December 9, 2007
Sun Oak Baptist Church
Introduction
Understand the centrality and importance of the doctrine of the sovereignty of God.
The world today is, in many ways, similar to the days in which the Christians that Peter was writing to lived. Like then the power of evil today is great – and it’s getting worse. What encouragement can we find to continue standing for God and truth – even if we become but a handful such as were found before the Flood and before the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah?
Peter answers these questions by pointing us to God’s absolute control in the world and in the lives of His children. In verse 9 Peter introduces us to the doctrine of the sovereignty of God – the anchor of hope in a world gone mad.
I. God’s sovereignty defined.
Please see last week’s notes.
II. God’s sovereignty is demonstrated by His power.
The phrase “The Lord knows how…” refers to two (2) of God’s attributes: His omniscience (He knows everything) and His omnipotence (He is all-powerful).
A. For example: in spite of the fact that God is all powerful He permits evil. See Deut. 29:29 and 1st Cor. 1:25; 3:19.
B. Here’s the flip-side: God’s sovereignty demonstrated by His power shows us that even though God may permit evil He does not give it free reign. Examples: Job; etc.
C. God’s sovereignty through His power is demonstrated by periods of special judgments.
Examples: the Flood; Sodom and Gomorrah; other judgments seen in the history of Israel.
III. God’s sovereignty is demonstrated by His righteousness and by His judgment.
Many people struggle with the tension between good and evil: with reconciling God’s righteousness and His judgment. See Psalm 73.
What’s the psalmist saying? “I have been living a good life; I am doing the right things; and yet godless people seem to be flourishing while I suffer. It’s not fair – why God?” Here’s the answer to the psalmist’s question and the principle: be certain that because of God’s righteousness He punishes sin and evil – it may not seem like that from our perspective so Peter makes a couple of points to help us here.
A. First: we are assured that part of the punishment of sin does come immediately. See 2:1c and 3.
B. But not only is there immediate punishment for sin, the punishment always continues. See 2:4 and 2:9.
IV. God’s sovereignty is demonstrated by His love.
A. God doesn’t demonstrate His love in the sense that He promises us that we will avoid all troubles; suffering; and trials.
B. So that’s how God doesn’t deliver us, how then He does deliver us? He promises us that He will never allow sin and evil to harm us in any permanent or vital sense.
C. So that’s how God doesn’t deliver us, how then He does deliver us? He promises us that He will never allow sin and evil to harm us in any permanent or vital sense.
Conclusion