The Considered Righteous

Text:

2Peter 2:7-9:

7: And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

9: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished

 

Theme:

The Considered Righteous

 

Introduction:

• This text from the Second Letter of the Apostle Peter is found within the second chapter which deals with a pervasive issue through the centuries of Christendom…false teachers and evildoers. Both have existed every since Satan and his followers were cast from Heaven.
• However, we are expected to still “press toward the mark”.
• We are not perfect!
  • Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
• God has reconciled our sin to allow us to be holy, righteous, cleansed in order that we can have a relationship with Him.
  • We are SANCTIFIED à “Made Holy”
  • Colossians 1:21-22, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:”
• At this point we find our theme.
  • We are not righteous in and of ourselves, but we are CONSIDERED RIGHTEOUS through the cross.

Body:

Specifically, the text portrays Lot, Abraham’s nephew who we remember from the book of Genesis.

• Lot had lived with Abraham from youth. When God commanded Abraham to leave his homeland and journey to Canaan, Abraham only took his wife Sarai and Lot, his brother’s son.
• Lot was reared with and around Abraham, one who was close to God. Lot was of a good upbringing.
• Lot’s good upbringing was important because as Abraham:
  • Galatians 3:6, “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
  • Lot’s good upbringing, in that he believed God, was accounted to him for/as righteousness.

From this point there are THREE key turning points in Lot’s life that led to his contamination.

• FIRST TURNING POINT: Lot lost the rearing and environment of Abraham’s home because of carnal actions and reactions!
  • Abraham and Lot were separated due to strife between their herdsmen.
  • Abraham and Lot decided to separate to keep peace among the herdsmen and between them.
    • How often do we let junk mess up a good thing?
• SECOND TURNING POINT: Lot felt that the grass looked greener on the other side in Sodom.
  • Abraham decided to stay in the land of Canaan…Lot marveled at the beauty of the lands in the east toward Jordon and went east and “pitched his tent toward Sodom”.
    • Where have we pitched our tent?
• THIRD TURNING POINT: Lot was, as v. 7 of our text says, “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:”
  • Lot’s choice to leave Abraham and his decision to pitch his tent toward Sodom put him in an environment that was not conducive to his spiritual growth and contaminated his righteousness in upbringing.
  • Do you ever find yourself around filthy conversation?
    • Anything not of God IS filthy conversation.
  • Doesn’t it leave you vexed?
    • Tormented, torn, distraught….between:
      • Good and Evil
      • Right and Wrong
      • God and the World
      • What you NEED and What you WANT
      • Your POWER and Your PEERS
  • At this point, righteousness has been contaminated!
    • Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
  • We need salvation!!
    • God saves us, preserves us through judgment, by allowing us to be CONSIDERED RIGHTEOUS.
      • Lot had been contaminated, but through the plea of Abraham to God, was CONSIDERED RIGHTEOUS and was saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
      • Even though we have sinned and come short of the Glory of God, we are CONSIDERED RIGHTEOUS and preserved through the storm, through the rain, through the sickness, and through the pain!

 

Conclusion:

• Then, whenever we get nervous about being mixed up with the crowd, V. 9 says, “The Lord knoweth how”
  • Statement of confidence, trust, and belief
  • God knows…WE don’t!
    • We need to stop thinking that we can handle our situations
    • Proverbs 3:7, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
  • “to deliver the godly out of temptations”
    • God can save you!
      • Psalms 37:39-40, “But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.”
  • “to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished”
    • God RESERVES the unjust à He isn’t gonna deal with them until judgment
      • Psalms 37:12-13, “The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.”
    • God doesn’t PRESERVE the unjust à He doesn’t save them from the consequences of their actions.
      • Psalms 37:35-36, “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
• The Considered Righteous have the gift of God’s GRACE!
  • GRACE because they have considered God and chosen Him as their Lord and Savior
  • GRACE because they have allowed His blood to wash them white as snow
  • GRACE has kept us when we couldn’t be kept
  • GRACE has lifted us when we have fallen
  • GRACE has lowered us when we have gotten to high minded
  • GRACE has given me a doctor when I’m sick
  • GRACE has given me a lawyer when I’m accused
  • GRACE has given me a freedom from the bondage of sin
  • GRACE has given me a joy in the midst of my depression
  • GRACE has given me a Friend who sticks closer than a brother
• The Considered Righteous have JESUS!!

 

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