1. The First Epistle of Peter October 4, 2015 Bob Eckel 1 2 Peter 1:10-14 The Believer's Adequacy and a Reminder 2 Peter 1:10 – “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;” –Therefore – what’s it there for? Let’s re-read 2 Peter 1:2-8! –be even more diligent (2 Peter 1:5) to make your call and election sure Verb is active imperative – exert oneself, and how? –1 Thess 2:17 - But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. –2 Tim 2:15 - Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. –Heb 4:11 - Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. –to make your call and election sure

2. The First Epistle of Peter October 4, 2015 Bob Eckel 2 2 Peter 1:10-14 The Believer's Adequacy and a Reminder –Does this mean that there are times when we need to be unsure? –sure – stable, fast, firm »In our condition we do experience this, but in our position never, and that is to where Peter is calling us. »Heb 6:19 - This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, But then what does being told to make our calling and election sure; are we to measure our own performance here? –calling – the heavenly invitation to all who are In Christ »Eph 4:1 - I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, »Phil 3:14 - I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. –election – being chosen; only appropriate when you’ve been saved »1 Thess 1:4 – knowing (eido), beloved brethren, your election by God. –And being called and elected are consistent with God’s plan for us! »Rom 8:30 - Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. –for if you do these things you will never stumble do what things?

3. The First Epistle of Peter October 4, 2015 Bob Eckel 3 2 Peter 1:10-14 The Believer's Adequacy and a Reminder –will never stumble is subjunctive - t he action described may or may not occur, depending upon circumstances. –stumble is fail – our salvation or our walk? »Rom 5:1 - Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, »Rom 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus Do you agree with the following statement by Paul A. Cedar? –‘The Christian life is not a list of propositions or a tight theological system; it is a vital relationship to a resurrected Lord. The commandments He gave us and the theological systems we devise as an understanding of those propositional truths exist only to help us live in a vital relationship with Christ day by day as we follow Him as Lord.’ And what about that of Joseph C. Dillow? –‘Nowhere in the Bible is a Christian asked to examine either his faith or his life to find out if he is a Christian. He is told only to look outside of himself to Christ alone for his assurance that he is a

4. The First Epistle of Peter October 4, 2015 Bob Eckel 4 2 Peter 1:10-14 The Believer's Adequacy and a Reminder Christian.’ –1 John 3:18,19 - My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 2 Peter 1:11 – “for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” –What entrance – into His Grace now and/or our hope in glory? Heb 10:19 - Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – future passive indicative –This seems more related to whenever we leave these earthly tabernacles – 2 Peter 1:14 –Notice abundantly – see abound in 2 Peter 1:8 –Then does this relate to how His life in us here has brought Him glory, e.g. our eternal rewards?

5. The First Epistle of Peter October 4, 2015 Bob Eckel 5 2 Peter 1:10-14 The Believer's Adequacy and a Reminder 2 Peter 1:12 – “For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.” –Verb tense is important here will not be negligent – future active indicative to remind you always – present active infinitive though you know (eido) – perfect active –This is head knowledge, factual are established in the present truth – perfect passive –Have been permanently placed by the Lord Jesus Christ in the present truth. »And what is this present truth? –And we need this reminder from our elders and members of our spiritual body, do we not? And in particular with what lies ahead in 2 Peter 2:1,2 - false prophets And Paul and John had a similar message

6. The First Epistle of Peter October 4, 2015 Bob Eckel 6 2 Peter 1:10-14 The Believer's Adequacy and a Reminder –Rom 15:14 - Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. –1 John 2:21 - I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 2 Peter 1:13,14 – “Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.” –Why did Peter call his earthly dwelling a tent/tabernacle? Only other use –Acts 7:44-46 - “Our fathers had the tabernacle (skēnē) of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling (skēnōma) for the God of Jacob.”

7. The First Epistle of Peter October 4, 2015 Bob Eckel 7 2 Peter 1:10-14 The Believer's Adequacy and a Reminder 2 Cor 5:1,4 - For we know that if our earthly house, this tent (skēnos), is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens……. For we who are in this tent (skēnos) groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. –skēnos only used here. –How did Peter know he was ready to leave his dwelling? apothesis – putting off his tent/tabernacle However, the Lord Jesus did indicate that he would be martyred. –John 21: 18,19 - “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” Paul also knew – 2 Tim 4:6,7 –And how do we know? Phil 1:21 - For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain! –Either was you win!