MAKING YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE
(week 40/10)
OLUBI JOHNSON
In our last lesson, we saw that we gradually perfect our obedience to God by watching and praying always for God’s mercy and grace.This week, we will see how perfecting obedience makes our calling and election sure.
2 Peter 1:10 MKJV: Therefore, brothers, rather be diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things, you shall never fall.
This scripture tells that if we are diligent in doing the Word: perfecting obedience we will make our calling sure! Our calling and election are not the same thing: our calling is our call to go to heaven while our election is being chosen to enter into the fullness of our destiny the perfection and fullness of Christ. All Christians (in fact all men (2 Pt.3:9)) are called to be born-again and go to heaven:
1 Timothy 2:1-4 MKJV: First of all, then, I exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, (2) for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. (3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, (4) who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
However, we know from experience that all men are not saved because they do not accept God’s provision. In the same way, all Christians are called to grow into the perfection and fullness of Christ:
Ephesians 4:13-15 MKJV: And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (14) so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit. (15) But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ
However, just like with going to heaven, not all Christians accept this divine provision.So, though all are called, it is only the few who accept God’s provision and fulfill the conditions that are chosen:
Matthew 20:16 MKJV: So the last shall be first, and the first last, for many are called, but few are chosen.
The good news in all this is that if you accept God’s provision and walk in it diligently after sometime, firstly, your calling will become sure: you will certainly go to heaven and even if you (because you still have a free will) try to do anything that will cause you to lose the fruit (Jn. 15.1-6, Jude1.12) you have gained, God will allow you to die prematurely so that you will still go to heaven.
2 John 1:8 MKJV: Look to yourselves, so that we may not lose those things which we worked out, but that we may receive a full reward.
1 Corinthians 3:15 MKJV: (15) If anyone’s work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
1 Corinthians 5:5 MKJV: to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
This reward (not gift!) of making your calling sure by a diligent walk in the spirit causing you to overcome to some degree the sin nature in the soul and body is seen in:
Revelation 2:11 MKJV: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
In our article next week, we will see how to make your election sure.
