1. The character of the Christian’s trials (v. 6).
2. The purpose of the Christian’s trials (vv. 6-7).
1. The supernatural origin of Jesus the Christ (vv. 18-20).
2. What our Lord’s supernatural origin teaches us about His person (v. 20).
3. What our Lord’s name reveals about His Divine mission (v. 21).
We have a foretaste in this age of the joy that is yet to come.
1. The character of the Christian’s joy (vv. 6, 8).
2. The reason for the Christian’s joy (v. 6).
3. The strength of the Christian’s joy (vv. 6-8).
The focus of these verses is not primarily on the material universe but on it’s function in an ordered system
read Genesis 1:14-19
1. The meaning of God’s creation of the heavens and the earth (v. 1).
2. The unbounded chaos of earth’s original condition of being “without form and void” (v. 2).
3. Understand the Spirit of God as God’s creative power which brings order out of chaos (v. 2b).
1. The hope of eternal salvation is kept in heaven for us (v. 4).
2. We are guarded by God for our inheritance of eternal salvation (v. 5).
3. Consider the implications of our preservation in the faith (v. 5).
1. Take to heart that there is one, and only one, Gospel (vv. 6-7).
2. Heed the apostolic warning: Anyone who perverts the Gospel of Christ will be eternally condemned (vv. 8-9).
1. The gospel reveals that God the Father effectually called elect sinners to salvation by means of the grace of Christ (v. 6).
2. Turning away from the biblical gospel for a different one is a turning away from God the Father (v. 6).
1. We believers have a living hope because we have been “born again” (v. 3a).
2. The objective basis for the new birth: The historic resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (v. 3b).
3. Our living hope: An imperishable inheritance (vv. 4-5).
Protestant means to protest Roman doctrine as well as being “pro” foundational truths.
1. The origin of Holy Scripture: It is “breathed out” by God (v. 16).
2. The profitability of Holy Scripture (v. 16b).
3. The sufficiency of Holy Scripture (v. 17).
1. The reason why Christ’s blood needed to be shed.
2. The significance of Christ’s blood.
3. The blessings of Christ’s sprinkled blood.