Finding the Gospel EVERYWHERE through context

We've all read and heard so many "do" and don't passages discussed by themselves, we fail to read above and below and see how beautifully and plainly they are placed within the context of your freedom from HAVING to do them to "HAVE SALVATION!"

2 Peter 1:3 and 1 John 2: 1-16 are 2 passages that literally do this in an identical way.

You get WHIPLASH as you read them because our flesh has been so trained to believe "I better do this to please God and if I'm not measuring up, I better GET ON THE BALL!"

2 Peter 1:3 

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 5 For this very reason [above] make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.



1 John 2: 1-16 is the same thing!

1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. [He deals with/DEALT WITH God for you]

 3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
[7-8 are taken out]
 9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. [They don't know the truth].

 12 I am writing to you, dear children,
   because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
   because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
   because you have overcome the evil one.
 14 I write to you, dear children,
   because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
   because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
   because you are strong,
   and the word of God lives in you,
   and you have overcome the evil one.
 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

the meat

If that's the milk, then what's the meat?

• Understanding the gift of Righteousness apart from your works
• Beyond right and wrong:  "distinguishing good from evil" & Satan as an angel of light
  
• Standing against Satan's schemes 
• Healing (as a picture of the gospel, the free gift of the removal of sin)
• The Blessings and Benefit of Provision: His becoming poor so that we could become provided for. 
• Giving to the gospel without the pressure & law & curse of tithing 

The milk

In 1 Corinthians, Paul tells the people it is time for them to move beyond the milk.

A newborn doesn't know much except that he is being held by his parent and is being loved. This is a wonderful time in the Lord.  This time of immaturity is perfectly normal! 

In Hebrews 6, the "elementary teachings" about Christ are mentioned together as the list below. (It is interesting just to look at the "topics" and go yeah, yeah, yeah..ok.  But these are elementary.  The rest is the meat.)

• agreeing with God regarding atonement through his son by "believing in our hearts and confessing with our mouths that Jesus is the Son of God"
• getting rid of "useless rituals" that have been replaced by Jesus (1 Corinthians)
• expressing what has happened through your own baptism
• the resurrection of the dead & eternal life
• eternal judgement not for sin but for rejecting forgiveness through 
• laying on of hands for healing and the gift of the spirit