03/03/20 MAKE IT SURE

03/03/20 MAKE IT SURE

FB reminded me,
Today is ELECTION DAY.
Good reminder.
Make sure of YOUR OWN ELECTION by continuing and growing in God's grace.

MAKE YOUR ELECTION SURE

There is no mystery in what God was saying in 2 Peter 1:10. JUST READ IT, READ IT IN CONTEXT, READ IT IN OBEDIENT FAITH.

2 Peter 1:10
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Peter was writing to saved people, believers, followers of Christ. He tells them to make sure of their calling. He is referring to the call of God to salvation.
God calls us to believe on Christ and to follow Him.
God calls us from sin to righteousness.
God calls us from darkness to light.
God calls us from death to life.
God calls us from Satan's domain of evil, chaos and misery to God's kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.

Some people teach that we are called to forgiveness and a life doomed to sin and and corruption. NOT TRUE.
We are called to forgiveness and a life of faithful obedience.
And remember, if God calls us, He also enables us.

But what about, MAKE YOUR... ELECTION SURE? How do we do that?

Election means "choosing." God has an elect (chosen) people. But Biblical election is not a unilateral, unconditional double election. Let me explain.
UNILATERAL or one sided. God does not choose who will be saved without the cooperation of those He wants to save.
UNCONDITIONAL. God does not save anyone unless they accept his offer of salvation, which includes faith, repentance, confession, following Christ.
DOUBLE ELECTION. The absurd idea that God chose to save some people contrary to their response to God and God also chose to not offer salvation to other people, though they are victims of Adam's sin.
BIBLICAL ELECTION IS GOD choosing those who believe, repent, confess and follow Jesus.
God tells us to make sure of this election.

Look at the context. In 2 Peter 1:3-9 we are told what went into our calling and election. I designate these points with a star (*). This is the groundwork of our calling and election. If your life does not agree with this description of the saved life, then you better re-examine your calling and election, now.

2 Peter 1:3-10
3 According as *his divine power hath *given unto us *all things that *pertain unto *life and *godliness, *through the *knowledge of *him that hath *called us to *glory and *virtue (moral excellence):
4 Whereby are *given unto us *exceeding great and precious promises: that *by these *ye might be partakers of the divine nature, *having escaped the *corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And *beside this, *giving *all diligence, *add *to your faith *virtue; and to virtue *knowledge;
6 And to knowledge *temperance; and to temperance *patience; and to patience *godliness;
7 And to godliness *brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness *charity (pure, sacrificial love).
8 For *if these things *be in you, and *abound, they make you that *ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 *But he that lacketh these things *is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath *forgotten that he was *purged from his old sins.

Then we come to the verse in question.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

OTHER VERSES...

CLEAVE TO THE LORD
Acts 11:23
23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave (stay further, remain, adhere, persevere, abide, continue) unto the Lord.

CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD
Acts 13:43
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

CONTINUE IN THE FAITH
Acts 14:21-22
21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

THOSE WHO CONTINUE IN FAITH WILL BE PRESENTED HOLY, UNBLAMEABLE AND UNREPROVEABLE BEFORE GOD
Colossians 1:21-23
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;