Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Peter 1:10

"Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:" — 2 Peter 1:10 (ASV)

Therefore, all the more, brothers, be diligent (2 Peter 1:5). "In view of these things, give the greater diligence to secure your salvation." The considerations on which Peter based this appeal seem to have been the fact that such promises are made to us, and such hopes held out before us; the degree of uncertainty cast over the whole matter of our personal salvation by low attainments in the divine life; and the dreadful condemnation that will follow if, in the end, it is found that we are destitute of all true piety. The general thought is that religion is of sufficient importance to claim our highest diligence and to arouse us to the most earnest efforts to obtain the assurance of salvation.

This includes the effort to make your calling and election sure. For the meaning of the word calling, see the comments on Ephesians 4:1.

For the meaning of the word election, see the comments on Romans 9:11 and 1 Thessalonians 1:4. Compare also the comments on Ephesians 1:5.

The word rendered election here (Greek: eklogē) occurs only in this passage and in Acts 9:15; Romans 9:11; Romans 11:5, 7, 28; and 1 Thessalonians 1:4, though corresponding words from the same root denoting the elect, to elect, to choose, frequently occur. The word here used means election, referring to the act of God by which those who are saved are chosen for eternal life. Since the word calling must refer to the act of God, so must the word election, for it is God who both calls and chooses those who will be saved.

The word in the Scriptures usually refers to the actual choosing of those who will be saved; that is, referring to the time when they, in fact, become children of God, rather than to God’s purpose that it should be done. However, there must still have been an eternal purpose, because God makes no choice that He did not always intend to make.

The word sure (Greek: bebaian) means firm, steadfast, secure. Here, the reference must be to themselves; that is, they were to act in such a way as to make it certain to themselves that they had been chosen and were truly called into the kingdom of God. It cannot refer to God, for no act of theirs could make it more certain on His part, if they had been actually chosen for eternal life.

Still, God everywhere treats people as moral agents. What may be absolutely certain in His mind from the mere purpose that it will be so, is to be made certain to us only by evidence, and in the free exercise of our own powers. The meaning here is that they were to obtain such evidences of personal piety as to settle the question of whether they were called and chosen, so far as their own minds were concerned, or so as to have undoubted evidence on this point.

The Syriac, the Vulgate, and some Greek manuscripts insert here the expression "by your good works"; that is, they were to make their calling sure by their good works, or by holy living. This clause, as Calvin remarks, is not authorized by the best authority, but it does not materially affect the sense.

It was undoubtedly by their "good works," in the sense of holy living or of lives consecrated to the service of God, that they were to obtain the evidence that they were true Christians. This means evidence that they had been really called into the kingdom of God, for there is nothing else on which we can depend for such evidence.

God has given no assurance to us by name that He intends to save us. We can rely on no voice, vision, or new revelation to prove that it is so. No internal feeling of itself—no raptures, no emotional excitement, no confident persuasion in our own minds that we are elected—can be proof in this case. The only certain evidence on which we can rely is that which is found in a life of sincere piety. In view of Peter's important statement in this verse, then, we may remark:

1. That Peter believed in the doctrine of election, for he uses language that obviously implies this, or such as those who believe the doctrine are accustomed to use.

2. The fact that God has chosen those who will be saved does not make our own efforts unnecessary to make that salvation sure to us. It can be made sure to our own minds only by our own exertions—by obtaining evidence that we are, in fact, children of God. There can be no evidence that salvation will be ours unless there is a holy life; that is, unless there is true religion. Whatever God's secret purpose regarding us may be, the only evidence we have that we will be saved is found in the fact that we are sincere Christians and are honestly endeavoring to do His will.

3. It is possible to make our calling and election sure; that is, to have such evidence on the subject that the mind will be calm and there will be no danger of deception. If we can determine that we are, in fact, true Christians, that settles the matter, for then God's unfailing promise meets us that we will be saved. When making our salvation sure to our own minds, if we are in fact true Christians, we do not have to construct an argument to prove that we have sufficient strength to resist temptation, or that we will be able in any way to keep ourselves. All that matter is settled by God's promise that if we are Christians, we will be kept by Him to salvation. The only question to be settled is whether we are, in fact, true Christians; all beyond that may be regarded as determined immutably. And assuredly, it is possible for a person to determine the question of whether he or she is or is not a true Christian.

4. If it can be done, it should be. Nothing is more important for us to do than this. To this great inquiry we should apply our minds with unfaltering diligence until, by the grace of God, we can say that there are no lingering doubts regarding our final salvation.

For if you do these things—the things referred to in the previous verses (2 Peter 1:5–7), if you use all diligence to make as high attainments as possible in piety, and if you practice the virtues demanded by religion—

You shall never fall. You will never fall into perdition. That is, you will certainly be saved.