What does Peter mean when he tells us to make our calling and election sure in 2 Peter 1:10?

That "the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" should be unfruitful is a thing contrary to its very nature. The only possible way of its coming about, says the apostle, is by forgetfulness of it. "He that lacketh these things is blind, short-sighted, and hath forgotten his cleansing from his former sins." It is impossible to live in the things without corresponding fruit. It is impossible to be in the sun without reflecting its beams. If we are not reflecting them, we must have got out of them. That is the whole story; and alas for the possibility, which is most evident everywhere in Scripture, for those who have been cleansed and who once were alive to the joy and blessedness of the appreciation of divine love like this, ever forgetting what they have experienced and the price paid for their deliverance; and yet these things steal easily and quietly upon one. It is, indeed, the only possible way. An open assault of the enemy would be resisted by a soul in the joy of a Saviour's love; but that same soul may be gradually weaned from it by the pressure of other things — the call of imagined duties, the necessary occupation with the things of the world, the cares of this life, and the deceitfulness of riches, deceiving, alas, even those who are not possessors of them. The conscience is not alarmed by any open fall. God's mercy may, indeed, allow a fall, in order to wake one up with a start to what is coming upon him; but in how many cases there is nothing that alarms the conscience, nothing that is manifestly evil, — a little forgetfulness of prayer, a little disregard of meditation, a little less time for occupation with the Word, a greater pressure of things, so that the very time that may be used in this way shall be unfruitful, — how steadily and stealthily may the work of decline go on and gray hairs come upon one while he knows it not! The Spirit of God that would minister Christ is grieved, the power is gone out of the life, there is no longer the joy of the Lord which is strength, faith is no more in its proper activity. This is what "short-sightedness" means. Faith is never that. The face turned towards Egypt, there is a famine in one's own land, and then soon the steps are in that direction also, and only the mercy of God can make one realize what it all means. We have, therefore, to use diligence to make our calling and election sure, — not as if they were anything else but sure in themselves, — but to make them a steadfast realization in the soul, a motive to action, a power to devote oneself to the things for which God has called and chosen us: "For if ye do these things," adds the apostle, "ye shall never fall; for so shall entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be richly furnished to you." He is not talking of "entering" into it simply, but of an entrance richly furnished. God would not have us enter there without bringing in with us something acceptable to Him, and something that shall turn to one's own praise from Him.

He speaks next of making our calling and election sure. But is this not sure already? As far as God, who has called and elected us, is concerned, it is sure. To have a consciousness of our calling and election, the sureness of it, requires diligence to walk in the path which the Holy Spirit through the pen of Peter has so beautifully described. Those who walk thus will not stumble, and, finally, "an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

(2 Peter 1:10-11,) "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Here the apostle comes in again with the solemn exhortation, Give diligence," and it is a thing we need, this holy diligence of soul to keep up, with purpose of heart, to the thing the Lord has called us to. Peter again alludes, doubtless, in this verse to the terrible fall he had had himself.

"But," you say, "how can we make our calling and election sure?" Who called us? Our Father. Who chose us? Our Father. But this does not do for other people. Who are you to make your calling and election sure with? with the One who called you? the One who chose you? Not a bit, but to yourself, and to every one who watches you, every one who could say, "You a called person? You do not look a bit like it. You a chosen person? No one would think so." You are to make it manifest to the eyes of every one else that you have been thus called of God. To make our calling and election sure is to be conscious that we are the possessors of eternal life, as John would put it, and to be in the enjoyment thereof. Paul designates it as "laying hold of eternal life" (1 Tim. 6:19). We may make our calling and election sure by doing the "things" of which Peter speaks, and thus shall not fall, as he once, yea twice, did; and an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will be assured.

2 Peter 1:11. That is more than the soul being sustained, and kept of the Lord, though that in itself is a wonderful mercy, for there is many a fall in the history of a child of God, that God and his own heart alone knows of.

To proceed to the cases: Philippians 1:7, τῃ βεβαιώσει καὶ ἀπολογίᾳ. It is evident that Paul is speaking of one single common work which could only be expressed by using both words-confirming and defending: but he had but one object in his mind. So in a passage already quoted, 2 Peter 1:10, βεβαίαν … τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ ἐκλογὴν … ποιεῖσθαι, calling and election are united in the one thing to be secured, in the security they sought. They could not secure one without the other. They formed one object in the apostle's mind in the diligence he recommended. God had chosen; God had called them. Being so chosen and called, they were to have this a settled and not uncertain thing in their minds, through the diligence recommended.

Practical fidelity, then, is urged the more with diligence to make our calling and election sure; "for doing these things" which please God, and are His will concerning us, they are made firm to our enjoyment, instead of being loose and unstable by a careless state; and so one may add, they are to others who look for our ways agreeing with our words. Walking in dependence and obedience we shall never stumble. It is therefore a most humbling thing when one thus trips by the way, and mistakes his own will or the enemy's suggestion for the Lord's guidance. How painfully it is learnt that all knowledge here fails; and that we must be brought to deep self-judgment, and vigilance in looking to and leaning on the Lord that we may follow Him closely. For any one can see a failure, and flesh can censure without measure or heart. Grace alone can purify according to the standard of the sanctuary; but this may be retarded by failure in penetrating to the roots of what misled. And here it is ourselves who are to blame; for there is in Christ and the word all resource to meet the need, yea, so as to strengthen one's brethren also, as Peter himself had to learn, and learnt so well.

(Vv. 10, 11). With this solemn warning, the Apostle exhorts us to give diligence to live this practical life, and thus make our calling and election sure. We keep the consciousness of our election fresh in our souls, while giving no uncertain testimony to the world around. Moreover, thus living, we shall pursue our path without stumbling, and thus have an abundant entrance into “the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”.

In an absolute sense for salvation: 'whom he did predestinate, them he also called: whom he called, them he also justified.' Rom. 8:30; Rom. 11:29. The saints are saints by calling; the apostles were apostles by calling. Rom. 1:1, 7. The Christian is exhorted to use diligence to make his 'calling and election' sure, 2 Peter 1:10, evidently not in the mind of God, but in his own mind.

That is a very important exhortation in 2 Peter 1:10. Whilst it shows that we are elect, yet it lays upon us the responsibility to be diligent as regards the knowledge of the Saviour—to have virtue in our faith, and knowledge in our virtue, etc. We must not rest satisfied simply with being justified and saved, but pursue that which is pleasing to God, since we are HIS by His own calling and election. Thus it is made sure to ourselves consciously.

Some are often perplexed and troubled as to whether they are of the elect even after they have received the gospel which says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” God’s salvation is according to His purpose (2 Tim. 1:9). We must remember that the verse in 2 Peter 1 does not tell us to make the “calling and election” ours, for it is God who elects and calls We make it sure by being diligent.

Another aspect of the present truth is found in verse 10 of our chapter, where Peter exhorts the saints to “give diligence to make” their “calling and election sure.” This was not God’s calling and election of the nation of Israel for earthly blessing, but the calling and choice of individuals for heavenly blessing, and there was to be the evidence of their having been called of God in their lives, and this would be by occupation with the present truth that had been ministered to them in the goodness of God. There was to be fruit in their lives through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But before giving these warnings, which begin with 2 Peter 2, the apostle exhorts Christians to make their own calling and election sure — not evidently in the heart of God, but as a fact in their own hearts, and in practical life, by walking in such a manner as not to stumble; so that testimony to their portion in Christ should be always evident, and an abundant entrance be ministered to them.