“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11).
How certain are you about your salvation? Do you doubt it or are you certain that when you pass from this earth or our Lord comes again that your spot in Heaven is reserved for you (cf. John 14:1-4). Is there anything we can do to contribute to making our calling and election more sure?
God affords the means by which we can be sure of our salvation. Peter writes, “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4). God doesn’t want us to doubt our salvation!
As the verses above indicate, Peter believed there were some things we could work on to make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10-11). What are the things we need to do so that we may “never stumble”? Peter writes, “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). Peter then adds the benefit of growing in these godly virtues: “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8).
On the other hand what are the consequences of failing to grow in these godly graces? Peter adds, “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9). Failing to grow and mature in these noble virtues results in our becoming spiritual shortsighted, even blind. Moreover, by becoming spiritually blind we can be easily led astray by false teachers. As he speaks about the false teachers which have come into the church, Peter notes, “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error” (2 Peter 2:18). By failing to grow in the Christian graces, false teachers can appeal to our fleshly desires and lead us astray. Tragic costs await those who failure to grow in God’s grace!
Peter knew that death soon awaited him, but he was confident in His salvation and he wanted his readers to enjoy this same confidence. He states, “Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease” (2 Peter 1:13-15). Peter was certain of what He believed and of God’s Word which he had followed (2 Peter 1:16-21).
I want to have the confidence of my salvation that Peter did. I rejoice that God has provided me with everything I need to make my redemption a certainty. Today, I will make my calling and election sure by striving to grow in these Christian virtues!
“You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:17-18).