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The Lord's Day Bible Message Outlines

May 23, 2010
Pastor Dana Johnson

"...make your call and election sure." -2 Peter 1:10

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.

1. Review:

a. Call-- The work of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, to enlighten in the knowledge of Christ's redemption, and to influence the will to trust in Christ alone for salvation.

b. Election-- The predetermined selection of specific individuals to salvation, not due to any merit of their own, but due to God's own purposes and free grace.

2. The brethren are instructed to make their call and election sure.

a. It does not mean that the call and election are ultimately dependent on our performance. Salvation is not by works.

b. It is referring to the security of our salvation. That security is in the purpose and power of God.
1 Peter 1:1-5 - Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

c. Instead, it refers to our own personal assurance of God's call and election.

3. A child of God who is struggling with a lack of assurance is described in the following way:
2 Peter 1:9 - For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

a. He is shortsighted.

b. He has forgotten he was cleansed from his old sins.

4. In order to strengthen our own assurance of God's call and election it is our responsibility to add to our faith godly habits of life.
2 Peter 1:5-7 - But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

a. God has given us the faith to get started and everything we need.
2 Peter 1:1-4 - Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

b. These characteristics are the works and the fruit that we know are the result of salvation.
2 Peter 1:8 - For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-10 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Colossians 1:5-6 - Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth.

c. We are instructed to be very diligent about this.
2 Peter 1: 8, 10 - For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 10Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.

5. The believer whose life is filled with the works and fruits of grace:

a. will not stumble into doubt and forgetfulness.
2 Peter 1:10 - Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.

b. will receive an abundant welcome into Christ's kingdom.
2 Peter 1:11 - For so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

(All Scripture quoted is from the New King James Version)