The rescue we have obtained through Jesus should produce a serious commitment to confirm God’s choice to rescue us through Jesus...

This week, we have been looking at the opening section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of 2 Peter, where we have discovered a timeless reminder about Jesus and the message and teachings of Jesus that we are to always have at the forefront of our lives in that we need to be reminded of the rescue we have obtained through Jesus. In 2 Peter 1:1-11, we see Peter reveal three aspects of the rescue that we have obtained by Jesus that we need to be reminded of.

So far, in 2 Peter 1:1-4, we see that the rescue we have obtained through Jesus provides us everything we need spiritually to live a life that represents Jesus well. In addition, in 2 Peter 1:5-9, we see that the rescue we have obtained through Jesus should produce a serious effort to strive to grow spiritually. Today, we will see Peter reveal a third aspect of the rescue that we have obtained by Jesus that we need to be reminded of in 2 Peter 1:10-11:

 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; ¹¹ for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Here we see Peter command the readers of his letter that, in light of the reality that the rescue we have obtained through Jesus provides us everything we need spiritually to live a life that represents Jesus well; in light of the reality that the rescue we have obtained through Jesus should produce a serious effort to strive to grow spiritually; be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you. The word diligent here conveys the sense of being especially conscientious in keeping an obligation. And that obligation is to make sure about His calling and choosing you.

Peter is basically saying “make sure that you are committed to live your life in a way that provides confirmation of God’s gracious choice to rescue your from your selfishness and rebellion through Jesus.” Peter then explains that as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble. But what does Peter mean when he uses the phrase practice these things? 

Peter here is referring to a lifestyle that responds to the reality that God has already provided everything we need spiritually to live a life that represents Jesus well by engaging in serious effort to grow spiritually that provides the evidence of a growing and maturing relationship with Jesus that is marked by increasing moral excellence, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.  What is interesting is that the word stumble literally means to experience disaster.

Peter then reinforces the significance of his command with a word picture in verse 11: for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Peter paints the word picture of God’s kingdom community as a destination that followers of Jesus are traveling to. However, to reach that destination so as to gain entrance into God’s eternal kingdom community, a follower of Jesus must demonstrate the evidence of a genuine and growing relationship with Jesus as they travel on the road here on earth towards eternity.

To fail to demonstrate the evidence of a genuine and growing relationship with Jesus that responds to the reality that God has already provided everything we need spiritually to live a life that represents Jesus well by engaging in serious to grow spiritually will result in the disaster of never making it to the entrance of God’s kingdom community.  And because of that reality, Peter commanded the readers of his letter to make sure that they were committed to live their life in a way that provides confirmation of God’s gracious choice to rescue them from their selfishness and rebellion through Jesus.

And it is here that we see Peter reveal the third aspect of the rescue that we have obtained by Jesus that we need to be reminded of in that the rescue we have obtained through Jesus should produce a serious commitment to confirm God’s choice to rescue us through Jesus. As followers of Jesus, our serious effort to strive to grow spiritually produces a lifestyle that confirms God’s choice to rescue us through Jesus. And as followers of Jesus, our serious effort to strive to grow spiritually produces a lifestyle that will result in a warm welcome into God’s kingdom community for all eternity.

Because the timeless reality is that we need to be reminded of the rescue we have obtained through Jesus. As followers of Jesus, the rescue we have obtained through Jesus provides us everything we need spiritually to live a life that represents Jesus well. The rescue we have obtained through Jesus should produce a serious effort to strive to grow spiritually. And the rescue we have obtained through Jesus should produce a serious commitment to confirm God’s choice to rescue us through Jesus.

So here is a question to consider: Do you need to be reminded of the rescue that we have obtained through Jesus? Do you need to be reminded that the rescue we have obtained through Jesus provides us everything we need spiritually to live a life that represents Jesus well? Are you living as a follower of Jesus as though you are lacking something that you need in order to live a life that represents Jesus well?

Do you need to be reminded that the rescue we have obtained through Jesus should produce a serious effort to strive to grow spiritually? Does the message and teachings of Jesus produce in you a desire to live like Jesus? Or are you just thinking that Jesus gets you a “get out of Hell” card that enables you to do what you want, with who you want, whenever you want?

Do you need to be reminded that the rescue we have obtained through Jesus should produce a serious commitment to confirm God’s choice to rescue us through Jesus? How have you responded to the message of the gospel in the past? What does it mean to be a Christian? Does the evidence of your life demonstrate that you actually have a relationship with Jesus?

Because the timeless reality is that we need to be reminded of the rescue we have obtained through Jesus...