Make Your Calling Sure: 2 Peter 1:1-11 Explained

Scriptures for Today

2 Peter 1:1-11
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 Saviour Jesus Christ:  2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  3 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:  4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;  6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  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.  10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:  11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Introduction to 2 Peter: A Final Letter from a Dying Apostle

Second Peter is unlike any other book in the New Testament because of when and how it was written. This is Peter’s last letter. His final words. His closing testimony before his martyrdom. We know this because Peter says so directly.

2 Peter 1:14
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

His earthly life is ending. The cross he once feared is now the path he embraces. And before he leaves this world, he writes one last letter to the believers he loves. If First Peter focused on suffering for Christ, Second Peter focuses on standing firm in a world full of deception.

He warns them of false teachers, false prophets, and false doctrines. He urges them to grow, stand, and mature. He commands them to remember what God has said and ignore the world’s lies.

And before any warnings or commands, Peter begins his letter with a powerful truth: Every believer has everything needed for life, godliness, and spiritual growth. Because every believer has Jesus Christ.

This first section, 2 Peter 1:1–11, is a call to grow, a call to diligence, a call to seriousness, and a call to assurance.

Peter is not telling them to earn salvation. He is telling them to live out the salvation they already have. He is teaching them how to be stable, fruitful, discerning, strong, and unshakeable. He is teaching them how to make their calling and election sure.

Verse 1 — Obtaining Precious Faith Through Christ’s Righteousness

2 Peter 1:1
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 Saviour Jesus Christ.

Peter uses two titles for himself: Servant (humility), Apostle (authority). He speaks as a man under Christ’s authority and entrusted with Christ’s message.

Then he describes his readers in one of the most beautiful ways in Scripture: “Them that have obtained like precious faith with us.” Not a lesser faith. Not a second-class faith. The same faith as the apostles themselves. How did they obtain it? Through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Not through works. Not through law. Not through performance. Faith is obtained only through the righteousness Christ gives.

Notice also the deity of Christ: “God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” One person. One title.
One divine Savior. God is the Savior. Superman isn’t real. Batman isn’t real. The only real Savior is God Himself, and He is the only one capable of saving Creation.

This is not a greeting of tradition. This is a greeting of theology.

Verse 2 — Grace and Peace Multiply Through Knowing Christ

2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.

There is only one path to multiplied grace. There is only one path to multiplied peace. Through the knowledge of Christ. The more you know Him, the more peace you will experience. The more you know Him, the more grace you will walk in.

Not through effort. Not through law. Not through emotional experience. But through knowing your Savior. Christian growth is rooted in relationship, not rules. And Peter begins by reminding suffering believers that grace and peace are not limited, scarce, or fixed. They can be multiplied in you.

Verse 3 — All Things Needed for Life and Godliness Are Already Given

2 Peter 1:3
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.

This is one of the most encouraging verses in the Bible. You already have everything you need for: Spiritual life, Christian growth, Godly living, Victory over sin, Endurance in trials, Strength in temptation, Faithfulness in suffering, and Power in spiritual warfare.

How? Because His divine power has already given it. When you received Christ, you received:  His Spirit, His power, His promises, His nature, His calling, and nothing is missing. Nothing must be added. Nothing can be improved. Jesus Christ is enough.

He called you to glory and virtue. Glory is your destination. Virtue is your transformation.

Verse 4 — Precious Promises and the Divine Nature

2 Peter 1:4
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Peter says God has given us exceeding great and precious promises. They are great because of their power. They are precious because of their value. Through them, we become partakers of the divine nature.

This does not mean we become gods. It means we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, transformed by God’s power, and conformed to Christ’s image.

We escape the world’s corruption. We are not trapped. We are not hopeless. We are not bound. Christ sets us free from the world’s defilement, deception, destruction, and desires.

Verses 5–7 — Adding to Your Faith with Diligence

2 Peter 1:5–7
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge. 6 And to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness. 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity.

Here Peter is not teaching a works-based salvation. He is teaching a growth-based sanctification or a faith based improvement that only happens as you live your life through faith. “Add to your faith” does not mean improve the cross. It means build upon what Christ has already given.

Peter lists seven qualities that believers must diligently pursue after faith:

1. Virtue. Moral courage. Doing right when it is hard.

2. Knowledge. Knowing the Word. Knowing truth. Knowing God’s will.

3. Temperance. Self-control. Restraining your desires. Saying no to sin.

4. Patience. Endurance. Remaining faithful under pressure.

5. Godliness. A God-centered life. Reverence. Holiness in attitude and action.

6. Brotherly kindness. Warm affection for the family of God.

7. Charity. The highest love. Sacrificial love. Christlike love.

Peter describes a spiritual staircase. These traits build upon each other. They grow together. They shape your character. They transform your walk. And Peter says this takes diligence. Growth requires effort. Sanctification is not passive. God gives you the choice. He wants you to work hard to do better.

Verse 8 — Why These Qualities Matter

2 Peter 1:8
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If these qualities exist and abound in your life, you will not be: Barren, Unfruitful, Spiritually stagnant, Useless, Idle, or Ineffective. The presence of growth produces fruit.

God wants you to be: Fruitful in service, Fruitful in prayer, Fruitful in obedience, Fruitful in love, and Fruitful in spiritually influencing others.

Fruit does not prove salvation. Fruit proves maturity. And God desires mature believers. There are levels of believers and those levels in the same believer changes over time. And it’s not always improving. But we want those levels of maturity to always be improving.

Verse 9 — Forgetting You Were Purged

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.

A believer who refuses to grow becomes: Spiritually blind, Spiritually nearsighted, Spiritually forgetful. It is possible for Christians to forget what Christ saved them from. To forget they were cleansed. To forget the price He paid. To forget the debt they owed. Not unsaved. Forgetful.

2 Peter 1:9 destroys the false idea that “if someone forgets the Gospel later in life, they were never saved.” Peter says the believer who stops growing can become blind, shortsighted, and can forget that he was purged from his old sins. You cannot forget something that never happened.
You cannot forget a cleansing you never received.
This is a saved person — forgiven, cleansed, purged — but spiritually dull and forgetful. This verse proves that memory is not the foundation of salvation. Christ is. Your performance is not the anchor of salvation. Christ is. Even if you forget the Gospel, the Gospel has not forgotten you. Even if your memory fails, the blood still speaks. Even if your mind grows dim, your salvation remains secure.

Peter is calling believers to grow so they do not fall into spiritual blindness and spiritual amnesia.

Verse 10 — Make Your Calling Sure

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.

Instead of not growing and instead of forgetting, GIVE DILIGENCE. This is not about getting saved. This is about being stable, confident, assured, and strong. Put forth a steady and serious effort.

“Make your calling and election sure” means: Live in a way that confirms what God has done in you, Walk in the strength God gave you, Grow in the grace God provided, Stand firm in the truth God revealed, Let your life match your salvation.

“If ye do these things, ye shall never fall” means: You will not stumble into error, You will not collapse under trials, You will not be deceived by false teachers, You will not fall into ruin, You will remain stable, steady, and strong. You will not be deceived into believing another Gospel as the Galatians were.

Growth protects you. Maturity strengthens you. Diligence guards you. Keep the faith strong. Grow that faith. Don’t lose faith. Always increasing in faith.

Verse 11 — An Abundant Entrance into the Kingdom

2 Peter 1:11
For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

This is not about earning heaven. Believers are already saved. This is about the manner of your entrance.

Some believers enter heaven: weak, wounded, defeated, and unfruitful. Some believers take their own life committing suicide but still go to heaven. Think of king Saul. He entered heaven defeated after taking his own life.

Others enter heaven: bold, strong, faithful, fruitful, rewarded. Think of Stephen who entered heaven in boldness as others took his life because He preached the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter says if you grow in these things, your entrance into the kingdom will be abundant. Grow in faith, virtue or moral courage, knowledge, temperance or ruling your desires, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. Grow in these things. Your entrance into heaven will be with abundance!

Not barely entering into heaven. Not crawling into heaven. Not stumbling into heaven. But a victorious entrance into heaven. When you get there, you might even hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant” from Jesus Himself. He forgot about all the wrong you did. Well done.

Today, we ask Jesus forgiveness for what we’ve done in the past. And let’s move forward for Him. And let’s get things right. Let’s grow together. Let’s have some fun, joy, laughing, peace, and all the great things of God here together.

Application — What This Passage Teaches Us Today

1. Growth is not optional. It is commanded. Spiritual maturity should be the normal Christian life.

2. God has already given everything you need for victory. Stop asking for what God has already supplied.

3. Spiritual fruit protects the believer from deception. The more you grow, the harder it is for Satan to shake you.

4. Forgetfulness leads to instability. Remembering the gospel strengthens your walk.

5. Making your calling sure builds confidence and stability. Christians who grow walk in boldness, not fear.

6. Your eternity is secure, but your entrance can be abundant. Live in a way that honors Christ all the way to the finish line.

Conclusion — Grow, Stand, and Make Your Calling Sure

Peter’s final letter begins with one of the strongest calls to spiritual growth in the Bible. A dying apostle wants the church to stand strong after he is gone. Same thing with us here. Who will continue here? Or will it all go away. We want you to continue.

Peter reminds them of what they already have in Christ: Precious faith, Divine power, Precious promises, God’s nature, Christ’s righteousness, Everything needed for life and godliness.

Then he calls them to respond with diligence: Add to your faith, Grow in virtue, Increase in knowledge, Live with self-control, Endure trials with patience, Walk in godliness, Love the brethren, Love all with charity.

Why? Because growth brings stability. Diligence brings assurance. Maturity brings fruitfulness. And godliness brings an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.

This passage is not about earning salvation. It is about living out the salvation God already gave you. So make your calling sure. Stand firm. Grow in grace. Walk in truth. And finish your race with the full assurance of faith.

Let’s pray.