Making Your Call And Election Sure

By Samuel Matthews | Oregon, USA

“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 unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11).

Loved Ones, let’s begin this discussion with a QUESTION: What is meant by the phase, “your calling and election”?

ANSWER: The word ”calling” is from the Greek klesis: “a call, calling, invitation.” The Greek word for election is ekloge: “election, choice; the act of picking out, choosing.”

The phrase, “calling and election,” MEANS God’s call and choice of you. Christ calls all humans by the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14), to receive all the spiritual blessings that are located in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Salvation/eternal life is one of those blessings given to those in Christ (2 Timothy 2:10; 1 John 5:11).

We answer the gracious call of the gospel through our faith (Romans 10:17; Ephesians 2:8) and obedience (Matthew 7:21; Hebrew 5:9). Thus, accepting the gracious invitation of God through Christ, we now become part of the elect or chosen body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:22-23) – the church of Christ – the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Matthew 16:18-19; Colossians 1:13). We are chosen by God IN CHRIST to be a Christian (Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16), one of His eternal spiritual children (Galatians 3:26-27).

The devil has most of the world as his children (John 8:44; 1 John 5:19). Before accepting God’s call we were one of his children (Ephesians 2:1-3). PRAISE GOD, in Christ we have been called into FELLOWSHIP (1 Corinthians 1:9) with the Godhead (Colossians 2:9) – the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19) – the Trinity (1 John 5:7-8).

True Christians have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus our Savior (Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7). We have been given the forgiveness of our sins and indwelled with the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 5:32). The Spirit is given to strengthen us with might in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16-17), and as a down payment on our hope of eternal life (Ephesians 1:12-14; Romans 6:23). 

True Christians have been called out of Satan’s darkness into God’s marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Many lost souls are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). WHY are so few chosen? Because the way of faith and obedience goes through a narrow gate, “…and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14; 21-27).

Sadly, “… when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

Praise God, for the elect or chosen, “… he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

In our text, we are commanded by Peter to give the more diligence to make our calling and election sure; to be certain that we sincerely have answered the gospel call and are God’s loving, faithful children, saved by Christ.

Paul commands us: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates (morally corrupt and condemned)?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

These commands are predicated on the basis that WE CAN KNOW where we stand spiritually. WE CAN KNOW if we are a part of God’s one faith (Ephesians 4:5), or simply being deceived in one of Satan’s many vain faiths (1 Timothy 4:1-3; Matthew 15:8-9). WE CAN KNOW if we are truly saved and on the way to heaven.

HOW can we know these things? So glad you asked!

1. Each one of you reading these lines must “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Therefore, men have a part (work) to do in their own salvation. This work of obedience is necessary for one to be saved (Luke 6:46). God also has a part in man’s salvation. No man can be saved without God’s abundant love (John 3:16), mercy, and grace (Ephesians 2:4-5).

Grace is God’s part (Ephesians 2:8), and obedient faith is man’s part in salvation (John 14:1; Romans 1:5). Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? (Matthew 16:16). If you don’t believe, you will die in your sins (John 8:24). If you die with unforgiven sins you won’t go to Heaven where Jesus went (John 8:21; Acts 1:11).

2. God therefore commands, “all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). If you don’t repent, you will perish (Luke 13:3). The Father wants none of those made in His image to perish (2 Peter 3:9). However, the wrath of God will at the judgment be experienced by all who refuse to repent (Romans 2:4-11; 11:22).

3. Jesus taught that one must confess Him before men (Matthew 10:32-33). You must confess your belief that Jesus is Lord, the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37). Many of the chief rulers of the Jewish people BELIEVED in Jesus, “but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him” (John 12:42). Those who deny the Son will NOT have the Father (1 John 2:23).

4. A believing, penitent soul still must be born again (John 3:7). Jesus says a person has been born again into newness of life at the point of water baptism (John 3:3-5; Romans 6:3-4). The one baptism (Ephesians 4:5) commanded by the Lord after His death and resurrection (Matthew 28:18-20) is a burial in water (Colossians 2:12; Acts 10:47) for salvation (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21); that is, the remission of sins (Luke 1:77; Acts 2:38) by the blood of Jesus (Revelation 1:5; Acts 22:16).

Believing and obeying the truth we have given you above will make you free (John 8:32). Like all the other spiritual blessings given to true Christians (salvation, eternal life, redemption, forgiveness…), our freedom or liberty is also in Christ (Galatians 2:4).  

If you are not in Christ you have none of God’s spiritual blessings. QUESTION: How does one get into Christ? ANSWER: The Bible says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3). The Bible is Right!

Let’s make it sure… SUMMARY and CONCLUSION

Dear friends, you must from your heart (understanding) obey God’s form of teaching (Romans 6:17). The Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) teaches that one must be in Christ to be saved as one of God’s elect children. A penitent believer who confesses his faith in Jesus must be baptized (immersed in water) into Christ to be saved by the grace of God through the blood of Christ.

Will you be saved if you are NOT baptized with the proper understanding? After the Ethiopian eunuch was taught about the Christ he was baptized and then, “he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:34-39). The same was true for the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31-34). Therefore, REJOICING follows baptism.    

When one is baptized INTO Christ, he becomes “a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, the NEW LIFE in Christ follows baptism (Romans 6:4). 

The facts of the Gospel by which one is saved show that “Christ died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Do you love Him for having done so? If you love Him you will keep His commandments (John 14:15, 21, 23-24; 1 John 5:3). The God of Heaven COMMANDS you to repent and be baptized (immersed in water) to have your sins washed away by the blood of Jesus; to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; to get into Christ, to be saved; and to be added to the universal church of Christ (Acts 2:47). Then you can rejoice as you faithfully walk in newness of life (Revelation 2:10) and enjoy the promises of all God’s spiritual blessings (2 Peter 1:3-4). We love you with the love of the Lord.