2pe 01v10 Make Your
"MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE"
II Peter 1:10
With
the apostle Peter, I solemnly admonish you to give diligence to make your
calling and election sure. Has Christ been revealed in you? Do you know the Son
of God? Do you truly trust Christ alone as your Savior? Is Jesus Christ your
Lord and Master? If you will be honest, you can know whether or not you are
among the few whom God has chosen. You can know your election. Paul told the
Thessalonians plainly that he knew they were God's elect for five reasons (I
Thess. l:4-10). These are certain identifying marks of
God's elect.
1. GOD'S ELECT HEAR AND
RECEIVE THE GOSPEL IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (v. 5). Being taught of
God, they are assumed of Divine truth.
2. GOD'S
ELECT FOLLOW CHRIST (v. 6, compare v. 3) - Like Christ, those who are truly
born of God, believe God, serve God with patience, hope, and love, and walk
before him in the joy of faith. Like their Master, the people of God persevere
in the hour of trial. They follow him.
3. GOD'S ELECT ARE COMMITTED TO CHRIST AND TO
THE GOSPEL OF GRACE (v. 8).
4. GOD'S ELECT REPENT OF THEIR SINS AND TURN TO GOD WITH
A TRUE HEART (v. 9). GOD'S ELECT LIFE IN THIS WORLD AS MEN AND WOMEN OF
EXPECTATION AND HOPE, "WAITING FOR HIS SON" (v. 10). If indeed
you and I are among those who are elect of God, our
hearts should be filled with gratitude, praise, and admiration for him (Rom.