Making Your Calling and Election Sure

                                              "Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make
                                                your calling and election sure, for if you practice
                                                these qualities you will never fall.  For in this way
                                                there will be richly provided for you an entrance
                                                into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior
                                                Jesus Christ."
                                                                                                  2 Peter 1:10-11


          Peter wrote this letter to fellow Christians, who had "obtained a faith of equal
     standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ"
     (2 Peter 1:1b).

          These are the same people, fellow believers, Peter had written before:

                                             "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
                                              to those who are elect exiles of
                                              the dispersion ... according to the
                                              foreknowledge of God the Father,
                                              in the sanctification of the Spirit,
                                              for obedience to Jesus Christ and
                                              for sprinkling with His blood:
                                              May grace and peace be multiplied
                                              to you."
                                                                          1 Peter 1:1-2


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          Before we go any further, let's define three terms.
          Election - Before the foundation of the world, God chose particular, individual peo-
     ple from the mass of fallen humanity unto salvation, without regard to any merit or fore-
     seen faith in them, but solely based on His sovereign intentions.  (Definition by Theopedia)

         The elect are those particular people called and chosen by God.

         The "calling" refers to "God's effectual calling of His elect that brings them to salvation"
    (John MacArthur).

                                              
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          Lest there be any doubt that God's election is biblical, Ephesians 1:3-14, 1 Thessa-
     lonians 5:9-10, and 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (among many other passages) refer to God's
     choosing or electing people to salvation.

          The elect people of God are referred to in Matthew 24:22,31;  Mark 13:20,22;  Luke 18:7;
      Romans 8:33;  2 Timothy 2:10;  Titus 1:1; and 1 John 1:1,13, along with other passages.



          The people in 2 Peter 1:1, had "obtained ("received" or were "given," in other translations)
     a faith equal to Peter's by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  In other words, it was a gift  from
     God (Philippians 1:29a; Acts 16:14b; Acts 13:48; 1 Thessalonians 5:9), not something that
     originated within them.


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          They were elect of God "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father" (1 Pet 1:2).
     Foreknowledge is also known as "foreloved."  God's foreknowledge refers to His foreknowing
     or foreloving someONE, not someTHING.  It means that "God had a predetermined plan to
     set His love on someone and establish an intimate relationship -- or His election --, not that
     He observed something beforehand" (John MacArthur).        

          These people had their names written by God in His "book of life of the Lamb who was
     slain before the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8).  God chose them, and their names,
     written before the foundation of the world, will never be erased from the book of life.

          Some may say that it's unfair for God to choose someone in this way, but Romans 9 has
     the answer for anyone who believes this, and shows that God doesn't choose someone be-
     cause He foreknows that the person will believe in Him, or because of any action on the
     person's part, but only because of His will and mercy.


          Referring to twins Jacob and Esau, Scripture says:

                                                "Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything
                                                  good or bad -- in order that God's purpose in election
                                                  might stand:  not by works but by Him who calls --
                                                  she (Rebekah, their mother) was told, 'The older will
                                                  serve the younger.  Just as it is written, 'Jacob I loved,
                                                  but Esau I hated.

                                                "What then shall we say?  Is God unjust?  Not at all!
                                                  For He says to Moses,'I will have mercy on whom I
                                                  have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I
                                                  have compassion.  It (salvation) does not depend on
                                                  man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy ...

                                                "Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have
                                                  mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden."
                                                                                              Romans 9:11-16


          In Romans 9:19-24, Paul explains that God has the right to do with His creation and
     thus His creatures, whatever He wishes, as He is the Potter and they are His clay.

          Michael S. Horton (White Horse Inn Blog) writes of this passage:

                         "God is presented in this passage as electing men, women, and children out
     of an already condemned and ruined race.  Their condemnation is just, so God is not
     responsible for the resistance, disobedience, and hatred of those who are rejected, but
     only for the salvation of those who DO embrace the forgiving grace of God.

                         "Out of the same lump (i.e., the same mass of fallen humanity), God chooses
     to make vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy, one to bring Him glory by demonstrating
     His justice, the other to glorify Him for His compassion and mercy.  There is no distinction,
     as all are taken from the same group.  Therefore, the elect cannot be proud (for salvation
     is from God, not from the ones saved, in any way).


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         Peter was urging them to be sure of their calling and election by God to salvation
     (2 Peter 1:10).

          2 Peter 1:5-8 lists the qualities that should be cultivated by believers.

                                 "For this good reason, make every effort to add to your
                                  faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to
                                  knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perse-
                                  verance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godli-
                                  ness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness,
                                  love.
                                "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure,
                                 they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive
                                 in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."


          "By cultivating the qualities listed here, they and others can be assured that God has
           chosen them and called them (Matt 7:20 "by their fruit you will recognize them").
           The genuineness of their profession will be demonstrated as they express these
           virtues.  When God elects and calls, it is to obedience and holiness (1 Pet 1;2;
           Eph 1:3-6), and these fruits confirm their divine source.  Those who in this way
           give evidence of their faith will never cease to persevere."
                                                                                              NIV Commentary


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          "As the Christian pursues the qualities enumerated [in this passage] and sees that his
     life is useful and fruitful, he will not stumble into doubt, despair, fear, or questioning,
     but enjoy assurance that he is saved."
                                                                                             John MacArthur


          Charles Spurgeon wrote that the Holy Spirit will give you assurance of your election.

                                "Look to Jesus and believe on Him, and you shall make proof of
                                 your election directly, for so surely as you believe, you are elect...
                                 Go straight to Christ and hide in His wounds, and you shall know
                                 your election.  The assurance of the Holy Spirit shall be given to
                                 you, so that you shall be able to say, 'I know whom I have believed,
                                 and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have com-
                                 mitted to Him.

                               "Go and put your trust in Him, and His answer will be -- 'I have loved
                                you with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I
                                drawn you.'  There will be no doubt about His having chosen you,
                                when you have chosen Him."