The New and Living Way Church, Ikorodu
Meeting: Sunday Service
Date: 10 January, 2021
Ministers: Pastor Laide Olaniyan
We thank God for the measure of His blessings, how He has dealt with us in wisdom and grace from the beginning of the year even till these times, and we thank God for what measure of Grace He has given us in previous weeks. Definitely, the Lord is set to bless us with great and beautiful things. Season of the spirit is just by the corner. It’s a season of blessing, a season of great entrance, a season of salvation, redemption, and we are persuaded beyond doubt that the Lord would usher us into great things in the name of the Lord Jesus. Let us to prepare our hearts and minds in readiness of that which the Lord is giving and will give in those four weeks expectedly. It’s going to be a time of refreshing; the Lord will nourish us. We trust God by faith that season of the Spirit would be a meeting with blessings for every one of us in Jesus’ name.
“1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” – (2 Peter 1:1-3)
Let’s pause here and go to the book of Ephesians. This introduction is like Ephesians chapter one.
“1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” – (Ephesians 1:1-14)
Peter, like Paul, began referencing things that the Lord has done for us believers, and in them, he pointed to the riches that have been given to us in Christ Jesus. He said – “to them that have obtained like precious faith”, so he was talking to believers who are holders of faith, who have obtained faith through the righteousness of God.
The allocation of life and godliness is in a knowledge. The allocation of incorruption and immortality is also in another knowledge. Not all knowledge is knowledge. Knowledge is not generic, it’s not universal. For instance, that you have learned and become a professor in medicine doesn’t mean you know anything about economics. You can be totally ignorant and oblivious in that field. So also in God, there are allocations, or segmentations of knowledge that bring us into various allocations of life in God. All things that pertain to life and godliness is in a knowledge. The knowledge of life is a mystery, so also the knowledge of Godliness.
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” – (1 Timothy 3:16)
Timothy says Great is the mystery of godliness, so if godliness is a mystery, then life is also a mystery. That’s why knowledge is given to you to enable you possess all things that pertains to them. Life is composed of things, or divine properties, or spiritual properties. Godliness is also composed of spiritual properties. Life is not just life, it has components, just as you say a being is composed of systems, systems, of organs, organs, of tissues, and tissues, of cells. The different parts that compose of a whole entity are details that we must not be oblivious of. Life and godliness are also composed of things, spiritual things, that are locked up in knowledge.
In the word, there are properties that are stored in knowledge. How much of life I am able to obtain is precedent on the volume of knowledge about the things that constitute life that I have and use. How much I journey in godliness is also precedent on the volume of knowledge I have about the things that constitute godliness and I use for living.
(2 Peter 1:3). So, when the knowledge of life is coming, or the knowledge of godliness, it will show to me things, it will unveil things that are secret and are the foundation of life.
“10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” – (1 Peter 3:10-11)
This is one if the things that pertain to life. A trait of a lover of life is that your lips can’t be wrong, and you will retain life, life will journey far from you. Your lips can’t be used to guile. These are things that work hand in hand together with the workings of life. If life doesn’t see a tongue that is refrained from evil and tongue that speaks no guile, it will not come in fullness. So, we now know that divine power is a teacher of knowledge. It is a bringer of knowledge for to be able to acquire, appropriate, and internalize all the things that it is bringing. (2 Peter 1:3).
In God, there are callings. When understanding callings in this context, disabuse your mind from ministry, that is not your primary calling. Just as Paul said in Philippians that there is a high calling of God (Philippians 3:14), there are also lower calls of God. There are sundry calls. Because every other call is very pivotal to your final destination. The ministry calling is also pivotal to your final destination, but it is secondary. It’s not primarily for yourself, it’s for the sake of others.
There is the knowledge of He that called you to glory and to virtue. If you don’t know your calling unto glory and to virtue, you will not lay hold on life and godliness. You may ask an average believer what he is called into, and he may mention a ministry, but he doesn’t know glory. He doesn’t know that he has been called to something. When you look at scriptures, you will see the things, or places unto which the Lord has called us unto, and based on that call, He reveals Himself.
There are things that people don’t open their heart to learn that they don’t come into places, even in the natural. For instance, in a family, there are locked up things. When you are stay with your parents, in them are emodied, knowledge of things. They try to communicate the knowledge. They have also learned things in the society, how to be civil, how to conduct your way in wisdom in the midst of society. How to detect falsehood, how to walk with discretion. These are different compartments of knowledge, which if we receive them, we will be blessed.
Inside of them are also experiences and knowledge about relationship and life. All those different compartments of knowledge are in them. You can be a child and never relate with certain dimensions of knowledge in them because you are not interested and didn’t open up your heart when the time of learning came.
So also, the things that make for life, to handle life, knowledges are intrinsic in the calling to glory and virtue. It takes a person who has understanding of the call to submit to the learning, and one who submits to the learning will now benefit from the allocation of the divine power that is given to install those things in them.
“29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” – (Romans 8:29-30)
This calling is not arranged after what you did. (Romans 8:29-30). It’s according to the intentions of Him who has called you, according to predestination.
Predestination has nothing to do with what you will do on this life, because this life is not your destination. Predestination defines your destination. Our destination is not this life. It is clear from scriptures, that what predestination is, is the conformation to the image of one person. So, everybody that was predestined is for one thing, at the end of the day, we will look alike. What you were predestined to do is to conform to the image of the Son.
“21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” – (John 17:21-22)
So, at the end of the day, we won’t be different. That is what faith teaches. The world teaches that you will be unique. But every one of us has one common destination. To be conformed to the image of the son. That is the person he knew, that is the person he had foreknowledge of, and that is the person he wants you to end up being.
Satan often distracts us with the vision of another destination. When we have the vision of another destination, we will despise the knowledge that pertains to where we are going to. We will think it’s a burden, we will think it’s a waste of time. Whereas the learning here, in this world, is actually the waste of time. If you don’t know your destination, you will think some people have arrived. Many Christians are intimidated already. Suddenly, a fear has laid hold on many believers.
Money is not the destination, neither fame, nor comfort on earth, nor peace of mind and rest. All these things have been summed up and are lighter than vanity. Vanity holds more substance. (Psalms 62:9).
So, God called us somewhere, and the place he called us to, determined the promises he gave to us. If you start looking at the promises in light of the place you are going to, you will see that it’s more than being the head alone, and not the tail, and more than being above and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13). That there are promises that are more intrinsic to the place that you are going to. That will deliver to you, properties, to help you get there. That make you understand that without the substances of life, godliness, you will not be able to handle glory. That if I have not acquired fully, things of life. If I have not acquired fully, things of Godliness.
“14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” – (1 Timothy 3:14-16)
Godliness is not moral chastity. A person that is moral is not godly. God didn’t come to preach morality, neither did he justify immorality. He didn’t preach morality, neither did He endorse immorality, He concludes both under sin.
For you to understand the mystery of godliness, you have to understand the unveiling of the manifestation of God in the flesh, the justification of God in the spirit, the sighting of Him in the flesh by angels, how He was preached to gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up to glory.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” – (1Timothy 6:6).
It’s because we don’t have godly people that Satan sways us, because we don’t know the value, the weight of godliness, that vanity woos us. And the reason we don’t understand the weight of godliness is because we have not received the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue. Because He would have taught us what constitutes godliness and the weight of it in the spirit.
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. – (2 Timothy 3:12)
Scripture says all that will live godly will suffer persecution. They would cast things at him because that stature is alien to the world.
If you are a miracle worker, the world is comfortable with you, but be a preacher of righteousness, a preacher of godliness, the world will hate you, because it’s enmity against God. He that will live godly will suffer persecution that they will thrust at him, they will attack him. It’s one of the burdens of having to come to godliness. Also, in learning godliness, you must discern the church.
“8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.” – (2 Timothy 2:8-23)
“1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. 10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” – (2 Timothy 3:1-12)
One of the things that Paul taught us through the letter to Timothy are secrets about godliness.
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; – (Titus 2:11-12)
So the grace that is a teacher or unveiler of godliness was expounded in Timothy. The book of Timothy was showing things, it talked more about godliness than any other epistle. Godliness is not morality, neither is it immorality, it’s a unique strain and an expression of the life of God. Some people think Christianity is a conglomeration or an hybrid of moral virtues of different tribes or cultures into one.
But that is not the measure of a Christian. The measure of a Christian is the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13).
What defines a prefect man is not a hybrid of moral values.
7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. – (1Timothy 4:7-8)
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. – (2 Peter 1:3-4)
Godliness is profitable unto all things, having a promise of the life that now is. He is not talking about this present life. Paul said – ‘if in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable’. (1 Corinthians 15:19)
When he is talking about the life that now is, it is the life that we now enjoy in God. The promise of godliness is not for advantage here on earth, but it has promise of the life that now is, that is, the life that is presently delivered to the saints, and the one that is to come. Life and Eternal life. Godliness has promise of life, and promise of eternal life.
“3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;” – (2 Peter 1:3-6 )
Godliness has a promise of the life that is, and another of the life that is to come. It’s a knowledge that was communicated to them, and they are given another knowledge that will train you in godliness in pedigrees. Godliness it’s profitable unto all things. We will learn life, and we will learn godliness.
You can be a learner of life and your conversation is not godly. You can be a learner of life and you are not holding forth a godly conversation.
“13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,” – (1 Peter 1:13-20)
The first level of conversation they deal with is vain conversation. They come to take vain conversations which we received by traditions from our fathers. And what redeemed us from that is not corruptible things, it’s the precious blood of Christ. But to those who have relinquished vain conversations, he now said, be holy in all your conversations. For those who have been redeemed from vain conversations, he now said be ye holy, in all your conversation, for He is holy.
“1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. 4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Considering the end of their conversation.” – (Hebrews 13:1-7)
It’s not everybody that is leaning life that has a godly conversation. I am purified by conversation, the conversation of those that I follow, and I must know the end of their conversation. It’s a wisdom of followers that scriptures expect all followers to consider before setting yourself asail. Because the end of their conversation will determine whether I will follow their faith or not. If your faith is worth following, it is dependent not just on the result it gets, but the end of the conversation. If I am not certain where the conversation is heading up to, it is unsafe for me to follow that faith.
“10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” – (2 Timothy 3:10-15 )
You are first persuaded of someone’s conversation, and where it is headed. Then you also know that from a child, you have known the holy scriptures which is able to make you wise unto salvation.
When apostle Paul said, ‘let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have’, it’s because there are things that in following conversation, we behold. So, the essence of this conversation is to come to godliness, beholding the end of their conversation. Before you follow faith, check the end of their conversation. He said, evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. He was saying in that chapter that perilous times shall come, men will love pleasure more than God. They will withstand the truth, even as James and Jambres withstood Moses, and their words eat as a canker. So, for the purpose of securing my conversation, I cannot just open myself to everything.
To come to godliness, the Lord must set in the body, examples that have embodied, that have walked the way, and it’s through much persecutions because that life is offensive to the world. There are many things they will wean us of, one of which is covetousness.
You can be covetous and ambitious even for heavenly things, and it’s because you still have the kind of carnal ambition in the flesh, and you brought it into the spirit because you just want to be lord over everything and are not interested in occupying your place. The reason why some people are desiring the throne is because they still have the mental thought of rule. They don’t know that it is dying. It looks like a desire for spiritual things, but it is still lust. It’s still covetousness.
“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” – (Romans 7:7 )
Sometimes knowledge can bring covetousness. So the question is this. Now that I have known, why do I want it? Do I understand the foundation of this requirement from heaven? Am I desiring it for the right reasons, or is it even being given to me?
Can we be content if God says it’s not for you?
When scriptures say ‘let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have, that scripture is high. The Lord will purify us through and through. We will be raised a godly house unto the Lord in the name of the Lord Jesus. One of these things I am desiring God in this season is that we will be exercised unto more godliness so that we can come into the promises of the life that now is, and then the life that is being unveiled. To escape the corruption, you have to learn godliness, and acquire life and Eternal life. (2 Peter 1:4).
They will purify our conversation. The Lord would purify us through and through in the name of the Lord Jesus. Not just of vain things. But even of high things.
“Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” – (Romans 12:16)
It’s not only low things that defile, even high things defile. From them all the Lord must purify us. Amen.
PRAYERS
- Can we pray, that in the learning and the unveiling of everlasting life, the Lord would purify out conversation. He will teach us godliness. Even as He has sent us teachers if righteousness, He will teach us, and show us the way of godliness, in the name of the Lord Jesus. We will not only learn life, but we will also apprehend the truth and mysteries about godliness.
Godliness has its own mysteries. God must unveil everything to us, because we must inherit every of the things that constitute it. We must inherit all the things that constitute life and that constitute godliness.
- Can we pray that in this season, God will teach us over and over again until we are fully baptized into all that make up life and that make up godliness.
- “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:” – (1 Peter 1:17)
I want us to pray that the fear of the Lord would condition our path aright, that He would condition our conversation aright.
“While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.” – (1 Peter 3:2)
There is a fear component that tempers our conversation aright. I want us to pray, that the Lord will temper our conversation with godly fear. That out conversation will not be without fear. Amen.
THE END