2 Peter 1:10

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

Wherefore {G1352} the rather {G3123}, brethren {G80}, give diligence {G4704} to make {G4160} your {G5216} calling {G2821} and {G2532} election {G1589} sure {G949}: for {G1063} if ye do {G4160} these things {G5023}, ye shall {G4218}{G4417} never {G3364} fall {G4218}{G4417}:

Therefore, brothers, try even harder to make your being called and chosen a certainty. For if you keep doing this, you will never stumble.

Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,

Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:

In 2 Peter 1:10, the Apostle Peter exhorts believers to an active and earnest pursuit of spiritual maturity, which serves to confirm their divine calling and election.

Context

This verse flows directly from Peter's previous encouragement in 2 Peter 1:5-7, where he lists a progression of Christian virtues: faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. He states that if these qualities are present and increasing, they will keep believers from being ineffective or unfruitful in their knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 1:8). Therefore, making one's calling and election sure is directly tied to the diligent practice and growth in these foundational characteristics of a Christ-like life.

Key Themes

  • Diligence in Faith: The command "give diligence" emphasizes the active, intentional effort required from believers. Christian growth and assurance are not passive experiences but involve earnest engagement with God's grace.
  • Assurance of Salvation: The phrase "make your calling and election sure" does not imply that believers earn their salvation or that God's choice is uncertain. Rather, it means to demonstrate and confirm the reality of God's saving work in one's life through consistent spiritual fruit. It is about experiencing and evidencing the certainty of what God has already done.
  • Spiritual Stability: The promise "for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" offers profound assurance. By actively cultivating the virtues listed, believers are protected from stumbling spiritually, backsliding, or falling away from the faith. This speaks to the stability and perseverance granted by God to those who walk in obedience and grow in grace.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Greek word for "diligence" is spoudē (σπουδή), meaning earnestness, zeal, or eager effort. It conveys a sense of urgency and wholehearted commitment.
  • "Calling" (Greek: klēsis - κλῆσις) refers to God's divine summons or invitation to salvation, often associated with His sovereign grace.
  • "Election" (Greek: eklogē - ἐκλογή) denotes God's sovereign choice or selection of individuals for salvation.
  • "Sure" (Greek: bebaian - βεβαίαν) means firm, steadfast, or reliable. It refers to the confirmation of one's experience of God's calling and election, making it evident and verifiable through a changed life.
  • "Never fall" (Greek: ou mē ptaisetē - οὐ μὴ πταίσητε) uses a strong double negative in Greek, emphasizing the absolute certainty that those who diligently pursue these virtues will not stumble into spiritual ruin or apostasy.

Practical Application

For believers today, 2 Peter 1:10 is a powerful call to active discipleship. It reminds us that while salvation is by grace through faith, our lives should reflect that inner transformation. Pursuing godly virtues is not about earning God's favor, but about demonstrating the authenticity of our faith and enjoying the full benefits of our relationship with Christ. This diligence leads to greater assurance, spiritual stability, and a life that honors God. It complements the teaching that we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, not by earning it, but by living it out in joyful obedience and growth.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Peter 3:17

    Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

  • Luke 6:47

    Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

  • Luke 6:49

    But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

  • Hebrews 6:11

    And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

  • 1 John 3:19

    And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

  • 1 John 3:21

    Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God.

  • Psalms 121:3

    He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
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