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Making Sure Is Our Duty

by Dr. Henderson Ward  
6/12/2015 / Christian Living

Sometimes we fall into grievous traps because we do not take the time to be sure. We might have witnessed where a motorist came to a junction, stopped and looked to see if the way was clear to come out, could not see very well but came out nonetheless and caused a horrific accident.

How many times we have fallen into this kind of trap because we just did not check to make sure before we acted.

The plain truth is that sometime in our life we have failed to perform due diligence, we took something for granted, or made an assumption that was not based on truth, or took something at face value, and we suffered the consequences.

Who among us do not regret not making sure before choosing that man/woman as our spouse or friend, or taking that job when offered, or attending that dubious function, or agreeing to invest in that company or donating funds to that particular cause or innocently participating in any number of scams that caused us great distress?

Because life is so full of misfortunes and snares and we are so fallible as humans, it is inevitable that we are, or will be, guilty of proceeding without making sure.

But here is the good news. All of these types of failures are recoverable except when death is involved. No one is bound permanently to these types of errors, for as long as it is earthly, it can most certainly be made right.

If you have chosen to be a member of the wrong church then you can change your mind and choose another. If you found out too late that you have invested with a bogus company, you might be able to withdraw your money or sue for its return. Even if you marry the wrong person you can correct that mistake and move on with your life.

But not every failure of making sure can be corrected, and this is strikingly true as far as our salvation goes.

There are believers who think they are saved, and on their way to heaven, who will find out at the Great White Throne Judgement that they haven't made it.

The saddest cry, perhaps of all time, is the cry of those who thought they were saved, and ended up missing out, just like here:

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23) and here, "Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not." (Matthew 25:11-12)

But here is the really good news. Believers do not have to wait until they end up in eternity before they know where they stand. They can know with certainty where they stand here and now.

The Bible comes to our rescue and, as always, gives us clarity on this important subject. The Bible says, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." (2 Peter 1:10)

Here it is, says Peter "...make your calling and election sure."

Peter is telling us here that we are not to fall, not to fail, not to perish along the way, not to be overcome by evil and give up and turn back, not to let anyone or anything defeat us by making our calling and election sure.

Some believers believe in the notion that once saved always saved, and they are certainly entitled to their views. The theological arguments underlying this concept have engaged the Calvinists and their opponents, the Armenianists, for centuries. I do not wish to go there other than to clarify this scripture.

Peter is making it clear here that calling and election is conditional. He says, "if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Peter 1:10). The dictionary defines "if" as a conjunction used to indicate the circumstances that would have to exist in order for an event to happen.

Here is the full sense of what Peter is saying. If you are saved and sanctified (called and elected) and on your way to heaven then your life will exhibit all the virtues that flow from your conversion, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (2 Peter 1: 5-7).

Peter is saying here, but in different words, what Paul identifies as the characteristics that flow from a converted soul, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)

It is precisely because these things are authentic, visible and identifiable that we can check, can know, can discern by their presence or absence where we stand with regards to our calling and election.

Take a simple but powerful virtue like love. Without genuine love, a love that flows in you from God, that sincerely wants the best for your neighbour, you would have no standing with God. You would not be saved and sanctified. You would have no claim on God's calling and election.

This would be true, not because somebody says that about us, but because we would be as salt without savour, light that does not shine forth, and fire that gives no warmth.

It is because it is our bounden duty to check and make sure that we read:

1. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (I Corinthians 10:12)

2. "But let a man examine himself..." (1 Corinthians 11:28)

3. "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. " (1 Corinthians 11:31)

4. "For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." (James 1:24)

And here is the best news of all. Should we examine ourselves and find a grace or virtue lacking then we should know that God has made a gracious provision for us, as here: "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19), and all we have to do is ask, "Ask, and it shall be given you." (Matthew 7:7)

This should not be taken that the final salvation of God's elect is in doubt. Rather, it indicates that believers have a role to play in their endurance. It is that God saves us through His sovereign grace alone, and the proof that this sovereign grace is functioning in our lives is that we continue in faith by striving to add these virtues of 2 Peter 1:5-7. By this we are making sure as regards our salvation, and doing our duty.

Enough said.

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Dr. Henderson Ward received his Doctor of Divinity in theology, with distinction, from Masters International School of Divinity, USA, where he is currently a post-doctoral fellow. Dr. Ward's career involved pastoring, evangelism, and teaching. Copyright 2017

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