Remember Your Calling

2 Peter 1:5-11

Main Idea: Because of God’s grace, believers must demonstrate and confirm their calling by reflecting Christ’s character in daily living.

1. Your Obligation to His Calling (1:5-9)
   1. The appeal: Be progressing in your faith (1:5-7)!
   2. The aim: Be productive in your faith (1:8-9)!
2. Your Validation of His Calling (1:10-11)
   1. The plea: Be sure of your salvation (1:10)!
   2. The promise: Be steadfast in your salvation (1:10-11)!

In my estimation, one of the most astounding statements Jesus ever made came after a long day of healing and casting out demons among the citizens of Capernaum. The following morning his disciples pleaded with him to give the crowd an encore. And to be sure, there were still many cancers to heal, limbs to repair, and demons to cast out. But in response to their urging, our Lord spoke these words: “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come” (Mark 1:38). Wow! Jesus not only walked away from the opportunity to be hailed as a hero and carried around on everybody’s shoulders, but he seemingly turned his back on some hurting people who hadn’t made it to the front of the line during his previous day’s ministry. Why? Because he knew his calling, and he unapologetically allowed that calling to order his priorities and dictate everything he did.

God wants us to know the calling he’s placed on our lives. And he wants us to let that calling determine how we live. In verses 3-11 Peter appears to use numerous terms to refer to and describe the believer’s calling. The words “faith” (v. 5), “the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 8), “cleansing from his past sins” (v. 9), and “entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 11) all refer to our position of being in right relationship to God through Jesus Christ. But probably the verb “called” (kaleo) in verse 3 and the noun “calling” (kalesis) in verse 10 provide us with the best references to this sovereign work of God in salvation. They frame up this paragraph and remind us that without any help or initiative from us, God has called us to himself in Jesus Christ. Consequently, our lives are to be defined by this gracious calling. So under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter exhorts us on how to steward this glorious calling.

Your Obligation to His Calling

2 Peter 1:5-9

The phrase “skin in the game” has been attributed to the American business magnate Warren Buffett. Supposedly the first fund the great investor and philanthropist ever raised was in the amount of $105,000 that he secured from eleven doctors, but only after he personally invested a token sum of $100. The meager C-note supposedly came to be known as Buffett’s “skin in the game.”

The glorious calling given to believers doesn’t come without responsibility. If we are granted the power of God to embark on a journey of knowing God in order that we might be re-created into the image of God and one day share fully in the nature of God, then Peter says we have some skin in the game. But our “skin” in our calling is not something we invest in order to reap these benefits but an obligation we have as a result of already receiving them. And that obligation is to make sure our calling matures and doesn’t remain stagnant. Peter unpacks this obligation with an appeal for his readers to progress in their faith with the aim of their being productive in their faith.

The Appeal: Be Progressing in Your Faith (1:5-7)!

Peter first issues his appeal to his readers for them to make progress in their calling. Specifically, this plea is to add certain moral traits to the believer’s life as a result of having received God’s call. The NEB translators insightfully capture Peter’s heartbeat by rendering the first part of verse 5 as, “With all this in view, you should try your hardest to supplement your faith.” In view of everything delineated in verses 3-4, believers are obligated to increase in some things that grow out of their call to faith! The believer’s initial faith is merely the foundation on which God intends to build a full-orbed calling to re-creation into his image. And every believer has the responsibility of being a bricklayer in this divine construction project, adding bricks of increasing influence!

Here again we find the beautiful tension in Scripture between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. verses 3-4 radiate with the undeniable declaration that this calling is the work of God alone. But then—with what appears to be striking contrast—verse 5 leaps off the pages of the Bible screaming about the liability we have in doing something with this calling. Oh, that Christians today would become comfortable with resting in this mysterious tension!

Spurgeon is said to have been asked how he reconciled God’s sovereignty with human responsibility. His response: I never try to reconcile friends! And neither should we. One of the many distinguishing factors between us and God is manifested in the numerous passages in the Bible that can only be reconciled in his mind, not ours. Maybe that’s why Peter is pleading with his readers here. He knows that the glory of God’s sovereignty has a tendency to lull his children into passivity. And believers can’t afford to be passive about their stewardship of God’s call.

Peter’s appeal is followed by a list of certain attributes necessary for the believer’s calling to mature. He lists seven of them in verses 5-7. The structure of these verses indicates that each attribute is connected to its predecessor by the verb “supplement” (epichoregeo) found in verse 5. This word indicates generous and costly participation. The idea was drawn from Athenian drama festivals. A rich but generous donor, called the choregos, would help fund a production along with the writer and the state. He would try to outdo other donors by paying the expenses of the chorus, including lavish equipment and training. So the word came to represent generous and costly cooperation (M. Green, 2 Peter, 86).

What an awesome concept! In light of God’s generous and costly calling that he’s given to us in Christ Jesus, we’re compelled to do the same thing in cooperating with him in the work of maturing that calling. And when we do, he gets glory for it because it highlights his work! We would never want to cheapen the gospel by suggesting that it’s anything less than the ultimate expression of God’s generosity and sacrifice. One of the primary ways believers maintain the integrity of this gospel, then, is by generously and sacrificially building on their faith.

Peter suggests that all these attributes are qualities to be added generously and sacrificially to “your faith” (v. 5). As we previously noted, faith is one of many ideas in this paragraph that are synonymous with the believer’s calling. Here it represents the believer’s initial acceptance of the gospel, which is the basis for the entire Christian life. By identifying faith as the root of all the other virtues on the list, Peter illustrates what he’s already said in verse 3: “His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him.” Again, that “knowledge” is the knowledge of Christ, and the believer receives that knowledge by faith (Bauckham, 2 Peter, 185). Peter is providing a list of attributes that grow out of our initial faith in Christ.

So what bricks ought to be laid on the foundation of our faith in Christ? In progressive fashion Peter lists the seven additional qualities of Christian character in verses 5-7. The first five appear to be characteristics that grow out of one’s relationship with God, while the last two represent one’s relationship to his or her fellow man.

Goodness (v. 5). “Supplement your faith with goodness,” Peter writes. He’s talking here about raw goodness, or “moral excellence” as the NASB translates it. Vaughan and Lea say, “By this trait good habits are established, and fleshly desires are dissipated” (1, 2 Peter, 149). Nobody is born good or virtuous (see Rom 3:10-12,23). But believers in Christ can live out his goodness by his grace.

Knowledge (v. 5). Next, Peter makes another deposit in the “knowledge” conversation. Knowledge should be added to goodness. This word is gnosis, which is practical wisdom, distinguishing it from the full and intimate knowledge used in verses 2 and 3. In context it’s the wisdom and discernment that every Christian needs in order to live a virtuous life (Bauckham, 2 Peter, 186).

Self-control (v. 6). This wisdom and discernment is to be followed by “self-control.” To the Greeks this word carried the idea of controlling the passions instead of being controlled by them. But believers understand that controlling passions is only possible as one submits to the control of the indwelling Christ (M. Green, 2 Peter, 88). Peter’s readers needed reminding of this because the false teachers believed that following their own lusts and showing no restraint were signs of maturity (2:2; 3:3).

Endurance (v. 6). Peter’s readers certainly would need this attribute. To self-control they must add “endurance” in order to persevere under the persecution coming their way. Michael M. Green describes this quality as “the temper of mind which is unmoved by difficulty and distress, and which can withstand the two Satanic agencies of opposition from the world without an enticement from the flesh within” (2 Peter, 88).

Godliness (v. 6). To perseverance should be added “godliness,” the piety and devotion to God that is manifested in both right feeling and right behavior toward him. Believers should demonstrate appropriate respect and reverence toward their God, a posture that should then be expressed in relationships he has sanctioned as reflected in the two remaining qualities in verse 7 (Davids, Letters, 181).

Brotherly affection (v. 7). Peter turns his attention now toward the horizontal relationships informed by the first five attributes. To godliness, he says, should be added “brotherly affection.” This affection is one that’s to be shared between brothers and sisters in Christ and is manifested in expressions of things like kindness, generosity, and courtesy.

Love (v. 7). The pinnacle of Peter’s list of attributes for Christian maturity is “love.” This is the agape love that God demonstrated to us and desires us to demonstrate to him and to others. This love has its origin in the agent—God—not in the object—us—which is the case with the other kinds of love described in the New Testament (philia, eros). It desires the highest good for the one being loved and demonstrates itself in sacrificial actions on behalf of that one (Vaughn and Lea, 1, 2 Peter, 150).

Let’s make three particular applications from Peter’s list before moving on. One is a reminder: This list of qualities is driven by the divine nature in verses 3-4. Christians are able to live out this virtuous life not because of our efforts alone but because of Christ’s life within us. As we know him more and more, our love and commitment are expressed through these attributes flowing from what God has done in us through Christ. As believers we must never allow ourselves to begin thinking that godly character is the result of our efforts.

A second application is a challenge: Nurture these qualities in your life. Peter isn’t suggesting that Christians only possess faith at conversion and that they need to add to their faith these other virtues. Remember verse 3? God’s power has already provided us with everything that pertains to life and godliness. And Peter will go on to imply in verse 8 that we already possess all of the qualities he’s just listed (many of which actually are fruits of the Spirit!). The issue isn’t whether the believer has them or not; the issue is that the believer needs to grow in the degree he or she is demonstrating them (Moo, 2 Peter, 47). These qualities are to be ever increasing in their influence in our lives as disciples. So nurture them and turn them loose!

A third application is a caution: Don’t be legalistic and limiting with this list! Outside of the bookend characteristics—faith and love—Peter likely has chosen familiar qualities from the Stoic and philosophical ethics of the Hellenistic world as representative examples of the kind of virtuous life the Christian faith should inspire (Bauckham, 2 Peter, 185). Surely other fruits of the Spirit like joy, peace, and patience (Gal 5:22) are worthy attributes manifested in Christian maturity. So we shouldn’t limit the measurement of our Christian growth by these seven qualities alone. Nor should we think something is amiss in our progress toward Christlikeness if one of these qualities doesn’t follow in the order noted. The point is that authentic faith in Christ ought to ever be progressing in our lives by manifesting attributes like the ones on Peter’s list.

The Aim: Be Productive in Your Faith (1:8-9)!

After his appeal and corresponding attributes, Peter then identifies, in verses 8-9, his aim in wanting believers to be productive in their faith. Notice how this aim is fleshed out with a positive (v. 8) and a negative (v. 9). Contrast the phrase “For if you possess these qualities” at the beginning of verse 8 with “The person who lacks these things” at the beginning of verse 9. It’s one or the other—either you’re progressing in the influence of godly character, or you’re not!

The positive in verse 8 indicates that progressive growth in the influence of godly character will enable the believer to stand strong against impending assaults of false teaching. The condition for such perseverance is described in the clause, “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure” (v. 8). As we’ve already alluded to, Peter assumes his readers possess the attributes listed in verses 5-7. The participle “increasing” (pleonazonta) now adds to the stakes. In this context the word is best understood to mean “abound” or “overflow” (Schreiner, 1 and 2 Peter, 302). The virtues listed in verses 5-7 are not only existent and discernible in a disciple’s life, but they are to be overflowing and progressively more prominent in their demonstration and influence. Individually and collectively they are to escalate as forces with which to be reckoned.

The result of these dynamic and ever-expanding character qualities is that they will “keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 8). The two adjectives—“useless” (argos) and “unfruitful” (akarpos)—are almost synonymous in this context. The difference is that the former describes the faith without works spoken of by James in James 2:20, and the latter represents the failure to do good works as ethical traits spoken of by Paul in Titus 3:14.

Recently I’ve seen a number of athletes on television—after making a good play—cup one of their hands and repeatedly move it toward their mouth as if it were a spoon. The idea they’re trying to convey is, “Keep feeding me the ball, and I’ll keep producing!” By implication, if you don’t give the athlete the ball, then he won’t be able to keep making good plays. In the same way, Peter is suggesting that if we don’t unleash these qualities in our Christian lives, then ineffectiveness and unfruitfulness will be the result.

Both of the negative traits in verse 8 qualify “the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 8), one of the dominant themes of Peter’s letter. Once again the word here is epignosis, referring to that full and intimate knowledge of Christ secured at conversion. The idea is not that having the virtues listed in verses 5-7 leads to a greater knowledge of Christ but that the knowledge of Christ provides everything the believer needs for godly living (Vaughn and Lea, 1, 2 Peter, 152). Repeating the same idea found in verse 3, Peter reiterates that knowing Christ provides everything that’s needed for the believer to live an effective, fruitful life. And a failure to unleash these godly characteristics will produce an impotent knowledge of Christ!

By way of contrast, Peter strengthens his aim in verse 9 by showing the result of disobeying his appeal. He says, “The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted” (v. 9). Most translations place the rare word “nearsighted (myopazo) before the term “blind” and convey the two as parallel terms. However, the language of the New Testament is actually in reverse order—blind and then nearsighted. But that seems strange. How can someone be both blind and nearsighted? The resolution is likely found in the fact that the word nearsighted is a participle that qualifies the state of blindness. So a better reading is that “they are blind, being nearsighted.” An even more colloquial expression would be that these people are “so short-sighted that [they] cannot see” (GNB).

The point is that such a person is focused on his or her present desires (Davids, Letters, 186). He is blind to how the gospel of God’s forgiveness affects everything in his life and instead is engrossed in earthly pursuits. He can’t see the big picture but only what is close at hand. This understanding is consistent with the immorality and earthliness of the false teachers that Peter is soon to describe (M. Green, 2 Peter, 92).

This spiritual blindness is a result of such a person’s having “forgotten the cleansing from his past sins” (v. 9). The Bible frequently uses the idea of “forgetting” to convey not a mental process but a practical failure to take into account something’s true meaning and significance. So there’s an intentionality involved in basically “ignoring” the fact that Christ has died for one’s sins and rendered them forgiven. While many think the phrase “cleansing from his past sins” refers to baptism as the ceremonial expression of this forgiveness, Peter is likely just using the frequent biblical metaphor of “washing” or “cleansing” as a way of portraying the forgiveness of sins (Moo, 2 Peter, 48).

By way of application, there are two ways to look at the condition being described here. One is to see this as a description of the beginning of what eventually manifests itself as apostasy, or a denial of the faith. This is a subject Peter will pursue in more detail in the next chapter (cf. 2:20-22). Moo sees the people being described here as “fake Christians . . . who at least claim to have had their sins forgiven by Christ but who are not now living as if that makes any difference to them” (Moo, 2 Peter, 48). This is a reality for “professing” believers who never grow in Christian virtues, whose lives really don’t look any different than they did before their profession. Their lives have no fruit.

A second way to understand Peter’s description is to hear him describing people who are truly saved but whose sin is clouding their testimony. And no doubt their “gospel amnesia” is also undermining their assurance of salvation. Believers who forget the cross and begin to dabble in the sin that characterized their former lives can never be confident that they were ever cleansed and rescued in the first place. If we don’t see an increasing effect of godly character in our lives, we can’t be sure that we’ve ever truly been saved. “Assurance of salvation is directly related to present spiritual service and obedience, not merely to a past salvation event made dim in the disobedient believer’s memory” (MacArthur, 2 Peter, 44).

We don’t have to know which of these two conditions Peter had it mind. In fact, it’s safe to say that Peter didn’t know. All he knew was that there were some professing Christians who were ineffective and unfruitful when it came to the godly traits he listed in verses 5-7. It’s still that way today. Our faith in Christ was never intended to be limited to our initial conversion experience. Faith was and is intended to mature. Many people have professed faith in Christ for decades, but their faith looks exactly like it did when they first confessed it. So the jury is still out on whether their “calling” (cf. vv. 3,10) is legitimate. That’s why Peter goes on to compel his readers—then and now—to remove any shadow of doubt.

Your Validation of His Calling

2 Peter 1:10-11

Periodically I take my wife to a nice restaurant where they have valet parking. In those situations I usually need to tip the valet for taking care of my car while we’re eating. But I’ve been to other restaurants that share parking spaces with other vendors; and, therefore, they simply “validate” parking instead of providing a valet. In those situations I park my own car but then get my parking ticket validated in the restaurant. When I exit the parking lot after dinner, I don’t have to pay for parking because the restaurant validated the fact that I ate there. The validation isn’t necessary for me to get my food, but it is necessary to prove that I had some!

Paying for parking is one thing, but being sure about whether you’ll spend eternity in heaven or hell is on a whole different level. The stakes are much higher, so God wants us to be sure about this issue. Therefore he inspired Peter to strongly encourage us to nail that down, to “validate” that we are true disciples of Christ and legitimate citizens of his kingdom. He doesn’t ask us to earn our salvation, but he does require that we demonstrate that we have it. That’s what’s happening in verses 10-11, where Peter offers a sobering plea and a stirring promise.

The Plea: Be Sure of Your Salvation (1:10)!

Based on the sobering realities of verses 3-9—God’s gracious provision, our responsibility to bear his fruit, the risk of having to wonder if we’re really saved—Peter pleads for his beloved readers to “make every effort to confirm your calling and election” (v. 10). The imperative make every effort is the main verb in the sentence and speaks of zeal, diligence, and expending energy. Peter has already used it in verse 5, so obviously he is unapologetic in his conviction that believers have some responsibility in their salvation journey. The term indicates making something a high priority by exerting both physical and moral effort (Davids, Letters, 187). And because it’s in the present tense, whatever it is that Peter is talking about is to be an ongoing activity for the believer.

What is that activity? This expenditure of effort is to be offered in relation to one’s “calling and election.” These words obviously are synonymous in concept, both referencing the glorious, gracious, and sovereign work of God in our salvation. God’s salvation is both elective and effective. It’s elective in verses 3-5 of this text—creating faith, resourcing us for the God-life, giving us the divine nature, and freeing us from sin. It’s effective when at some point in history the gospel is preached, we respond, and all of the above are applied to our lives (Schreiner, 1 and 2 Peter, 304). Praise be to his glorious name for his gracious calling and election!

But hold the phone for a moment! Many have erred at this point by settling in on this gracious work of God as if it were the main thrust of these verses. It’s not what God has done that Peter is emphasizing here but what man needs to do! We are to “confirm” (bebaian)—or ratify—our callings as believers in Christ. The verb is in the emphatic position. So Peter is underlining, putting in bold, and highlighting this activity and thus calling attention to its importance. The Christian is responsible for doing this, and it’s of utmost importance.

How do we do this? The context indicates that we ratify our callings by growing in the virtues discussed in verses 5-7. What Peter is describing is the active involvement of the Christian in confirming his or her salvation. As believers, we aren’t assured of our salvation because we pray a prayer, respond to an altar call, go through a class, memorize verses like 1 John 5:13, or even get baptized. We’re assured of our salvation as we progressively grow in our likeness to Christ and in the influence of his character to the culture around us. If that’s not happening, the authenticity of the believer’s salvation is suspect at best. As Bauckham says, “The ethical fruits of Christian faith are objectively necessary for the attainment of final salvation” (Bauckham, 2 Peter, 190).

This truth flies in the face of some believers who attempt to take Reformed theology to a place it was never intended to go. They highlight God’s role in salvation while neglecting—and even ignoring—man’s responsibility. Michael Green is helpful at this point:

Make your calling and election sure is an appeal that goes to the heart of the paradox of election and free will. The New Testament characteristically makes room for both without attempting to resolve the apparent antinomy. So here; election comes from God alone—but man’s behaviour is the proof or disproof of it. Though “good works” (gratuitously read here by some mss) are possible only through the appropriation of God’s gracious aid, they are absolutely necessary, and fairly and squarely our responsibility. . . . Christian calling and Christian living go together. (2 Peter, 93; emphasis original)

Apparently, the false teachers were boasting about their divine calling and election, and they were using that glorious truth as a license to sin with abandon because they claimed to be predestined to righteousness. Many professing believers today toy with this heresy, believing their salvation is secure enough without them progressing in the qualities of Christlikeness. Peter—under the inspiration of the Spirit—emphatically denies such a contradiction in the lives of Christ’s disciples.

So the concern here is nurturing assurance of salvation, not earning it. Peter isn’t suggesting that we must add Christlike qualities in order to be elected. He is suggesting that doing so is the verification of whether we’ve truly been elected. This tension is at the heart of the paradox of election and free will. Our calling and election are secure in the mind of God, but our calling and election are insecure if they aren’t validated by growth in Christ’s character.

Beloved, this is a serious and urgent matter! Peter’s plea must be heard and heeded by church members today. In the language of the New Testament, the infinitive to confirm highlights the necessity of the professing Christian to exercise his or her will to get this done. Nothing is more deceptive than the lie that going through some religious motion or exercise secures eternity and that such an effort excuses stagnant and even rebellious Christian living. At the same time, the true believer whose life isn’t bearing fruit will constantly wrestle with wondering whether he or she is really saved. Only progressive growth in Christlikeness clearly demonstrates genuine salvation that gives assurance to the child of God and brings delight to the heart of God (cf. Phil 2:12-13).

The Promise: Be Steadfast in Your Salvation (1:10-11)!

Peter wants his readers to be sure of their salvation so they won’t cave in under the onslaught of false teaching. He wants them to be steadfast as they face the invasion of error. The last part of verse 10 and all of verse 11 contain a wonderful, twofold promise to the Christians who ratify their calling and election with progressive growth in Christlikeness that leads to confidence in their salvation. The two ideas have to be seen together in order to get the meaning. When Peter says, “Because if you do these things you will never stumble” (v. 10), he no doubt is thinking ahead to his reference to “entry into the eternal kingdom” (v. 11). The stumbling referred to in verse 10 is of a final nature and stands in contrast to receiving entrance into the kingdom. The general idea in this context is that the individual who progressively displays godly virtues won’t stumble and fall on the pathway to God’s kingdom and thus fail to arrive (cf. Jude 24; Bauckham, 2 Peter, 191).

Let’s back up and unpack this truth in more detail. The first part of the promise is that a person who demonstrates what’s described in verses 5-7 will never “stumble” (v. 10). The imagery here is taken from the sure-footedness of a horse. If an individual is making steady progress in manifesting Christian virtues, then his or her life will be the tacit evidence of God’s calling and election (M. Green, 2 Peter, 94). And that person won’t stumble along the way by demonstrating unregenerate qualities. Instead he will travel the path to heaven with a surefooted confidence and the assurance that he will never commit apostasy.

The second part of the promise is that such a person will gain “entry” (eisodos), which is the focal point in verse 11 and stands over against the stumbling in the previous verse. The entry image is common in the New Testament, especially in Jesus’s teaching (Matt 5:20; 7:21; 18:3; 19:23; Mark 10:23-25; Luke 18:17,24-25; John 3:5; Acts 14:22). So Peter picks up that gospel theme here and answers the question, “Who will enter, and what will enable that person to enter?” (Davids, Letters, 189–90). His answer is the person whose life is characterized by the progressive demonstration of Christlike character. Peter isn’t describing salvation by works; he’s describing salvation with works (Schreiner, 1 and 2 Peter, 306).

This entrance into Christ’s eternal kingdom won’t be any routine or mundane affair. It will be “richly provided” (v. 11) for the one who lives in a godly way. The main verb in verse 11 is the same as the main verb in verse 5, making an obvious unit. The divine wealth expressed in the phrase richly provided serves as the reward for the temporal exertion expressed in the phrase supplement your faith (v. 5). The picture here is of someone extravagantly welcoming a friend who has arrived at his home, or of the citizens of a city celebrating the hometown hero who is returning from his triumph at the Olympic Games. This lavish welcome no doubt results from the richness of divine generosity (Rom 10:12; Eph 1:7; 1 Tim 6:17; Titus 3:6), and it reciprocates what the believer has provided for himself by growing in godly virtue (Davids, Letters, 189).

Conclusion

Many different views exist about God’s activity in salvation. One of the realities that clouds the discussion is that there’s often no uniform view even among those in the same camp. While I certainly don’t claim to have solved all the disputes, I have my opinions. My personal conviction is that God sovereignly and graciously calls some people to be saved, woos them by his grace into his salvation, and ultimately makes sure they safely arrive in his eternal kingdom. I can’t explain all of that, but I believe the Bible says it. I do know, however, that it’s easy to overemphasize these truths to the point that we overlook what God says about human responsibility in passages like 2 Peter 1:3-11 (see Rom 6:15-23). When we do that, we end up manipulating the truth to fit our theology.

For example, some have suggested that Peter is calling on the elect simply to make their election sure in their own minds. In other words, they see “confirm” as referring to a person’s subjective awareness of his or her election, not that person’s actual objective status. But the language in this text won’t let us go there. It demands that we accept this as an “antinomy,” a truth that is not contradictory but that we can’t neatly reconcile in our minds. What is this antinomy? We have to respond to God’s grace in our lives if we’re going to confirm his calling and election of our lives and make it into his heaven. “God chooses us and ensures that we get to heaven. We need to choose God and live godly lives so that we can reach heaven” (Moo, 2 Peter, 60).

I love antinomies! Why? Well, partly because the word is just fun to say! But mostly because antinomies in the Bible remind me of the difference between me and God. There are some seeming contradictions in the Bible that the human mind can’t reconcile, but they can easily be reconciled in the mind of a sovereign and almighty God. The truth in this paragraph is one of them. How can it be that God already “has given us everything required for life and godliness” (v. 3), and yet we have to “confirm [our] calling and election” (v. 10)? Only God knows. What we know is that this text begins with what we already are in Christ, as ones possessing the divine nature, but then it moves to what we are to become, as ones who are compelled to live accordingly (M. Green, 2 Peter, 96). Beloved, remember your calling as a steward of the divine nature and live to confirm its validity by looking more and more like Jesus every day.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Why is it dangerous to allow the pendulum of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility to swing too far in one direction?
2. What makes Peter’s list of godly characteristics possible? Why is this important?
3. How do we keep from being “useless” or “unfruitful” in our Christian walk?
4. Why is a fruitless Christian walk both problematic and dangerous?
5. Is the gospel opposed to effort and/or energy? Why or why not?
6. Based on this text, how would you encourage a brother or sister who is struggling with assurance of salvation?
7. How/where do we find that assurance of salvation? In our efforts? In God’s promises?
8. At what point is it appropriate to judge whether someone else is saved? Is it an appropriate action for a believer to confront a person with what they believe to be a false salvation?
9. For a believer, entrance into the kingdom will be richly provided. How should this truth spur believers on toward godliness?
10. Is it possible for human beings to accept or even embrace divine antinomies? How can they actually lead us to worship God?