Give diligence
2 Peter 1:10-11 “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 unto the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Heaven is the Father’s house, and all believers have exactly the same title. It is home to the Father’s children and the weakest or most youngest of the saints will be as welcome there as the strongest and most useful.
But the everlasting kingdom is another thing. It speaks of reward, and our place in this kingdom is determined by our devotion to Jesus Christ here on earth.
Therefore, Peter, uses this phrase, “give diligence” twice in this one chapter.
2 Peter 1:5 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge:”
2 Peter 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:..”
What is diligence? It is to urge on, to make haste with eagerness and earnestness.
We are to urge ourselves on in our walk with the Lord…..as swiftly as we can go….with joy and consistency.
This is giving diligence.
(Pilgrims Progress: Christian going through the Valley of the Shadow of death…..part in darkness, keeping close eye on the narrow way through it. And part in sunshine…seeing all the traps and snares. But the one consistent thing which got him through was that he did not want the Lord ashamed of him. Once he thought about turning back….how far had he come? How far did he have to go? The mouth of hell opened beside the way….and in fear and trembling he hesitated. But he betook himself to prayer….and continued. This is diligence.)
We are to give diligence to add to our faith….all the other characteristics of our Lord, such as virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, love.
(That we might bear fruit to the Lord….and not be barren 2 Peter 1:8)
We also are to give diligence, to make our calling and election sure.
(We make our election sure….by fulfilling our calling. By doing the Will of God, we show that we are of the elect. You will notice, it is not showing others….no,…but it is doing these things for confidence for ourselves in what the Lord has said…..”…for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” 2 Peter 1:10)
We are to give diligence that we might enjoy the fruits of the Spirit within us…..and to take hold on the stability of His calling and election for us.
How easy it is to get blindsided by failures, or things that did not go as we thought?! And begin to doubt one thing and then another.
2 Peter 1:9 “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
Real diligence in our Christian life…..keeps Christ and His grace and promises before our face.
2 Peter 1:2-4 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord
According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:…”
(Knowledge of the Lord is spoken of three times in this first chapter….showing how important our personal relationship…our personal knowledge of the Lord, is)
Our calling is to glory and virtue…..we are to manifest the glory of the Lord in our lives….in praise and obedience.
John 17:10, 22 “And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them.
And the glory which thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:”
And are calling is to have virtue…”artea”. “excellence”.
This excellence is not of ourselves….but given from God….by the Holy Spirit. He is that excellence within us….which we are to honor.
Diligence is something we do…..we “give” diligence.
It is a precious gift to our God, that we, in eagerness and earnestness, continue to do His Will….no matter where His Way leads us.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 