Make Your Calling Sure By Growing What God Began

The calendar may be turning, but the deeper question remains: are we growing into the life God already gave us? We open 2 Peter 1:1–11 and trace a clear, practical path for spiritual formation that starts with grace, stands on God’s precious promises, and moves step by step toward a life marked by love. Rather than chasing quick fixes, we anchor in what Christ has already secured—everything needed for life and godliness—and explore how real change flows from faith that acts.

We walk through Peter’s “supply chain” of virtues that resource a durable soul: start with faith, then add moral courage, practical knowledge, and genuine self-control. From there, we build patient endurance under pressure, cultivate a God-aware life, extend brotherly kindness, and finally, embody love—the chief gift that orders every other gift. Along the way, we talk about escaping the world’s corruption, resisting temptation with Spirit-given power, and refusing the drift into idleness and spiritual short-sightedness. The result isn’t perfection, but a steady, fruitful life that makes your calling and election sure and prepares you for an abundant entrance into the kingdom.

If you’re closing the year with mixed memories and fresh hopes, this conversation offers a grounded, Scripture-shaped plan to move forward. Count what God has already done, claim the promises He still intends to keep, and cooperate with the Holy Spirit to grow what He started. Listen, share with a friend who needs a gentle push toward growth, and subscribe so you won’t miss what’s next. Then tell us: which virtue are you adding first?

Visit Us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/NorthClintonAvenueChurchOfChrist

Transcript

Reading 2 Peter 1:1–11

SPEAKER_00 0:42

Let's praise God for the things that He has wrought already in our lives. We're looking at a passage of scripture in 2 Peter. The chapter is 1. We want to read a few verses, and then we will come back and meditate upon what has been given to Peter. 2 Peter chapter 1. I shall commence reading at verse, beginning at verse 1 down to verse 11. The Bible teaches Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according to 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, and by these ye may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, and beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, charity. But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sin. Wherefore, rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. Verse eleven. So an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. As we close the year 2025, if you notice Peter talks about grace, grace is mentioned quite often in the Bible. That's why I testify to the grace of God. I testify to what he is doing, not what I have done because I bring nothing to God on my own and expect a blessing because of what I've done. But I praise him for what he has done and what he continues to do. So I want to use the subject today for your thinking, looking backward and looking forward. As we come to the end of one year and approach the beginning of a new year, it would be profitable to take a look backward and count our blessings and then take a look forward and make our plans to cooperate with the Lord. The first few verses of Peter's second epistle provide us with an opportunity to look at some of the blessings God has bestowed on us in the past. It also provides us with some words of instruction and encouragement to live a life in which we are growing spiritually and serving cynically. Peter addressed his message to them that have obtained lack precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Praise God. He wrote from the perspective of an aged pastor who was living on the edge of eternity. He spoke of his body as a tabernacle or tent from which he would soon depart. He referred to his approaching death as his exodus or departure, the word used for the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt. I want to outline a few things for you to consider. I want to emphasize a number of things and want you to concentrate and think about what God has done and still doing. Through the knowledge of Him that had called us to glory and virtue. Through the beauty and the glory of the life and character of Jesus Christ, God calls all people to himself. The initiative belongs with God. Salvation is of the Lord. The human response to the gospel is a voluntary commitment of faith that makes possible the bestowed, the bestowal of these divine gifts. The exceeding great and precious promises. The Bible is a record. Praise God. I say it again: the Bible is a record of God's promises to his people. The Old Testament contains a continuing series of promises concerning the Messiah, Jesus, who was to come. He that had witnessed the fulfillment of these exceeding great and precious promises in the person and life of Jesus Christ. Jesus made many promises to his disciples. We will greatly enrich our spiritual life and deepen our faith if we will discover these promises, claim them alone, and move forward depending on the Lord to keep his promises as people of faith have done in the past. That by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature. Faith in the promises of God makes possible the new birth. The new birth does not produce a divinity in people, but it does mean that the divine character, the divine nature has been imparted in embryonic form. This new nature provides the believer with the possibility of experiencing and demonstrating the holiness, the tenderness, the gentleness, and the power of God. By every means, at our command, we should cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He seeks to develop the new nature that came to us in the miracle of the new birth, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, through their experience with Jesus Christ. Believers receive the potential for complete deliverance from the power, powerful evil forces that work in the world. Christ has granted forgiveness from sin. He provides spiritual power to overcome the contaminating presence of evil in the world. Through faith in him, through obedience to him, we can be victorious over the assaults of the devil. Second, the opportunity of the future is given here in 2 Peter chapter 1, 5 through 7. The gift of new light has been given to those who put faith in the promises of God. Spiritual growth will not take place automatically or accidentally. Peter encouraged his readers to hasten with all diligence to cooperate with the Spirit of God in developing the beautiful graces that are associated with spiritual maturity. As we enter a new year, we should be careful of give careful consideration to these words of encouragement from the apostle Peter. The Bible teaches us through Peter, giving all diligence. Add to your faith. Faith is the human response to God's grace. It makes it that makes the possible the gift of new life. Faith is the basic foundation for all spiritual growth. And so Peter challenged his readers to supplement their faith with the Christian graces that are needed for future fruitful Christian living. Seemingly, each of the grace mentioned grows out of the preceding grace. The word translated ad probably would be more correctly translated by the word supply. This word was used by the Greeks to describe the actions of those who provided financial resources for the production of the great plays and dramas. It was also used for the action of furnishing the provisions and supplies for an army. Peter declared that Christians are to supplement their faith with these virtues, which are actually the pieces of equipment needed for the living of a genuine Christian life. The apostle gives us a blueprint, as it were, for spiritual progress. In your faith, he says, apply. I add virtue. Faith makes possible the power by which virtue is to be delivered. The word virtue means courage, moral excellence, noble character. It is not pain and passive. It is active, aggressive, and on the march. Supply knowledge. In the practice of virtue, an effort is put forth to gain knowledge, which is practical skill in choosing the right and refusing the wrong. To secure this knowledge, one must make a diligent study of God's word. Let me say that again. To this knowledge, supply temperance or self-control. Self-restraint enables a person to curb his or her evil impulses and resist the lures of sin in the world that surrounds him or her. Each person must be in command of his or her own moods and impulses, or his life, his or her life will end in ruin. Supply, patience. Grace needed is endurance, steadfastness, fortitude, perseverance. Patience is that attitude of determination that enables a person to stay under the load until victory is won. And to patience add godliness. Godliness is that trait that characterizes the life of a person who lives continually as seeing him who is invisible. Perhaps this grace refers to the growth of the divine nature received in the new birth. Godliness supply brotherly kindness. The life of reverence for God is issued in brotherly kindness. The genuine worship of God will affect one's attitude toward fellow human beings. Read your Bible. The crown of the Christian graces is love. Did you hear it? Let me repeat. The crown of Christian graces is love. Paul affirm that love is the chief gift of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 13 and verse 13. Read the chapter. It was concerning Peter's love that the Lord had inquired. John 21, verses 15 to 17. Peter recognized and commended the believers love for Christ, 1 Peter 1 and verse 8. Encouraged with encouraged love within the Christian brotherhood, 1 Peter 1 and verse 22. Now, beloved, in our conclusion, the Apostle Peter was concerned that his readers experienced the benefits. God is a beneficial God. We experienced the benefits that flow from spiritual maturity. He was eager that they escaped the tragic result of persistent immaturity. 1 Peter 2 verses 8 through 9. By adding Christian graces, believers will be assured that they can avoid both idleness and unfruitfulness in their experience of salvation through Christ. Peter declared that he who does not put forth a sincere effort to grow toward Christlieness is mine. This term most likely referred to a state of mind that is alienated from spiritual reality. The phrase cannot see a far off refers to a condition of short-sightedness. The picture is that of a person who is squinting his her eyes because of the light. Consequently, he or she is greatly limited in forming a true perspective concerning the things that are really that really matter. In contrast to these conditions, it is referred that the believer who serves, who strives for growth will experience meaningful activity, truthful productivity, and spiritual insight into the meaning of life. We are approaching the end of another year in journey of life. The past is gone. Nothing can be done concerning the past except to admit and confess past failure. The future is before us. With God's help, let us let each of us respond to the apostles' challenge for the future. Praise God. Our Father who are in heaven, we're so thankful for the information you have given us. We're not saved by the information alone, but by doing what the information tells us. Help us by your grace that we might do your will, do what you have commanded. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Now unto him that is able, to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy. For the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power. Now and forever, let us all say, Amen.