More On Security of Salvation - Why Are We Called to Persevere?

Since this topic has still been bouncing around in my head while I ponder it ever so slowly, I wanted to expand on this particular aspect of salvation a little bit more. (Previous post found here.)

I wanted to stick mainly to this verse:

2 Peter 1:10 "Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall."

As a prior comment to verse 10, I would like to highlight a few things:

- Verse one states that we obtain faith of equal standing with the apostles by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

- Verse three states that God's divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.

- Verse four states that God has granted to us (by His own glory and excellence) His precious and very great promises. Through these promises we become partakers in the divine nature. We have escaped the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (Note: we are not "escaping"; we have escaped.)

- Verses five to seven state "for this very reason" i.e., because God has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, we must make every effort (do you see the tension of God's sovereignty and our responsibility?) to supplement things for greater things: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

- Verse eight states that if these qualities are ours, we will not be ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.

- Verse nine states that whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind. It then states that this person has forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. (Note: this could mean either that the Christian has fallen into some grave error, or the "cleansing" was merely external.)

So, there's your precursor.

Then verse ten exhorts us to make our calling and election sure.

This has always interested me, because it is a verse that people will use in defense of the belief that we can lose our salvation. "Why," they might say, "would God command us to work out our salvation unless we in some measure could lose it?"

I think they miss the point of this verse entirely. You see, it's not talking so much about making sure we keep our salvation, but making sure we even have it in the first place. It's calling us to make our calling and election certain - to reveal the truth, whether we are lying both to ourselves and to others about our state, or whether we truly are followers of Christ. I think there are many people who call themselves "Christians" while not truly relying on Jesus for their salvation. Verses like 2 Peter 1:10 are a wake-up call: check yourself!

As to pressing on, we press on for one reason only: because Christ Jesus our Lord has made it possible, by making us His own.

Philippians 3:12 "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own."

Here again there is a point of tension between God's authoritative sovereignty and our undeniable responsibility. We press on, but Jesus has made us His own. These two undeniable truths permeate Scripture.

Were it not for Him, for His power, glory, grace and love, we would not be able to continue in salvation. We would lose it, one hundred times out of one hundred tries. But God is gracious to us; He has paid the price for us, He has adopted us, and He will keep us forever. Praise God!