ASSURANCE OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS
2 Peter 1:1-11
vs.1b Peter
is writing to those who have received from God, faith to believe in Jesus
Christ for the salvation of their souls
vs.11 What
is the ultimate goal in your life? Where are you headed? Odds are that your
answer, your goal is bound to the world this side of Heaven. Goals people tend
to set for themselves are limieted to this world and to this short life.
vs.3-4
Knowledge of God enables us to accomplish two things. It enables us to
participate in God’s nature as we become reflectors of His glory. Secondly it
helps us to escape the corruption of this world.
What are
some reasons for a lack of assurance about having been forgiven by God?
The
individual has never professed faith in Jesus Christ, never trusted in the work
he completed on the cross. Lack of assurance comes to a person who sees himself
as a good person, who occasionally does bad and could pay God back with good
deeds for the sins he has committed. Not believing he can be so deeply loved by
God or others sucks the life of assurance from the person. Repeated sins and
failings leads the person into anger and rage directed towards himself. His
pride keeps him from knowing his own power is limited in recreating himself
into God’s image. Without the acceptance of God’s standards for our life leaves
us with infallible human standards for living. He regrets the consequences of
his actions but does not need His forgiveness.