2Pe 1:10-12 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.”
We have added to our like precious faith (2Pe 1:5-7) and produced fruit in the acknowledgement of Jesus in our lives (2Pe 1:8). This is a great blessing and brings rejoicing to our hearts. The problem is that we often seem to come to this place and then become complacent. Apathy then shows up, and finally atrophy sets in.
Seeing we have received these things (Whereas), the scripture now instructs us to make a prompt effort in labor and study (give diligence). Every time we are blessed with His presence and guidance, instead of a sense of self-satisfaction, we should immediately seek for an even closer walk with Him. The instruction to make our invitation (calling) and choosing (election) sure is not instructing us to somehow gain our calling and election. The instruction to make our calling and election sure means to be steadfast in it.
Based on the context here, I believe that the calling and election that Peter is referring to is not about our eternal salvation. Rather, it is about our being called into the kingdom of heaven here and now. Nothing we do or fail to do will alter the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Our actions only matter in our walk in this gospel kingdom, and then only after we have been called into it by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we are blessed to acknowledge His grace and peace in our lives, we need to stand in that rather than sit down at that point and do nothing more. When we truly come to discernment (knowledge) of who our Lord is and what He has, is, and will do in our lives, then our worship and faith should have a force (surety, power) to it that moves us. Giving diligence to be firm in our calling and election keeps us from falling.
We know that we cannot fall from our eternal salvation. The word of God clearly tells us that it is not possible for us to be removed from the hand of God, the Father, or God, the Son (Jn 10:28-29). God, the Holy Spirit seals this in us. However, we are also clearly told that we can fall from grace (Gal 5:4). When we become self-satisfied (complacent) with our labor, we fall from the grace that gave us discernment. We fail to remain resolute in our calling and election; we fall away from always giving God honor and glory. What a wonderful encouragement to know that we don’t have to fall!
Being immovable in our calling and election, we have an entrance ministered (fully supplied) unto us. Again, there is nothing miserly about this ministration. Peter brings us back to the thought of abundance. We have an entrance fully supplied unto us in abundance. I still hear God’s people talk about eating the crumbs that fall from the Mater’s table. There was a time that was true, but we now have an abundant entrance. We have our Lord bidding us to come and dine, not on crumbs, but on a meal that He has prepared for us. We are called unto His banqueting house, and His banner of love flies over us in the everlasting (never failing) kingdom of our Lord and Savior.
Knowing all of this, we are called on to regularly, earnestly, remind our brethren of the glorious truth of Jesus Christ. It is impossible to remind someone of something they did not know previously. We are not being called on to tell our brethren something new, but to remind them of the things the Lord has said and done in our lives. Do it with words; do it with action; but be sure you do it. We are told to not to take this effort lightly.
We need to stand firm in the Spirit and remind each other of our like precious faith, of the excellency and love that have been added, and to encourage one another to be steadfast in the surety of our calling and election. Above all, we are to always point to Jesus in these things. We are never to usurp Him. If I am truly standing firm in my calling and election, it is in acknowledging that He has called and He has elected. I have no way to stand firm until that happens.
Once that happens I am assured that I do not have to fall. I need to remind others they don’t have to fall either. We find it too easy to flee to our humanity as an excuse for not obeying God. We need someone to put us in remembrance (according to Strong’s, “to remind quietly”). If we, with gentleness, constantly remind each other of the power that has called us to service in the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, we will never fall. Instead, we will be grounded in the truth of Jesus Christ that is with us now and always.
May we be diligent to stand in that to which our Lord and Saviour has called and elected us and remind our brethren of the same!
