The apostle Peter has been
giving the church specific instructions for growing in their
relationship with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. He told
us about eight steps for growth and the benefit to those who have
them abounding in their lives. He also included a statement about us
if we lack in these things. In chapter one and verse ten he makes a
conclusion concerning these matters. We read:
Wherefore the rather,
brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for
if you do these things, you shall never fall:
The
verse begins, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give
diligence to make your calling and election sure:” Once
again the scriptures employ the word “wherefore”
which means “in conclusion to what was just stated”, so to know
what the “wherefore”
is there for, we should look at what was just written. Peter wrote
concerning the difference between a person who abounds in the eight
characteristics and the one who lacks in the same. If we abound in
them we will not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the
Lord, however if we lack in them we are blind, not able to see afar
off, and have forgotten that we were purged from our old sins. Since
this is the case, we should be sure to give “diligence”
which means “make haste or
exert oneself” to be “sure”
which infers “to be stable, fast, firm,or trustworthy”
concerning our “calling”
which is our “invitation” and our “election”
which is “the act of picking out, choosing, or to be
chosen”. Those who believe in Jesus Christ have been invited and
chosen by God Almighty, and because there is potential to abound or
lack in the qualities Peter mentioned in verses five through seven of
this chapter, we must pay particular attention to them.
The
verse continues, “for if you do these things, you shall never
fall:” Peter goes on to add that if we make our “calling
and election sure” we will “never fall”. It is as
though Peter knows there is the potential for us to “fall”, and
as a protective measure from one who knows personally what it means
to “fall”, Peter emphasizes the importance of being sure
of our firm stand with the Lord Jesus. The operative word chosen by
Peter is the word “if” which implies choice. “If”
we do the things he has previously mention, we “shall never
fall”.
Have we
taken the time to really ask ourselves if we have made our “calling
and election sure”? Is there evidence within our lives to
demonstrate that we have done so? Are we growing in faith, virtue,
knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and
charity? As we ponder these questions, let us once again be reminded
that these characteristics are not added in and of ourselves, but God
the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ has provided “divine power”
and “exceeding great and precious promises” so that we
might not only exhibit them, but have them abounding in us as we grow
in our Christian walk day by day.
Next
time we will see the benefit of making our calling and election sure
and never falling, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation” and the new marriage book “So, You Want
to Be Married” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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