Make Your Call and Election Sure: Part 1

We're going to continue our series here, and we're looking to 2

Peter chapter 1. It's foundational of everything else he's about to say in chapter 2 and chapter 3.

Chapter 2, he's about to go into warnings about false teachers.

We really need to hear this, especially in our day. I don't think there's ever been a day where there's so many false teachers.

So many false teachers deceiving people. But he first goes to the genuine.

He first goes to the authentic. How the true believer looks like.

In this particular section, he's talking about assurance.

Our assurance, salvation, make your call and election sure. Make your call and election sure.

So this will be a blessing to you, I believe. It's been a blessing to me as I've been studying through this.

So in saying that, please turn with me if you're not already there. As we continue our study, the book of 2

Peter, 2 Peter chapter 1. We're looking at 2 verses. I don't know how many parts this is going to come out to be.

Maybe 2, maybe 3 parts. But I believe it's necessary for each and every one of us to make our call and election sure.

It's critical. This is so important. Well, everything in God's Word is important, right? And notice this is something only you could do personally.

And as God helps you, graces you. And what

I mean by that is the pastor can't do it for you. Your mother or brother or sister or whoever can't do it for you.

Your husband, your wife cannot do it for you. You must go to God yourself. As we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ one day personally.

And given a personal account to God. We must make sure that our call and election is sure.

And what I like about this is the apostle Peter is really giving an exhortation to this. It's not necessarily a warning.

It's an admonition. And there are warnings that come in it. But it's more of an exhortation than anything.

God, and what does that tell you about the heart of God? God wants us to have satisfaction in Him.

Joy in Him. David cried out, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.

Why did he say that? Number one, because he sinned against the Lord. And if you notice in Psalm 51, he's repenting.

And he needs that restoration of that joy. He lost fellowship with God. He knew he wasn't going to slip into hell.

But he knew that sin separated him from God. He knew he was a child of God.

So that's what sin does. It severs our relationship with God. You can still be a child of God.

You just don't have that assurance. You see what I'm saying? Now there's a lot of people out there,

I want to say this at the forefront. There's a lot of people that's never been there in the first place. That never has been born again in the first place.

They play religious. They play religion. They play church. They call Jesus Lord.

They can come in and sing the hymns. They can go through the emotions. But they do not have the seed of faith in them.

They're not growing in grace and the knowledge of God. They're not growing and having the fruits of righteousness and holiness.

But this is to the believer. Now those are the people that really need to come to the foot of the cross and stop playing church, repent of being religious, and repent, be converted, and believe the gospel.

They need to be born again, right? Those are the professors that a lot of people profess or they possess.

One of the two. But this is to the real believer that possesses.

And a lot of times, I don't know about you, I struggle with the assurance of my salvation. I want to be honest about it.

And what makes that struggle very real and apparent is the sin.

As David was praying, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. A lot of times that joy and that peace seems to be out there because the sin

I am fighting with and the sin that I've chosen to fall into at times has severed that relationship, that fellowship.

So that's what really Peter is going after here. And notice in verse 10 and 11.

Hear the word of the living God. Therefore, brethren... Notice what he says, brethren.

He's speaking to God's people. Be even more diligent to make your call and election sure.

For if you do these things, you will never stumble. Verse 11.

For so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly in the everlasting kingdom of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let's have a word of prayer. May God richly bless His words to our hearts this morning.

Our Father and our God, Lord, we thank You for this wonderful privilege that we have to open up Your Word this morning.

And Lord, we just pray that it thus says the Lord speaks. Not the opinion of this preacher, but Your opinion.

What thus says the Lord says. And Lord, we're so thankful that we have Your Word. It is eternal and it will never pass away.

We acknowledge, Lord, that each and every one of us today, we confess to You that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

And as we turn to the Bible now, to the truth, the very truth that guides and directs us into eternal life, we would ask help.

Because we need it, Lord. We need help of Your blessed Holy Spirit because without the Holy Spirit, we will not see the truth.

He is the Spirit of truth. He is that truth that sanctifies us wholly as we sung about.

So Lord, help us that we may be useful for Your kingdom in this depraved world for Your glory.

And our cry today, Lord, is may we see Jesus high and lifted up. That's our prayer this morning,

Lord. Transform us more and more into His beauty and His likeness. And we ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus.

Amen. Amen. But this is no doubt a clear command that's found in verse 10.

A command. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure.

This is the very target that the Apostle Peter has been aiming at from verses 5 to 9.

This is what he's aiming at right here. This is the target. This is the bullseye.

In verse 5, he begins by saying, but also for this very reason, giving all diligence.

That is, he's making, he says, give a maximum effort.

Maximize your effort. Give every ounce to it, to this truth.

The Christian life is not lived to the honor of God without effort.

It takes work. And we're not talking about work salvation here. We're talking about working it out in sanctification.

And as we looked at last, previous Lord's Days, he's specifically speaking about sanctification that comes out from salvation, not the other way around.

Even though God has poured His divine power into the believer, verse 3, as His divine power has given us to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him.

It's through the knowledge of God, through the knowledge of Christ. Notice what he said. Who called us by glory and virtue.

That word virtue means goodness. The Christian himself is required to make every disciplined effort alongside of what

God has already accomplished in him and in us. We do not need to be clouded on that issue.

Sanctification is always the evidence. Sanctification is the obedience. Sanctification is the righteous living.

And that's the only way, that's the only evidence of a holy life that we know that we've been justified.

Because in justification it's by faith alone, by Christ alone. It is in heaven where it's not seen.

But we do know by faith that God has acquitted us and accounted us for righteousness. But this is lived out in a sanctified life.

This is a battle. It's a very real battle. Actually, if you know how real it is, just read Romans chapter 7.

It's very real. It was very real to the apostle Paul and he speaks about that. Apostle Paul also mentioned in Philippians chapter 2 verse 12 and 13.

I quoted it last week, but I believe it bears repeating. He says,

Therefore, my beloved. Now again, notice what he says. Who's the beloved of God? Those that are loved of God.

Those whom God has chosen. The beloved. Beloved of God.

They are God's people. As you have always obeyed. Now he's talking about obedience.

Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. Work out.

There it is. He's worked something in us. Now you've got to work it out. God has done it all, did it all on the cross.

God accomplished everything. Now you must cooperate in this. Now we're not talking about cooperation and salvation.

We're talking about cooperation with God in sanctification. So many get mixed up on this.

Especially, like I said, I'll name a few. The Catholics. A lot of the

Church of Christ, and I can name many, many more. And it's Armenian theology, and it's actually putting man's works before God's works.

God works first. He's the beginner, He's the Alpha, He's the Omega. He who began us will perform that which is good to the very end.

And He promises that. Paul says this, You work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Oh, I tell you we need to hear more of this. We don't hear enough of this. Brother Keith talked about that this morning.

And then he goes on to say, You work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is

God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

For His good pleasure. That Greek verb rendered, work out, means to continually.

I believe that's a strong word. But it's a good word. Because Jesus used this word a lot.

He talked about abide, continue in my word. He says, If you abide and continue in my word, depends on the translation, but it means continue.

Then you are my true disciples. You are my disciples indeed. You see how

Jesus, He is the one that taught perseverance. Now Calvin didn't come up with it. Jesus is the one.

So the Greek verb work out means to continually work to bring something that is to its fulfillment or its completion.

That is so important. Now we're going to look at this. And this does not, again, refer to salvation by works, works, salvation.

It does refer to the believer's responsibility, though, in which we do have for active pursuit of holiness and obedience to the will of God in the process of our personal sanctification.

This is where the rubber really meets the road in the Christian life. That's why this section is so critical.

And I'd like to take several parts and break it down by God's help. We're just going to go to God's word.

The word of God is sufficient, isn't it? And it tells us exactly what to do. Now this is done with an attitude of fear and trembling.

To work out our own salvation with fear and trembling in the presence of God. And this involves a healthy fear of God before His face in private, in the secret place, in a righteous awe, in a holy respect.

We just don't see this. But this is the way the real Christian is to live. Isaiah 66, 1 and 2.

Brother Keith loves this text, and I'm sure everybody else here in Isaiah. I know Miss Lily and Sister Linda and everyone else here loves

Isaiah. Don't we love Isaiah? Isaiah 66, 1 and 2.

I've got to quote this. Thus says the Lord, Heaven is my throne, Earth is my footstool.

The question comes, where is the house that you will build for me?

Where is the house that you will build for me? God answers

His own question. Isn't that wonderful? Man doesn't answer that.

God does. God gives the question, God answers the question. He says this, and He's speaking about all those things

My hand has made and all those things exist, says the

Lord. But on this one I will look, on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, that means broken, and who trembles at My word, trembles at the word of God.

That's the attitude. We come before God with fear and trembling, and looking,

God's looking for that in heart, not just in mind, in heart.

Why do we know that? Because He's talking about poor in spirit? What does that remind you of? Jesus? He's talking about a brokenness, a tender, a meek, a deep, humble life of brokenness.

Jesus said it. It was the very first Beatitude that He spoke when He started preaching the

Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 3. It's at the very foundation of everything

He is about to preach. Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Now let's stop right there. That is opposite. That is diametrically opposed to self -sufficiency.

That I do something to the kingdom. I do something. No, Jesus is saying, man, you must come in poor in spirit first, broken, in deep humility, not self -sufficient, but as a child with no credentials.

You come, basically to the foot of the cross, not pleading any of your or my righteousness, but pleading for God and God alone to have mercy.

And that's what this is. And this is the attitude that would come. And then He says, the promise for theirs is the kingdom of God.

There you have it. God's kingdom. And Peter, notice what he says in the latter part of verse 11.

An entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

How are we going to get into the kingdom of God? We must come poor in spirit. That's bedrock.

That's foundational. So it comes in deep humility. That means that we come with our utter spiritual bankruptcy apart from God.

We are bankrupt. How we need to see this and how we need this in the church today that we would come and bow in reverence before God and be bankrupt.

So Peter says in verse 5, underscore this, giving all diligence.

Now I quoted it in verse 5, giving all diligence. Now he says, in verse 5, and then he throws in verse 10, he says, but be even more diligent.

Now that's interesting, isn't it? Give all diligence. I think that's pretty critical. And now he even says, be even more diligent.

It's almost like a step up. Even if you look at the translation of verse 5, giving all diligence,

I think that means something. All diligence means I must pay careful attention, give everything

I have to this truth. And he gives us the truth, those virtues, those seven graces in which we looked at.

But now he comes to this part at the other end of after he gives the virtues, therefore, brethren, be even more diligent.

That word more adds another level to it. Wow. To make your call and election sure.

To make your call and election sure. Now a believer's calling in God and salvation is the effectual call here.

There are some commentators that disagree with that, but I really believe he's talking about the effectual call.

In other words, God's call. We looked at that, didn't we? There's a general call and there's an effectual call.

The general call is the external call as we plead with sinners to come to Jesus Christ.

That's the call of the gospel. Whosoever will. But this call effectually means it's those who he has chosen and appointed into eternal life.

And I want to prove this to you from the word of God. This is exactly the context he's speaking of.

A believer's calling is God's effectual. It's God's doing. It's God alone that does it.

It's God alone that draws them to salvation. Jesus even said that no one can come to God unless the

Spirit draws them. Now, Peter alludes to this calling earlier in the same chapter when he speaks of God who called us by glory and virtue.

In other words, by glory and goodness. And to simply state it, it's really a simple truth, but it's a profound truth, isn't it?

And I'm going to tell you, this is the truth. The sovereign election, the doctrine of election, it's the one doctrine that people hate the most.

I have seen this in my own personal life, folks. I have seen religious people that's homeschooled.

I've seen one family after another leave the church because of this one doctrine.

Not because of Calvin, not because of me, but because what

God says. In other words, you have nothing to do with this. It strips people of their pride.

And I'm telling you, rightly so. Amen? And people get mad about it.

And then they start looking for reasons. I don't want to listen to this. This man is hyper -Calvinist.

They say those terms. He's trying to say I had no part in this salvation. No, you don't.

In other words, they get confused with the whosoever. The Bible says whosoever. Yes, the Bible does say. But they're confused about the general call and the effectual call.

If they studied the Bible, they would see it. And not only that, the

Holy Spirit would show it to them if they're a true child of God. But it lets me know that if they don't see it,

I question that they're even in the kingdom of God. I really do. Because salvation is all of the

Lord. I tell you, if people don't...

When we get into heaven, we're not going to say... I think Washer alluded to this.

When we get to heaven, 99 .9 % salvation was of the Lord. And that 0 .1%,

I had a little to do with it. No. 100 %

God. 0 % of us.

He purchased it. The Father planned it. Jesus purchased it.

And the Holy Spirit preserves it. I'm telling you.

If people are against that, that's their problem with God. They're going to have to answer one day.

But I'm going to tell people what the Word of God... And I know you're with me. Salvation is of the

Lord. It's simply stated right here. This is the doctrine of election.

I'm going to give you some verses. And I know you're going to praise God for this and you're going to follow me right with it. To be saved before time began.

Now this is amazing. And this is what the Bible says. Before the world was even created,

God had elected us. This is the doctrine of election.

Predestination. That destination is predetermined by God. That is taught clearly throughout the

Bible. Let me give you a few verses. You can write these down. You may know them by mind and heart. And I'm sure you do. John 17.

Jesus is praying. I'm going to go directly to Jesus' prayer. Because He's the Master.

And He's the one that basically has purchased the salvation.

The Father planned it. But notice in verse 2 of chapter 17. He says,

As have given Him all authority over all flesh. And He's praying to the

Father that He should give eternal life to as many as you have given

Him. You see that? To as many as you have given

Him. What He's saying is, The Father has appointed and chosen them before the foundation of the world.

And the Father gives them to the Son. This actually, what

He's doing, He begins to pray for His disciples. Those are the ones whom God has appointed. And then

Jesus said, Later you see in chapter 17, It's set for the

Son a perdition. He did not inherit eternal life. He was chosen, but for the purpose of being the vessel to betray the

Lord. In order for Jesus to get to the cross. Jesus already knew this.

He knew at the Last Supper who would betray Him. It's not like He had to guess it.

He knew it. He knew this in eternity past. It's incredible.

But it had to be allowed for Him to go to the cross. Well, He says,

Jesus basically teaches here, Predestination. Perseverance of the saints. A clear reference to God's choosing of those who come to Jesus Christ.

Believes Him as another one in John 15 -16. Look at John 15 -16.

I love this, don't you? He tells His disciples, You did not choose me, but I chose you.

That is so clear. I'm thinking people, that come against this.

You didn't do the choosing, God does the choosing. You did not choose me, but I chose you.

Notice what He says, I appointed you. Then it's appointed. He appointed you.

What's the appointment? Now notice the choosing is in eternity past. Then He says, I appointed you, you should go forth and bear fruit.

That your fruit should remain. I love that. That's perseverance of the saints.

Your fruit should remain. That whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it you.

And that's not talking about material things either. I've heard a lot of preachers in prosperity gospel take that as material things.

It's far deeper than that. That's talking about the riches of heaven. That's talking about the will of God.

That's talking about God giving you grace and wisdom through persecution. And those kind of things.

To know Him. Amen. Acts 13 .48 is a major scripture, folks.

Go to Acts 13 .48, you know it. One of the main scriptures, I think, the clearest statements that we can read in the

Word of God on the sovereignty of God and salvation. That is God choosing man for salvation.

Not the opposite. Notice what it says. Now when the Gentiles heard this.

Let me stop right there. Now what did they hear? What did they hear? They heard the

Word of God. They heard the gospel preached. Remember what

Paul says? Faith comes by hearing. Hearing by the Word of God. The Word must go forth.

God uses a means to an end. Verse 47. For so the

Lord has commanded. This is what they heard. Commanded us. I have sent you as a light to the

Gentiles. Who's he talking about? You. Israel. The gospel first came to the

Jew first. To Israel. Because Israel was chosen of God to be a light to the

Gentiles. But Israel failed. They rejected Jesus. They rejected the

Messiah. But yet through the rejection Paul talks about this in Romans 9, 10 and 11.

And how God sovereignly works His will through all this. Through Israel's rejection crucified the

Son of Glory. The righteous one Jesus Christ. But through that the gospel goes to the

Gentiles. That was God's intention from the beginning. But He says here.

A light to the Gentiles. That you should be for the salvation. Listen, there it is. The Gentiles was hearing this.

God allowed them to get it. A salvation to the ends of the earth.

That you should be for the salvation to the ends of the earth. And they understood it. It was the Holy Spirit that gave them understanding.

The Gentiles heard this. The Word of God says they were glad. And what did they do? They glorified the

Word of the Lord. Oh the churches today would glorify the Word of the Lord. Then we would say revival.

And as many as been appointed listen to this to eternal life believed.

There it is. To many as appointed to eternal life. How do you know that you're chosen of God?

How do you know you've been elected of God? You believe the gospel. That's that simple. But I'm telling you, people get so clouded up and they get over here and this doctrine and this doctrine and then confusion is thrown in.

That's something Satan would love to do. But it's so crystal clear. Appointed to as many as been appointed to eternal life believed.

Now, go with me to Romans chapter 8. Romans 8.

We looked a little bit at Romans 8 last week. Romans 8, oh my goodness. Study Romans 6.

Study Romans 7. Study Romans. Look, study the whole book of Romans day by day. And it will take you to the heights of heaven.

And then help you in your walk with the Lord. I can promise you that. Notice Romans 8.

What he says here in verse 29 through 30. A lot of people has memorized

Romans 8 .28 which rightly so. But we know that all things work together for good to those who love

God. To those who are the called. There it is. The called. According to His purpose.

Well, what's His purpose? Verse 29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover, whom He predestined. He marked out. He called. He chose before eternity passed.

These He also called. See, the election. Notice Peter knows exactly

Paul. And they're right in sync with one another. Why? Because of the Holy Spirit. Because their calling and election is right together.

You cannot separate the two. He predestined these. He also called.

Whom He called. These He also justified. This is a surety, folks. And whom

He justified. These also He glorified. And then

He goes into the wonderful doctrine of just praising God for the love of God. For what then shall we say to these things?

What things? What He just said. If God is for us, who can be against us? If God is on your side, who could dare be against you?

I tell you, that would make you shout. He who did not spare His own

Son. Oh. Doesn't that melt your heart? He who did not spare

His own Son but delivered Him up for us all. And how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died. And furthermore is also risen.

Who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

I heard, I had a guy from the Church of Christ one time. He said, he said, I got that answer. I said, what's that answer?

He said, yourself. I said, I don't see that in Scripture. I don't see that in the

Word of God. I said, that's your opinion, friend. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

I don't see yourself right after that, do you? He said, and he lists all things, shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword.

In other words, being martyred. As it is written, for your sake we were killed all the day long.

We were counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet, in all these things we are more than conquerors.

He's just not a conqueror. You're more than a conqueror. You're more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Tell me about the love of Christ. For I'm persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created things, shall, here's the answer, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our

Lord. Nothing, in other words, will separate us. Your salvation is eternal and it is secure, folks.

The problem with our assurance is it's us. Because of the sin, the disobedience we fall into, and then

God brings the rod out, and He lovingly puts a strike to our backside, and He brings us back to where we should be.

We just come out of fellowship. We don't lose our salvation. There's so many people that twist that, too.

But you cannot lose the salvation when you really have salvation. Now, again, there's a lot of people out there that need salvation that don't have it.

But we're talking about God's people. Well, there's so many verses. I'll quote this one real quick.

Colossians 3 .12 Therefore, as the elect of God, the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.

1 Thessalonians 1 .4 Knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. Election, election.

2 Timothy 2 .10 Therefore, I endear all things. Paul the apostle. Listen to what he says.

I endear all things. He's talking about all the persecutions, the chains, and all the torments for the gospel's sake.

But not only for the gospel's sake, for the sake of the elect. He endeared all these things for the sake of the church.

See, he knew this is the church in which Christ is building. This is the church in which God has appointed in eternity past the chosen ones that also they may obtain or receive salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

That's what he suffered for. So, many scriptures that confirm this great truth of election.

Now, it's very clear from the word of God that salvation is of the Lord. God the Father, like I said earlier, planned it.

God the Son purchased it. God the Holy Spirit preserves it. It's the triune God.

We worship a triune God. As Elizabeth was teaching in the catechism about the

Trinity, I had to say something there. Can I say something? I sometimes do that.

I know I shouldn't. But I'm in the house and I said, children, now,

I'm going to tell you something. Don't try to understand that. Don't try to understand it.

They didn't say they would try to. But honestly, our problem is when we get more information and facts and stuff, we get all confused.

Children just receive it. I really didn't have to say that, did

I, Liz? So, they looked at me and said, okay. But the triune

God, isn't that wonderful? One God and three persons. The Father, the

Son, and the Holy Spirit. Yeah, it's a mystery. But I thank God it's a mystery. No one can figure God out. If someone can figure

God out, they're far from a million miles from the truth. Well, aren't you glad we worship a triune

God? It's the work of the triune God in salvation, as it was in creation.

The triune God was all together. Let us make man in our own image.

Us. It is God. So, God is the one who calls.

There's so many more scriptures, by the way, on that. So, we've got to move on. You cannot separate the calling and the election.

The two are inseparable. Therefore, the believer's calling and election are already sure. And this is from God's viewpoint.

And again, this is something encouraging. It should encourage you and myself. From God's viewpoint, election, sure.

Again, we struggle with this so often because of our remaining sin. I really believe that is the bedrock of our struggle and assurance.

From eternity's point of view and God's point of view in heaven, it's a sure thing. But the command, then,

Peter says, for believers to be even more diligent to make their calling and election, sure, refers to the believer's point of view.

Our point of view. Christian struggles, again. And again,

I'm talking about the true believer, not the false pretenders. And the reason for our struggle is, again, the sin problem.

We've got a sin problem. We're going to struggle with this sin problem, by the way, until we reach home. We talked about that last week, didn't we?

There's no eradication of this sin. I wished it was. I really did. But it's not that way.

And the reason why it's not that way, we have the remaining sin. If we did not have that, if sin was eradicated, folks, we would be glorified.

You see what I'm saying? Glorification would come. But that glorification isn't going to come until we enter into the presence of God, His manifest presence in heaven.

Until then, we struggle with sin. We fight sin. And that's what he's saying. You even make this more diligent.

Sin has clouded our assurance, folks. And it clouds us. It wounds our assurance. Every time we sin, we wound our assurance.

You know, Brother Ben read it this morning from Numbers. Notice what it said? They sinned against the Lord. And it aroused the fierce anger of the

Lord. God allowed them to go in circles for 40 years to teach them, to discipline them.

And by the way, He judged a lot of them. Sometimes if you notice, He opened up the ground. The ground swallowed them up.

That's some fierce discipline. But they did not enter into the promised land and enter into God's rest as Hebrews speaks of because of their unbelief.

Unbelief strikes a blow to the assurance of our salvation. Christians may not always have this assurance of salvation, by the way, but according to the

Word of God, our security is in the Holy Spirit. He is that guarantee.

He reveals that salvation is forever, doesn't He? Assurance is the one confidence in God that he or she possesses eternal salvation.

I wrote that down because it is so important because the Holy Spirit is that guarantee.

Again, the evidence of salvation is our fruit. That fruit is found, if you go back to 2

Peter, of what we looked at. These things, the knowledge, that's right, let me back up, add to your faith.

Faith is foundational. Virtue. To virtue, knowledge. To knowledge, self -control. To self -control, perseverance. To perseverance, godliness.

To godliness, brotherly kindness. To brotherly kindness, love. And then

He says in verse 8, If these things are yours and abound, you will neither be barren. In other words, you will not be useless like dead fruit, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our

Lord Jesus Christ. And he who lacks these things is short -sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten, there it is, he's forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Now, this also brings something else to my attention. Peter is saying, you may even be more diligent to make your call and election sure.

There's the surety there. So God desires us to have that surety and salvation.

And the best way to do this is to pursue these graces. That's why we took a little time on this, because these seven graces, these seven virtues are so critical.

Because it's our evidence of a holy life. It's our evidence that is built upon the foundation of faith, not the other way around.

Again, people teach this, that you do these things, you will somehow earn your way to heaven.

It's not that way. You have faith and salvation. Faith alone is a gift from God, right?

And each and every one of God's people is given a measure of faith. And by that measure, we build upon it with this.

It's like a fruit tree. Those fruits just pop up. And they grow, and it doesn't happen overnight.

You notice if you plant a fruit tree, it doesn't grow overnight, does it? Oh, you'd love to have fruit, but we've got a few blueberry bushes, and it took years and years to get blueberries from that.

Now it's a nice little crop that comes up every year, depending on the rain, and what the

Lord gives through sunshine and rain to make it grow. But the fruit comes, and it ripens, but it didn't happen overnight, does it?

It's the same with the Christian life. It's not automatic, and it's not going to happen overnight. It takes time.

It takes cultivation. It takes a lot of sunshine, and it takes a lot of rain. Sunshine and rain add to your faith.

All these things. We're talking about living faith, not dead faith. Faith that works.

Now if faith is dead, it's not alive. The faith that God gives is alive, and it's active, and it produces fruit.

In other words, faith grows. Faith obeys. Faith obeys the commandments of God.

And that's verses 5 through 9, basically. So these qualities is these things. Peter says,

For if you do these things, you will never stumble. And it's promised an entrance, and be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Again, on the surface, it looks like it seems to affirm that one's salvation depends on having these qualities listed, but it's not so.

But on closer look at this, we see the context and the text and the true meaning of what

Peter is actually addressing to those that are foundational. Faith is foundational.

Now let me bring something out here. Peter presumes that some of those did not demonstrate these qualities, had in fact been saved.

And if you notice this, whoever does not have them is short -sighted into blindness.

And what have they done? They have forgotten that they were cleansed from their old sins.

Now I like this, because he's going back to the foundation where Jesus first washed us and cleansed us.

He's cleansed us from our past old sins. A person could grow in goodness, knowledge, etc.

But if he or she doesn't possess the qualities in increasing measure of these things, which are yours, he said, you will neither be barren nor useless nor unfruitful in the knowledge of it.

But in the same doing so, the Scripture says, if these are yours, in other words, they are fruit -bearing, this is what the

Christian looks like. And it's very important, because it's the virtue, the knowledge, the self -control, the perseverance.

The perseverance to godliness, godliness, god -like living, brotherly kindness, brotherly kindness, and agape love.

You take these things, you could take the Christian life apart. That's the way the Christian looks in beauty.

Every day that we live. Now, let's look at the meat of this message.

What is he saying? Let's look at this. We look at...

Let me find my place here. Peter's previous epistle.

Let's look. These are yours. God is saying in a command with the context of what

Peter is saying and he's speaking through Peter by the Holy Spirit. In verse 3, look at verse 3, the reader's godly life is somehow being threatened.

Notice that. How do we know this? Well, by the circumstances we know from Peter's previous epistle, if you go back to 1

Peter 1 .6, it says this, and this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while it needs be you have been grieved or distressed by various trials.

So, not only sin hurts and wounds our assurance, the circumstances that we come up against wounds our assurance, doesn't it?

And this is what he's saying. I really believe this because as I was studying this, I was trying to go back to 1

Peter as well, and I said, what's he saying as a whole here? The apostle Peter is therefore providing reassurance that they have all resources they need to persevere, to continue within the knowledge of God on the one who called them.

So, he addresses the persecuted church and he's addressing these people in a different way.

First from the outside, the outside persecution. Now he goes to the inside, but what he's saying is he's exhorting them, suffering

Christians, that you have an inheritance that's incorruptible, undefiled, that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

Did you get that? It's reserved. It is already there. It's reserved for you.

It's imperishable. Nothing can happen to it. God is keeping it. And by the way, he goes on to say in the previous verse, who are kept by the power of God.

You and I are kept. Isn't it wonderful? God keeps us. We are in the very palm of his hand.

And by the way, Jesus says you're in God's palm and you're in my palm. That shows you he and the

Father is one. No one can snatch you out of the Father's hand. Isn't that great?

That's a sealer. You are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

What's he talking about? When it's going to be evident, when you step into glory, it's there.

It's the last time for you. It will be revealed to you right there. But until then, we battle, as Brother Keith said this morning, against the flesh, the devil and the world.

But we have the Father and the Son and the Spirit which is far greater than the flesh and the world and the devil.

Hallelujah. 2 Peter, he says, adds that God's glory and virtue entails the very great precious promises through which the readers may be partakers of the divine nature.

Then he says, having escaped the corruption. What's that corruption? The depravity. Don't we live in a depraved world?

We saw a little illustration of it yesterday. Folks, people out in public, literally half nude, children around, and these were men with men, women with women, and saying it should be approved.

We are equal. We are to be part, this is supposed to be normal, and God rained down fire and brimstone from heaven because of this.

They're not ashamed of it. Yes, we're to give them the love of Jesus, but they first must behear the law of God that they have transgressed against the law of God.

God's angry with the wicked every day. And by the way, we tell that in love, don't we? We should tell it in brokenness.

But we saw a little illustration of that depravity, didn't we? This is a corrupt world, is it not?

Peter says, you have escaped this, that is the world through lust. You no longer are like the

Gentiles. God has lavishly loved us. Undeserving sinners, we could have been right along with them unless it was for the grace of God.

That's another way to look at it. Unless it was for the grace of God, we'd be out there reveling in that witchcraft and adulterers and all the flesh corruption right along with them.

But God preserved us. God graciously snatched us out. And now, as He snatched us out and redeemed us and washed us to make us holy, we go right back into the world.

Lord, keep us holy. Grace us so we can go tell the message to these people.

Lord, keep us. Actually, it is God's goal to produce a holy people, is it not?

That's God's goal and that should be our goal to be holy as He's holy. That's the command.

If you look at 2 Peter 5 -7, the virtues, that's the virtues that should stand out.

You know, J .C. Rowles says, Make Christ as beautiful as you can. This is how we make Christ beautiful right here.

Virtue. Virtue. Knowledge. Knowledge. Self -control. Self -control. Perseverance.

To perseverance, godliness. Godliness. Brotherly kindness. And brotherly kindness. Love. That makes

Christ beautiful. Well, it's clear that Peter presumes this to his readers.

Exercising his faith. Living faith. And these same virtues allow believers to participate in the divine nature by the

Holy Spirit. To distinguish themselves as holy people. That's what it's all about.

Be holy as I'm holy. You're God's people, right? It's almost like these people we saw yesterday, they have an identity crisis.

Makes me wonder that the church has an identity crisis. We don't know that we're holy. Amen. That is the problem.

In the epistle of James. James says this. James chapter 2. Listen to this. In 22 and 23.

Do you see that faith was working together with his works? Talking about Abraham. When he offered up Isaac.

And by works, faith was made perfect. Now, he's not talking about works salvation.

He's talking about that faith grew. Remember, Abraham, when God first called him out, he had to grow.

He lied at times. He was not trusting God at times. He didn't trust

God. He got an Ishmael. And we still got problems.

A Hagar, I mean. And got an Ishmael out of it. Of the flesh.

Verse 23. And the scripture was fulfilled. Listen to this. And James, that's his point. The scripture was fulfilled.

It says Abraham believed God. And it was accounted or credit to him for righteousness.

And he was called the friend of God. But that faith grew in a period of time.

And eventually he was tested. And he passed the test. And he came to the point that he believed.

He did not stagger at the promises of God. And he offered up his son Isaac. And God provided a ram.

And then later on, God provided the lamb. Hallelujah. But notice, works.

When it talks about works, faith was made perfect. That means complete. And I think of a fruit tree.

Has not arrived at its goal of completion until it bears fruit. And that's what the scripture is saying.

Faith has not reached its end until it demonstrates itself in a righteous holy life. That's how it grows.

So this is maturity. It matures. Maturity. And you notice the mature Christian comes to a point where he's not stressing.

He trusted the Lord. Doesn't mean he's perfect now, of course. But he's to the point where he's resting in the

Lord. He's grown in the Lord throughout the years. And by the way, a lot of the afflictions and sufferings just polish that.

And help us to trust in God. That's why David says it's good that the Lord afflicted me.

Because he knew it provided something. There was pruning and so forth.

Now let's go to verse 8. Here he mentions the fruitful knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He says in verse 3, His divine power has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue and goodness.

Now this enables the believer to display God's character effectively. This comes to maintaining and abiding in the vine and the relationship of Jesus Christ.

And Jesus speaks about this in John 15. Abide in the vine. That vine is not going to have any life unless it abides in the vine.

The branches I mean. So the qualities are present.

And we must not forget them. He that has forgotten is really useless.

But not only useless. He's left his first love. Go with me to Revelation.

The loveless church. Ephesus. There's many things

Jesus commended them of. Notice verse 1. The angel of the church of Ephesus writes these things. He who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.

I know your works. He says I know your works. Jesus knows our works too. Your labor.

Your patience. That you cannot bear those who are evil. In other words they had discernment. They hated what

God hates. He says you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them liars.

And they had great discernment. Isn't it wonderful? Jesus has commended them for it.

You have preserved and have patience and have labored for my namesake and have not become weary.

You have not become weary in well doing. You have patience and preserved and you labor for my namesake.

You work. But get this. Their work became so heavy they forgot something. Nevertheless, I have this against you.

That you have left your first love. Jesus is calling them back to the first priority is our first love with Jesus.

Even though he commends them for the works and the labor and not growing weary. They have discernment. They hate what

God hates. And love what God loves. But they have forgotten the lover. They have forgotten.

Notice what he says. He says you have forgotten. And he says verse 5.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen. Go back and repent.

And do. That is not earning our salvation. That is sanctification.

Do the first works. In other words, return back to the lover of your soul,

Jesus Christ. Like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. Drawing from his love and that relationship.

That is why there is no power in the church today. And this speaks about myself too. Because in order to have that power.

We first must draw that power from the love of God. And love our

Lord. Do your first works or else I will come to you quickly. And remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent.

You see how important repentance is? We need to hear this.

The church needs to hear this today. But this you have. That you hate the deeds of the

Nicolaitans. Which I also hate. And he commends them again. But that one thing.

That one thing is so important. They were known as the loveless church.

Even though they were discerning and they hated evil. And they loved the truth. But they forgot Jesus. They didn't spend time with Jesus.

They didn't spend time underneath the shadow of his wings. And love him with all their hearts.

Who has an ear, he says. Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to him.

Eat of the tree of life. Which is in the midst of the paradise of God. What a glorious thing. Now.

I got to move on here. And I got to come to a conclusion. There's so much more we can speak about this.

I'm going to pick it up Lord willing. Next Lord's Day. Because my time is about gone. But let me close with this.

In light of all that comes before. We should see the exhortation to make your call and election sure.

That call means in the Greek. It means to shore up. Don't you love that?

Shore it up. Shore it up. Our righteous character are holy as a people of God.

The compound verb here. Translated to make sure. Means in a sense of confidence.

Of something that may not be true. In other words to guarantee or protect something. That it's already true.

The latter meaning is the view here. To shore up. To shore it up.

Then if you go back to the virtues. That's the qualities that show the evidence of a holy life.

And the promise is eternal life. And the kingdom of God.

Now to summarize this. To make one's calling and election sure. We're going to look at more of this. Is to live out the

Christian life by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is obedience to God's word.

Obedience to the faith. And joy in the Holy Ghost. Righteousness.

Beloved it is to do far, far more than come simply worshiping the

Lord with lip service. Amen. It is to love our Lord with all of our hearts.

So will mine. I don't have time to get into it. But Jesus said this in Matthew 13.

I'm sorry. Matthew 15. This whole chapter is so worthy of our attention.

And we'll look at it more next Lord's Day. But look in verse 7. He calls these people hypocrites.

Well did Isaiah prophesy about you saying these people draw near to me with their mouth. And honor me with their lips.

Everything's external. But their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me.

It makes me wonder how many people are in vain worshiping God today. May God save us from this.

In vain they worship me teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. And Jesus goes on saying when he had called the multitude to himself.

He said to them hear and understand. Not what goes into the mouth defiles the man.

But what comes out of the mouth defiles the man. That's powerful. And then his disciples came and said to him.

Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying? He knew it.

And then Jesus said this without batting an eye. He answered and said every plant.

Listen to this. Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted will be uprooted.

Let them alone. This is the most loving Christ. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind.

And if the blind leads the blind they both fall into the ditch. Peter answered and said to him explain this parable to us.

He still didn't get it. Jesus says are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?

And he's got a point to make. He says but those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart.

They defile the man. Because he says from out of the heart.

The heart proceeds the evil thoughts, the murders, the adulterers, the fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

It's the heart. And then he says these are the things which defile a man.

But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man. In other words that's all the Pharisees cared about.

Externalism. We're talking about salvation.

Make your calling and election sure. Go with me to 1 John chapter 5. I'll close with this.

We'll pick it up Lord willing next Lord's day. This is such a rich study is it not?

And it is so important for us. Let me just read to you the word of God.

And I'll close with this. Look at verse 1. I'm going to read through the chapter.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. There you go. Everyone who loves

Him. But God also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God.

When we love God and keep His commandments. See there's the love of God. There's internally.

Then externally we keep His commandments. But this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

And whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world.

Our faith. Who is He who overcomes the world? But He who believes that Jesus is the

Son of God. This is He who came by water and blood. Jesus Christ.

Not only by water. But by water and blood. It is the Spirit who bears witness. Because the

Spirit is truth. There are three that bear witness in heaven. The Father, the

Word and the Holy Spirit. These three are one. There are three that bear witness on earth. The Spirit, the water and the blood.

And these three agree as one. As we receive the witness of men. The witness of God is greater.

It's greater. For this is the witness of God which has testified of His Son. He who believes in the

Son of God. Has the witness of Himself. And he who does not believe. God has made him a liar.

Because he has not believed. The testimony that God has given him of His Son. And this is the testimony.

That God has given us eternal life. And this life is in His Son. See how he narrows it down.

See the believer's assurance. And he who has the Son has life. He who does not have the

Son does not have life. These things I have written unto you. Who believe in the name of the

Son of God. That you may know. That you may know. You have eternal life.

He's talking about assurance. And that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Now this is the confidence. There it is. That we have in Him. That if we ask anything according to His will.

He hears us. And if we know that He hears us. Whatever we ask. We know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

And if anyone sees his brother sinning a sin. Which does not lead to death. He will ask. And He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death.

There is a sin leading to death. And I do not say that he should pray about that.

All unrighteousness is sin. And there is a sin not leading to death. And we know.

There it is again. We know. That whoever is born of God does not sin. He's talking about practice in sin by the way.

But he who has been born of God keeps himself. And the wicked one does not touch him.

He can't touch him. And we know. How many times does he say we know. That we are of God.

And the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know. Again we know.

That the Son of God has come. And has given us an understanding. That we may know

Him. Who is true. And we are in Him. Who is true.

In His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God in eternal life.

And then he closes it. 1 John. Little children. Oh little children.

How compassionate. Listen to that. Little children. Keep yourselves from idols.

Amen. Let's pray. Father we thank You for this time together. And studying Your Word.

Your Word says everything. It gives us the great assurance. But Lord thank You for the Holy Spirit that guarantees it.

Thank You Lord that we can know whom we have believed in. We can know whom we have believed in.

And we thank You for this great assurance. That's only in Jesus Christ our Lord. That we believe in Him.

And out from that believing. Is obeying You. Help us Lord. To obey

You more. To love You more. To love You more. To obey You more. In Jesus name.