2 Peter - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

salvation] things that have been confirmed, for doing these things, you will never
stumble,
KJV 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:
TRANSLATION HIGHLIGHTS
Times are tough and many believers to whom Peter was writing were turning away from
the spiritual life and entering reversionism. By reminding them that they are members of
the royal family of God, He both warns and encourages them to remain positive
believers. He commands them (Imperative mood) to be zealous to keep on confirming
(Iterative Present tense) the reliability and dependability of their calling and election. If
they aren’t doing so now, he wants them to start taking pains to do so (Ingressive Aorist
tense). If they are eager to do as he commanded, he wants them to continue their noble
efforts. Their positive volition to Bible doctrine and diligence in utilizing the problemsolving
devices, especially the rebound technique, continually confirms their standing as
Christians and their state (Latin: vocation) as growing believers in the spiritual life.
“Calling” refers to their current station in the spiritual life, their state of spiritual growth.
This words describes their level of experiential sanctification. They are not “retaining”
their position as Christians, but “possessing” the life that goes with it. It is crucially
important that they do not crash and burn, becoming reversionists. It is also important
that they continue to grow towards supergrace. Their election is their entrance into the
royal family of God by the divine selection of God. This is their standing as members of
the royal family; this is their positional sanctification. Their continual positive volition
towards doctrine and the plan of God not only confirms that they are Christians, but that
they are growing Christians. Unbelievers can observe that they are Christians because
they confirm this status by their words and behavior. Believers can observe that they are
growing Christians because they have spiritual fruit for executing God’s plan.
If you continue (Iterative Present tense) to confirm your state and standing (calling and
election) by executing the protocol plan of God for Church Age believers, you can be
assured that you will never fall into reversionism (come to grief). By continuing to
acknowledge your sins to God as commanded in 1 John 1:9, you will be filled with the
Spirit on a consistent basis. By continuing to learn, metabolize and apply Bible doctrine
to daily life, you may stumble now and then, but you will not remain engulfed in Satan’s
cosmic system. You will become increasingly interested in residence and function in the
divine system (Ingressive Aorist tense); the temptations offered by the various gates in
Satan’s system will lose their allure. The prohibition to stay out of his system and not
become spiritually ruined (Subjunctive mood) will become automatic in your soul.
RELEVANT OPINIONS
A distinction of vast importance to the right understanding of the Scriptures, especially of
the Epistles, is that which concerns the standing or position of the believer, and his state,
or walk. The first is the result of the work of Christ, and is perfect and entire from the