Christ will reveal to the earth, as Paul wrote, the light of the gospel of the glory of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).
And as we heard in the sermonette, that’s the time when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9). And the waters cover the sea pretty effectively.

But at this time, most all the world is in total darkness about God’s plan of salvation. They have no idea really the more you look into the commentaries and the subject of salvation, the more you see they’re in the dark. They may mean well, they may be ever so sincere but they don’t know what it really is.

Very few on the planet have ever heard of God’s Feast of Tabernacles. Fewer still know that these eight days picture Jesus Christ reigning over the whole earth from Jerusalem.
Of the few that DO know that, how many really comprehend that this pictures the saints reigning over with Christ as kings and priests in His Administration?

And how many truly comprehend what that entails? And how many of those who understand this awesome calling will actually be appointed as kings and priest?

We’ve had thousands of people attend the Feast, sometimes it was over 150-160,000. Where are they now? Are they seeking that Kingdom or going toward that goal? Something changed and things are quite different.

Jesus told us that some who see themselves as His servants will be disappointed when He returns. We sure don’t want to be in that group! We want to be far from that group.

Here is help in making sure you’re included in those who will truly rejoice at His coming!

We know that Satan has blinded this world to God’s plan of salvation. One important way he has done that is the teaching: Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

The disagreement over that teaching is what brought about the Protestant Reformation!
Martin Luther began to teach all you needed was God’s grace and his grace alone. And today, virtually the entire Christian community agrees with that view!

John R. W. Stott is a highly respected Christian theologian and he edited a book series on the New Testament and the Old for that matter. In the book The Message of Galatians, his comment on Galatians chapter 3:1-9, under the heading: What the gospel requires:“The gospel offers blessings; what must we do to receive them? The proper answer is ‘nothing’! We do not have to do anything. We have only to believe. Our response is not ‘the works of the law’ but ‘hearing with faith’, that is, not obeying the law, but believing the gospel. For obeying is to attempt to do the work of salvation ourselves, whereas believing is to let Christ be our Saviour and to rest in His finished work. So Paul emphasizes both that we receive the Spirit by faith (verses 2 and 5) and that we are justified by faith (verse 8). Indeed, the noun ‘faith’ and the verb ‘to believe’ occur seven times in this brief paragraph (verses 1-9)”

Now John R. W. Stott is highly respected in Christian communities today. Is it true Christians who do nothing are on the path to salvation? What do we have to do to be saved?

Let’s consider these verses:
Look at Matthew 5, the sermon on the mount.

Matthew 5:11 –Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

V 12 – Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

What is this reward in heaven?

The word “reward” (I won’t go into the Greek) but in Thayer’s the first two definitions are: 1) dues paid for work; 1a) wages, hire
 2) reward: used of the fruit naturally resulting from toils and endeavors

Vine’s Dictionary of NT Words: “Primarily wages, hire and then generally, reward. It means reward.

If “Salvation is by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone,” what did Jesus mean by your reward in heaven?

How can unmerited grace be considered a reward or wages? A reward and a gift are complete opposites!

Have a look at Matthew chapter 10, verses 40 – 42. This is Jesus sending out the seventy and he gives them their instructions.

Matthew 10:40— He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
To show respect for Jesus is to show respect for God the Father.

V 41 – He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet…
He says that’s one of God’s prophets and he’s recognized as such.

V 41 (cont’d) – shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

V 42 – And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.

A prophet’s reward? What is that?

A righteous man’s reward? What is that? What exactly is that?

Turn over to the book of Hebrews chapter 11. You know this verse, I’m pretty sure. This is a very famous verse in the Bible and we’re not the only ones who study Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God…
Who’s that? He who comes to God, who approaches God…

 Hebrews 11:6(cont’d) – must believe that He is…
That makes sense.

Hebrews 11:6(cont’d) – and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. That word “rewarder” is another form of that one we saw before, that means “wages, hire and generally reward.”

How can a person of faith “do nothing” diligently?

Let me ask you this: Do you believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him? Do you believe that?

The writer of Hebrews, Paul, certainly did!

If we don’t believe He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, then how can we be pleasing to Him? He who comes to God must believe that He is and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

If you don’t understand what the reward is, how can we be working diligently to receive it? We can’t.

I think you’ll agree that a reward is quite different from a gift. A gift is freely given and is in no sense a reward or wages.

Let me show you Acts chapter; you already know these verses. These are well known in the Church but not only in the Church. This is Peter on his first sermon ever, shortly after denying Christ three times. God was very merciful to him, a good lesson for us all. He is very merciful. God knew ahead of time he was going to do that. Peter didn’t know ahead of time but God did.

Acts 2:36-38 – On that Day of Pentecost Peter said the Holy Spirit is a gift! Then it cannot be a reward!

This is the man who denied him, now he’s telling everyone they crucified the Christ. This is the Holy Spirit working.

Acts 2:36 – Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. 

V 37 – Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

V 38 – Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a gift, clearly! Then it can’t be a reward.

Let’s look at Romans chapter 6.

Romans 6:20 – For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard of righteousness.

V 21 – What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

V 22 – But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life.

V 23 – For the wages of sin is death…
 
You can earn wages of death. We can be paid for sin in wages that end up in death. The wages! What we earn!

 V 23 (cont’d) – but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So now eternal life is a gift. The NKJV margin says the free gift of God.

The Holy Spirit is God’s down payment on eternal life. And both the Holy Spirit and eternal life are God’s freely given gifts; so they cannot be rewards!

Let’s look at Ephesians chapter 1.
We did a small group Bible Study in Chicago on the book of Ephesians and I learned that chapter 1 is a most unusual chapter. He has two verses of chapter 1 that are introduction and then from verse 3 to verse 14 the Greek is one sentence. It’s all one sentence in Greek and from verse 15 to verse 23 is the second sentence… all one long sentence in Greek. Now the translators have broken it up for us but it was really interesting to learn that.

One commentary says that Paul kind of erupted in one long sentence but he explains mighty things. We’ll pick up part of them.

Eph 1:11 – in him (in Christ) we have obtained a heritage, being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will;

V 12 – that we who first trusted in Christ, should be to the praise of his glory:

V 13 – in him you also, after you heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,––in whom, also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

V 14 – which is the guarantee of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of his inheritance. NKJV margin: down payment, earnest.

Until He redeems the purchased possession.

Paul referred to our inheritance. Could the inheritance be the same as the reward?

Let’s look at 1 Peter, chapter 1, let’s begin in verse 3.

1 Peter 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

V 4 – to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

V 5 – who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed at the last time.
 
Okay! So Christ said the reward is in heaven for you. And Peter said the inheritance is in heaven. Could they be the same thing?

Is the inheritance the same thing as the reward?
 
No way! An inheritance is granted as a legal right! It’s not a gift!

Listen! Our salvation, yours and mine, is based on God’s promise to Abraham and his Seed to inherit the land forever!

Have a look at Genesis 17. This is important to understand. Genesis 17 verse 7 and 8. The whole chapter is worth reading but we’re just going to cover 7 and 8.

Genesis 17:7 – And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants (God calls it HIS covenant) after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, (this promise of a covenant was to be an everlasting covenant) to be God to you and your descendants after you.

V 8 – Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Now please notice that the covenant was that He would give the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan and as we know, that kept being expanded to include the whole earth.

Brethren, I think we all agree that if you’re going to possess something everlasting we also must be everlasting. You can’t possess something everlasting and then die a few years later. For an everlasting covenant, you have to be alive.

V 8 (again) – Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Let’s look at Hebrews chapter 11. The book of Hebrews chapter 11. These verses were already read but I felt it’s profitable to go over them again in the light of this particular message.

Hebrews 11:8 – By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out…

I wonder if Mr. Stott has read this verse.
 
Hebrews 11:8 (cont’d) – By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

V 9 – By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

V 10 – for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

When I lived in South Africa, many of the South Africans didn’t like to live in cities. They liked to be out in more rural areas. I’m more a city boy, that’s what I grew up as and still seem to be. So they would say they don’t want to be in a city. I would say, “Wait a minute now. Abraham is looking for a city whose builder and maker is God.”

And they’d say, “Well, that city we’ll go to. That’s fine.”

As you know God kept expanding that promise until it filled the whole earth!

Let’s go over to Romans chapter 4, verse 13. There’s another one I plan to show you in the book of Galatians that I enjoy even more.

Rom 4:13 – For the promise that he would be the heir of the world (to inherit the whole earth) was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

God gave the promise to Abraham a long time before Mt. Sinai. And whatever happened at Mt. Sinai doesn’t change that promise that took place beforehand, that he would be heir of the world. 

In the Wonderful World Tomorrow, What It Will Be Like,

Page 49: “Abraham received the promise on which the salvation of every person, through Christ, is based.”

Page 70: “. . . God promised Abraham this whole earth as an everlasting inheritance for him and his children. God promised that through Abraham all nations of the earth would be blessed.”

Let’s go to Galatians chapter 3, I want to look at verse 16 first and then drop down to verse 26.

Galatians 3:16 – Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. . . .

V 26 – For you are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.

V 27 – For as many of you as were baptized into Christ (we are baptized into Christ, we become a part of His body and therefore are subject to the Head and we respond to Christ, the head of the body) did put on Christ.

V 28 – There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither slave nor free, there can be no male and female: (now these physical differences still exist, but in Christ, they don’t) for you all are one in Christ Jesus.

V 29 – And if you are Christ’s (if we really belong to Christ), then are you Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The gospel is about keeping you alive forever as a co-inheritor with Jesus Christ!

Peter wrote of this inheritance is incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

An inheritance from our human family is corruptible and will eventually fade away.

But the inheritance from our heavenly Father will never diminish, become corrupted, never become defiled and never fade away! That’s the inheritance you want and those who understand the gospel want to go for that inheritance.

So the reward is not a gift, and it’s not an inheritance.
Then what is the reward Jesus spoke of?

We were given a hint in Hebrews 11:6: But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Some of God’s servants seek Him more diligently than others.

Some take their calling more seriously than others.

When Jesus returns to the earth, He will bring His reward to His faithful servants.

Let’s go over to Revelation 22, verse 12. Here is Jesus speaking, if you have a red-letter Bible, it’s most likely in red letters. It is in all the ones I’ve seen.
 
Revelation 22:12 – And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward (G3408 misthos) is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Whatever the reward is, it’s based on work!

…to give to every one according to his work.

But He promised this long ago!

How about going over to Isaiah 62, verses 10 to 12. I’ll read it from the NIV. I really like the NIV in the Old Testament. I avoid, not completely avoid, but seldom use the NIV in the New Testament because it’s based on a different text than the majority text.

Isaiah 62:10-12 NIV: Pass through, pass through the gates!Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway!Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations.

V 11 – The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: Say to the Daughter of Zion, “See, your Savior comes!See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.

V 12 – They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.

He told us a long time ago that he’s going to come with a reward. Now let’s understand what that is. Let’s go to Luke 19. This is The Parable of the 10 minas. It’s called “minas” in the NKJ and it helps us understand the reward.

Luke 19:11 – Now as they heard these things, he spoke another parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.

He tried to tell them that the kingdom of God would not appear immediately and it didn’t quite get through so he tried another way and this is the parable.

V 12 – He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

This is telling everybody that he was going to leave and receive a kingdom and them return. He’s speaking of himself.

V 13 – And he called ten of his servants, and delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, Do business till I come.

Most margins say that a mina is about three month’s wages. You can figure out your mina, approximately a quarter of your yearly salary. And he gave it to them so that they could do business. He said, Do business till I come.

J. B. Phillips says: Use this money to trade with until I come back.

NIV: ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

He implies, “When I return, we’ll see how well you’ve done!”
Some would jump at the chance. Others might not be so pleased.

V 15 – So it was, when he returned, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

V 16 – And then came the first, saying, Master, your mina has earned ten minas.

This guy did a good job. He took his mina, he worked with it and built it up to ten.

V 17 – And he said to him, Well done, good servant: because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.

That’s quite an increase.

V 18 – And the second came, saying, Master, you mina has earned five minas.

V 19 – Likewise he said to him, You also be over five cities.

The first one was great; this one is good. They were doing well.

We understand that the minas represent a portion of God’s Holy Spirit. God gives us the equivalent of three month’s salary, that’s the term He used, that we are given the Holy Spirit at conversion so we can put it to work to grow spiritually. Or by neglecting it, fail to grow.

Mystery of the Ages pages 253-254 (hardcover): “In the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11-27), Jesus is pictured as the rich young ruler going to God’s throne in heaven to receive the kingdom of God. He gave to each in the Church a pound, representing a portion of God’s Holy Spirit. This illustrates that we must grow in the Spirit, or in grace and knowledge, during the Christian life. When Christ returns to earth, having received the kingdom and being already crowned, he shall call those of the Church to an accounting. The one who has multiplied the portion of the Holy Spirit received (has grown and developed in grace and knowledge) by ten times over, shall be rewarded by being given rule over ten cities. He who qualified by spiritual growth and development only half as much shall reign over five cities as his reward. Remember we shall be rewarded according to our works or spiritual growth, but salvation is a free gift.”

Remember the parable of the Sower? 23But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty (Matthew 13:23).

V 20 – And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is your mina, which I kept away in a handkerchief:

V 21 – for I feared you, because you art an austere man: you collect where you do not deposit, and reap where you did not sow.

V 22 – He said to him, Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit, and reaping where I did not sow;

V 23 – why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected the same with interest?

One mina didn’t grow at all. Not good, as I think we all see.
He said, “I feared you. You scare me. It’s all your fault, God! You’re an austere man. Unreasonable to expect a return! “You collect, you reap. You capitalist!”

Of course, God did sow; he gave us each life and gave to His servants a mina – the Holy Spirit to grow! And He expects a return on His investment!

Interestingly, in neither parable does anyone lose money. It seems that if a person tries, he will be given some success. The last servant didn’t even try.

V 24 –And he said to those who stood by, Take the mina from him, and give it to him that has ten minas.

V 25 – And they said to him, Master, he has ten minas.

V 26 – I say unto you, that everyone who has will be given; and from him that does not have, what he has shall be taken away from him.

Now that seems really hard in our western thinking. We think, he only has one, why take it away from him? Or, give it to the one who has least. But to a wise investor, this makes perfect sense. Put your money where it will produce the greatest return! The best return.

Spiritually, if a servant doesn’t use the Holy Spirit to grow, God will give it to someone else who will put it to work! Brethren, there is sobering lesson here!

Mystery of the Ages, page 254: “But what of the person who thought he “had it made into the kingdom” without spiritual growth and development? He shall have taken away from him that first portion of the Holy Spirit―he shall lose the salvation he mistakenly thought he had. HE SHALL NOT MAKE IT INTO THE KINGDOM! HE WAS NOT CALLED MERELY FOR SALVATION, BUT TO QUALIFY to rule and teach under Christ in the kingdom, when God does open salvation to all on earth.”

Jesus Christ expects us all to grow spiritually. And that’s what this parable is all about.

What about a prophet’s reward? A righteous man’s reward? Or a reward for giving water to one of Christ’s little ones?

If you remember back to Matthew, the answer’s in there.

Matthew 5:1 – Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

V 12 – Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

They’re actually attacking God’s servants and prophets. They’ve all been attacked down through history and he said those who suffer for righteousness sake. Sometimes you do the right thing, you suffer. God feels He wants to reward them for their faithfulness under that stress.

God prophets will be rewarded for remaining faithful under persecution, which often led to their death! Same for those whom were righteous because they believed God as Abraham did. Those who strive to serve God faithfully will be persecuted!

Paul wrote to Timothy: Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).

Now thankfully we don’t have much, but it happens. And we’re told more is coming. God even remembers and rewards those who show kindness to one of His little ones! Even simply giving a cup of cold water!

Now, let’s get specific. Let’s look at 2 Peter this time. Remember, Jesus told Peter that when you are converted or when you return to me, strengthen your brethren. Peter’s two epistles are intended to strengthen the brethren.

2 Peter 1:1 – Simon Peter, a bondservant, and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith (now please notice that Peter is addressing people of faith, who’ve been given faith) with us by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:

V 2 – Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

V 3 – as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him (we have to learn his knowledge) who called us by his own glory and virtue;

V 4 – by which has been given to us exceeding great and precious promises; that through these you might be partakers of the divine nature, (we can start living with God’s nature inside us, that was Paul’s overall goal) having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This world is being destroyed through lust and God’s spirit can put God’s nature in there and we can escape the corruption that’s in the world through lust. It’s the holy power, His divine power. Not our power and might, it’s God’s power, a fitting thing to remember at the Feast of Tabernacles.

V 5 – But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue…

We start off with faith and we start going down that road. We add to our faith, virtue. As I said Peter’s letter is addressed to those who obtained precious faith. The Christian life begins with faith, believing and trusting God, but it doesn’t end there. It’s not faith alone. Faith is just the first step on the road to salvation. You can’t make it without that step, but that’s the first step, as Peter will make very clear.

To faith, we add virtue. The word means God’s goodness or moral excellence. So we begin building on our faith and striving to live turning from our human ways and to God’s good and morally excellent ways. We start making changes. We turn from lustful thoughts and conduct to virtual thoughts and conduct. We start adding to our faith, virtue.

V 5 (cont’d) – to virtue knowledge,

We start adding knowledge. And to knowledge self-control and we start learning what’s expected of us, we start controlling ourselves. We strive to increase the control over our flesh and its desires.

And to self-control perseverance. The congregation in Chicago will know that word as hupomone. That’s not a very good pronunciation but it means endurance under great stress, abiding, remaining faithful. We have to add to self-control perseverance.

I think we all understand that gaining self-requires perseverance. Have any of you ever overcome anything the first time and never went back and made a mistake again? We make the step and then we go back and say, “Lord, it’s me again. Here I am and it was the same thing and I’m trying to overcome it.” So we need perseverance to get this self-control. It takes time. God knows that but it requires perseverance.

In His letters to the Seven Churches, Jesus Christ repeatedly said: To he who overcomes I will . . . 
Overcoming is not doing nothing. Overcoming is doing something. Overcoming is growing spiritually!

And to perseverance godliness,
When we grow from persevering to a life devoted to God we worship and revere God!

We don’t say, “Look what I’ve done!” We grow away from looking at ourselves. We turn to a life totally devoted to God.

2 Peter 1:3 – His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.

His power works in us in that way.

 V 7 – to godliness brotherly kindness,

From devotion to God to Philadelphia, love of the brethren.
Notice please, the first six virtues we develop individually.

The final two are expressed as spiritual fruit toward others – brotherly kindness as we start growing the conduct, knowledge, perseverance, self-control, and so on, how we relate to our brethren is the next one. God’s servants love their fellow-servants!

V 7 (cont’d) – and to brotherly kindness love.

On His final night in the flesh, Jesus said that’s how we recognize His disciples – they have selfless agapē love. God’s love.

The final attribute makes us partakers of the divine nature. God’s nature is love. Therefore, we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Notice that Peter’s list began with faith and ends in love.
The Christian life begins with faith and but doesn’t end there.

Peter tells us we must build upon the faith we have been granted until God’s selfless love has developed within us.

1 Peter 1:8 – for if these things are yours and abound you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If we can see those things developing, we’re on the right track.

V 9 – but he who lacks these things is shortsighted even to blindness and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his old sins.

We can sometimes forget and start falling back to our old ways.
Peter is providing us the way to evaluate our spiritual state.

V 10 – Therefore brethren, be even more diligent…

There’s that word diligent again. Be even more diligent!

V 10 (cont’d) – to make your calling and election sure.

Making your call and election sure requires diligence. God calls us, we respond and become the elect and then as you know, we have to remain faithful.

V 10 (cont’d) – for if you do these things (if you see the spiritual growth here happening) you will never stumble

V 11 – for so an entrance shall be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We must not sit on our faith; we must be building on it! We must not keep the Holy Spirit in a napkin; we must stir it up and use it to grow!

We all admire the apostle Paul greatly. I don’t know anyone in the church who doesn’t admire Paul but he was concerned about being a castaway (KJV); disqualified (NKJV). Paul was concerned about that. He didn’t think he had it made.

NIV: No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

A prize isn’t a gift. A prize isn’t an inheritance. A prize is a great blessing. If he was concerned about coming up short, shouldn’t I also be? Look what he went through, look what he endured, look how he remained faithful under no doubt the most difficult ministry since Jesus Christ was on the earth. He had it really difficult. We can’t coast into the Kingdom of God. We must diligently pursue it.

The gift is God gives His Holy Spirit as a down payment on eternal life.

The inheritance: When Abraham and his seed inherit the land, those in Christ will become co-inheritors with them.

The reward: Christ’s reward for diligent service to remain faithful despite hardship and persecution and even death.

As I said, the world is in total darkness about God’s Plan to share eternal life.
But we must not be!

Let’s keep in mind Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.