Question….
Is the concept of “hard work” necessary for the Christian faith?
I mean if Christ has given us the free gift of salvation, do we need to make any effort in maintaining our faith?
The simple answer to this question is
“Yes”
By the end of this blog post, I’m hoping we’ll know why.
We’ll be using the following passage to provide us with answers…
9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.2 Peter 1:9-11 ESV
1. What Qualities?
…For whoever lacks these qualities…
The answer? 2 Peter 1:5-8 …..Please, please read it..thanks 😀
It essentially instructs us to make every effort to supplement (i.e., complete) your faith with..
- Virtue/ excellence
- knowledge
- self-control
- steadfastness
- godliness
- brotherly affection
- love
Click here for my blog dedicated strictly on these qualities.
2. To those who lack such qualities…
…For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins…
According to the scriptures, those of us who choose not to practice these qualities:
- are so near sighted that we might as well be blind (closing their spiritual eyes to the truth according to the Amplified version)
- are oblivious to their life of sin (forgotten that they’ve been cleansed)
Funny enough, many scriptures teach us that such individuals (people who are spiritual blind/ living a life of sin) are described as “unbelievers” (i.e., not a follower of Jesus Christ).
See some of these references below:
Therefore, if we’ve claimed to receive Christ by faith yet fail to pursue the qualities of 2 Peter 1:5-8, we are essentially living life as unbelievers. In other words, there is no proof of our salvation..
Hmm..this then leads to one great conclusion…
3. To those who do practice these qualities…
…Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…
Calling and Election?
The words “calling” and “election” are the center of attention in this passage. With that being said, what do they mean?
In this text, the word “election” is originated from the greek word
eklegó which essential means “to choose” or “a divine selection”.
Similarly the word “calling” is originated from the greek word “kaleó” which literally means calling (lool no need for that translation but just trying to prove a point).
The “calling” and “election” is essentially the divine selection of God choosing His disciples…
Now this statement often sparks the following arguments
A. Can we lose our salvation/ Once saved forever saved?
B. Does God choose us or do we choose God?
Let’s see what the scriptures say
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will 1
Ephesians 1:3-5
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
John 15:16
Truth is, God chooses His disciples.
God chooses us to be believers of Christ.
The reason why anyone is able to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord & Saviour, is not because of how sophisticated or wise a preacher delivered a word.
It was and is the divine selection of God…
Now, I don’t know about you…but when I initially beheld this truth, I was quite troubled.
How should we then carry ourselves as a people who claim to be followers of Christ?
Do we simply our life with know regard to the laws of God knowing that we’ve already been chosen?
This is where our main passage from 2 Peter 1 really helps us.
Confirming Your Calling and Election
…be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election…
A true follower of Christ will live their lives confirming their calling and election in Jesus Christ.
Notice some of the promises Apostle Peter mentions to those who practice these qualities:
- They will never fall (away from the faith)
- They are promised an entrance into the Kingdom of God
In essence, God elects us by His grace.
Our job is to confirm our election through our effort to serve Him. This is no way suggest us being selective in “who is worthy enough” to be evangelized to.
It rather humbles and pushes us to live a life in conformity to the ways of God.
The following scripture provides additional clarity:
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out
John 6:37
This is Jesus speaking.
Notice that authority in His tone.
All that the Father gives me WILL come to me.
Not “might”, not “if they want to”, not “should”.
They WILL come to Him
All those who are His WILL come to Him.
And if they don’t come to Him?….well there i no viable proof that God chose them.
In Conclusion
Back to our original question…
” If Christ has given us the free gift of salvation, do we need to make any effort in maintaining our faith? “
Yes, because if we received this gift, we would not go back to living to our regular lives.
Moreover if we’ve received this gift, we do well by confirming our salvation through obedience.
We would live life with the desire to know Jesus and confirming our election into His eternal kingdom.
And if we’re not pursuing this….have we truly received this gift?
Soli Deo Gloria
Soli Deo Gloria 