Immersed by James T. Martin

   I recently read a book written by a pastor named James T. Martin called "Immersed" published in 1996.  Part of what caught my eye about it because it appears that at the time of writing the book he was at a Methodist church not far from my home.  He starts the book by describing to us our life as pictured as a circle with a throne in the middle of it.  The throne represents who is in charge and in authority of our lives.  James' conclusion not surprisingly is that Jesus should be on that throne.  But, then he asks "Where should we picture ourselves?"  The answer he says is not on the outside or at the feet of the throne, but simply not there at all.  The author goes on to say that Jesus is to be so immersed in our lives as believers that when people see us they see him. 

   The author goes on to give a number of points about how to do this, but the main point that I got over and over is that this comes by our surrendering our will and authority to him.  This may be why one of the favorite terms that the apostles had to describe themselves is one of a slave.  The slave no longer has a will of his own.  The slave exists to please the one who is his master.   Jesus does call on us to surrender.  There are a number of scriptures that support this.  Just look at

   "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's shall save it."  Mark 8:34b-35

   "I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me"  Galatians 2:20

    If we are going to be honest, the difficult thing about this is that there is a part of us that simply wants to be in charge and feels like we have the right to be.  There may even be part of us that believes deep down that we know what is best.  Our own worst enemy is our own sinful nature in this regard.  Our flesh wants to be in charge and not God.  We have problems letting God take over "all' areas of our lives.  We may give him some, but then hold something back.  The author went on to say something about how God cannot fill us with His Spirit when we are not empty.  When we are so full of self that it makes it impossible for God to fill us.  God wants a full and unconditional surrender.

    This is not to say that we will achieve this goal of surrender all of the time.  The Lord knows that I fall far short of this most of the time.  My own sinful nature wants to constantly take back control of my thoughts, my will, my actions.   Paul himself did not claim to have arrived.  He said in Philippians 3:13-14  "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lives ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  I believe this should also be our attitude also as a runner running to the finish line, pressing on to the goal.

2 Peter 1:1-4

Unlike many of my posts, I am simply going to upload my notes from my study in 2 Peter 1:1-4. 

2 Peter Bible Study

Background:  Simon Peter is the writer who claims to have been present during the transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16-18).  The object of this epistle is to guard the reader against false teaching and to exhort them to grow in the “knowledge of our Lord and Saviour” (2 Peter 3:18).  The emphasis in this epistle is of Jesus future reigning, present power and future kingdom.  It was most likely written by Peter in Rome before Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. sometime around 66 A.D..

2 Peter 1:1-4

Peter describes himself both as a bond servant and also an apostle.  The word bond servant is doulos which means a servant, metaphor for someone who gives himself up to another’s will. Paul and Peter both referred to themselves in that manner.  They had died to the world and their own desires and were seeking His.  The word apostle is the word “apostolos” which means a delegate, a messenger, one sent forth with orders. 

 Verse 2-Peter wishes for them to have grace and peace multiplied to them.  Grace is the word charis which means a lovingkindness, favour.  God has blessed up with an unmerited favour due to His own great power and goodness and not our own. 

Verse 3- His power is what grants to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.  It is not by our own wisdom or goodness.  It is not by our own power or ability to live out the Christian life.  It is through a true knowledge of him  This might be in contrast to the gnostics who claimed to have knowledge, but had a false knowledge.  He calls us by his own glory and excellence, not our own.   The word “true knowledge” is epignosis which means precise and correct knowledge.

Verse 4- He has granted us promises epaggelma, a promise, in order to escape the corruption of this world by its lusts.  The idea of corruption includes the perishable nature of this world.  As Peter has stated in 1 Peter several times that the world is perishing and fading away compared to the things of God which are uncorruptible. (1 Peter 1:18, 23)