Confirm Your Calling And Election (2 Peter 1:10)

Sermon on 22 June 2025 by Pastor Gaius Lee

2 Peter 1:1-10 - “This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.”

When we believe in God, we are counted as righteous. Peter learnt directly from Jesus Christ and was the leader amongst the disciples. Peter was weak like us as he denied Jesus thrice when He was captured. But he knew his wrongdoings and repented afterwards. When you know God well and live according to how He wants you to, grace and peace will be multiplied. Worship in a church that teaches the truth instead of signs and wonders. God has told us all we need to know about eternal life in the Bible. We don’t go back to sin because we want a reward from God but because we are so thankful for God that we want to do things to please Him. If I’m not living the way the Bible says, I might not have accepted or believe in Him enough. If we really believe Him, our lifestyle will automatically be holy.

2 Peter 1:12-15 - “Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone.”

‭‭Peter is constantly reminding us about these teachings.

2 Peter 1:5 onwards:

The effort is not to save ourselves but for us to be so thankful that we are saved. Supplementing faith with virtue and other qualities is like adding ingredients to a hotpot broth, and the broth will get more flavourful. Your life will be more full with these qualities. Different people have different understanding of moral excellence, but we have a standard from the Bible. Self control isn’t only for bad things but can also be for good things, like food. If we overdo something that is good, it’s also a sign of bad self control. Supplement self control with steadfastness. There will be different challenges for us but God will know the limit as to how much we can take. Don’t be afraid in times of difficulties. Always remember that Jesus is beside you and the Holy Spirit dwells in you. (1 Peter 1:7) If God doesn’t give me up, who am I to give another brother or sister up?

Qualities to supplement:

1. Love

2. Brotherly kindness

3. Godliness

4. Perseverance

5. Self-control

6. Knowledge

7. Virtue

8. Faith

Sometimes we know the truth of God but still feel defeated. We already have these qualities and need to increase them. There’s no condemnation as God doesn’t give us up. We need to pray that the Holy Spirit will help us. If I cannot love others like how God loved, I am nearsighted that I am blind. If you hear and don’t do it, we are like men building our house on sand. If we hear and do, we are wise men building our house on the solid rock of Jesus.

2 Peter 1:11 - “Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Jesus has already done all for us. If we truly appreciate what He has done, we will automatically pursue all these qualities. We work hard not to receive a reward but to confirm that God is really in our lives. These qualities will naturally manifest. If we practise these qualities, we will never fall. We might still trip at times but we will never be utterly cast down. In the path towards sanctification, let’s hold each other tight.

Amen.