Make Your Calling and Election Sure – Part 2

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Make Your Calling And Election Sure – Part 2

by Mike Vinson

2Pe 1:1  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:
2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3  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:
2Pe 1:4  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.
2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence [G4704, spoudazo] to make your calling and election sure:for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Introduction

In our concluding study we will take Peter’s admonition step by step and apply it to our walk “to make [our] calling and election sure”. In doing so we will note that these words are addressed only “to them who have obtained like precious faith with us…” and that this “precious faith… grace, and peace” comes only through “the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ, [and] through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”. What that tells us is that “the knowledge of God and Christ are essential to our salvation. We must “know… God and Jesus Christ”:

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

The reason I mention that is for the same reason Peter mentions it. Peter and all of the apostles of Christ were acutely aware of the truth of these words of our Lord:

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen [to “know… God, and Jesus Christ”.

Peter explains that our grace and peace is multiplied to us “through our knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord”. He tells us that our grace and peace accords with His divine power by which God gives to us “all things that pertain to life and godliness”, and by that gift of “all things that pertain to life and godliness”, we are also given “great and precious promises” which in turn give us access to “the divine nature”, which “divine nature” delivers us from “the corruption that is in [this] world through lust”. It simply is not natural to resist “the corruption that is in the world through lust”

It is our own lust, our own desires, especially our desire to please men rather than God, which robs us of our salvation in this age. The salvation produced by the lake of fire is certain to all men:

Joh 9:22  These words spake his parents [the parents of the man who was born blind, and was healed by Jesus], because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

1Th 5:9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

But the great honor of being in the “blessed and holy… first resurrection” is given to very few of mankind. It is given only to those few who are not asleep and slothful, but are awake and diligent, and who endure to the end, the fires of our judgment in this age, while we are yet in these vessels of clay:

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial [“the seven last plagues”, Rev 15:8] which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed [at the first resurrection, Rev 20:6], ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

It is very instructive for us to know that the word translated as “give diligence” in 2Pe 1:10 is the very same Greek word translated as “study” in this verse of 2 Timothy:

2Ti 2:15  Study [G4704, spoudazo -“give diligence”, 2Pe 1:10] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
2Ti 2:19  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.
2Ti 2:20  But in a great house [“You are the temple of God”, 1Co 3:16] 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.
2Ti 2:21  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.

Here in 2 Timothy 2 we have another promise. We are told that “if [we] purge [ourselves] from… vessels of… wood and earth… [we] shall be… prepared unto every good work”, which accords with our promise in 2 Peter 2:

2Pe 1:1  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:
2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3  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:
2Pe 1:4  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.
2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence [G4704, spoudazo] to make your calling and election sure:for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

The source of our faith

Peter begins by informing us that his calling and our calling is only exists because we have “obtained like precious faith”. Where do we get this “precious faith”?

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Our faith “is a gift of  God”, and it is “not of ourselves”.

Where do we obtain ‘grace’?

2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

We are blessed not only to know that we are given God’s favor, His ‘karis’, His ‘grace’, but we are also blessed to know what being given that favor entails:

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

The Greek word from which the English word ‘teaching’ comes is ‘paideuo’ and it means ‘to chasten’, as in this verse of scripture:

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth [Greek, paideuo], and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

“Every son” who [God] receives is graced with His chastening and scourging. This places much more meaning upon this statement of scripture:

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

God’s chastening and scourging are given freely, and they will always overpower the pulls of sin and death upon us, simply because God has declared it to be so:

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Again, our grace and our faith, and the peace of mind He has given to us, are all “the gift of God [and] not of ourselves”. They come to us “through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord”.

2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

Everything that pertains to life and godliness comes to us through knowing God and His Son, and through knowing that they have called us to glory and to a life of virtue, and not a life of turning the grace of God into lasciviousness:

2Pe 1:3  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:

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. [Don’t speak of the fear of God, and never use the word ‘punish’; use much smoother words]

Those who are given to “know God and His Son” will recognize “the voice of a stranger” when they hear a voice that tells us that Biblical commandments and Biblical phrases are much too harsh. For example, the scriptures teach us to use corporal punishment upon our physical children:

Pro 19:18  Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

Pro 23:13  Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Pro 23:14  Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

That is God’s own method of operation with mankind:

Psa 89:32  Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

Whom the Lord loves He chastens and scourges:

Pro 13:24  He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But this is the spirit God has placed in many of those who have “crept in unawares…”

Isa 30:8  Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
Isa 30:9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Isa 30:10  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

When “Jesus of Nazareth” hears such smooth words, this is what He tells all who come to Him “speak[ing] deceits [and such] smooth things”:

Mar 8:33  But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
Mar 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mar 8:35  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
Mar 8:36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mar 8:37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mar 8:38  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

How we are “partakers of the divine nature

I have been asked, “Why would anyone want to reign over others?” The question is posed to suggest that anyone who wants to rule and reign with Christ during the thousand years is a vain sort of person who simply wants to “lord it over the Lord’s flock”. But that is not why Christ wants to reign over this world at all. Christ, and all in whom He dwells, wants to reign over this world for the good they will be given to do at that time. They will rule over all of God’s enemies with a rod of iron, and when their reign is completed, they will be used by God to destroy corruption and death. Those are only few of the “great and precious promises we are given in Christ, and it is “by these” that we are made “partakers of the divine nature”, which always has and always will dominate and rule the carnal, lust-filled and  rebellious mind of the flesh and of the realm of darkness.

2Pe 1:4  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.

It was by “the exceeding great and precious promises” given to Christ that He was able to “despise the shame” of the cross. Christ esteemed the shame of the cross to be nothing compared to the glory into which He knew He would inherit by being faithful to His Father’s plan and His purpose:

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

If Christ is in us, and if we have “the same mind”, we too, will consider the sufferings of this present life to be unworthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed within us:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

“The creature” means all mankind, and just as you and I have waited for the appearing of Christ in our lives, all mankind is awaiting the resurrection of “the Christ… the Lord and His Christ… His body”. That is “the earnest expectation of the creature”.

Being made “partakers of the divine nature” delivers us from the corruption that is in the world because “All that is in the world”, all the corruption that is in this world, comes through these three types of lust:

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Now we come to a principle that will help to simplify every admonition given in scripture:

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence [Greek G4710, spoude], add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence [G4704: spoudazo] to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

These words are not suggestions which we can just take or leave. We must add virtue to our faith or our faith is dead faith with no virtuous works. We cannot have virtuous works if we have no knowledge of the mind and commandments of God. When we have the knowledge of God and His Son, we will add temperance and control of the beast which we are to that knowledge because we want to be “as He is”.

Temperance and self-control are the foundation of patience with all mankind who we know are nothing more or less than tools in the hand of a sovereign God. Living a life that truly believes that God is working “all things after the counsel of His own will” gives us the power to be patient with all men, because we know we are really just being patient with what God is working in all men. The patience of Christ in us can produce nothing short of a Godly, Christ-like life which is a life of kindness toward all men and a life filled with the unconditional agape, love which is what Christ is:

1Jn 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

And we are right back to the fact that love is obedience to the God we call our Lord:

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

It is Christ Himself who poses this question:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

2 Peter 1:1-10 are “the things which [Christ] says”, via His Father’s spirit, and if we are given to listen diligently to these words, we will “study [Greek: ‘spudazo‘, be diligent] to show ourselves approved unto God…”

2Ti 2:15  Study [Greek: spoudazo, be diligent] to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Here is what Christ tells us about those who are diligent to obey Him and to apply every word of 2 Peter 1:1-10:

Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Peter repeats the message of the parable of the house built on a rock or on the sand with these words:

2Pe 1:8  For if these things [these sayings of Christ] be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence [G4704: spoudazo] to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Conclusion

I will close with a few verses which I hope will give you hope and remind you who you are and therefore remind you how you should “behave yourself in the house of God”:

Ezr 7:23  Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb 12:17  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Heb 12:18  For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
Heb 12:19  And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
Heb 12:20  (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
Heb 12:21  And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Heb 12:26  Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
Heb 12:27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Heb 12:28  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

Jud 1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Who are you, and what is the body of Christ? You and I must know who we are or we cannot make our calling and election sure, and I am telling you that you will be challenged concerning who you are just as the adversary challenged Christ saying “If you be the Son of God…” This is who we all are, if Christ is living His life within us:

1Ti 3:15  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.

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