Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of 2 Peter chapter 1. 2 Peter chapter 1. In the second service, Lord willing,
I'm going to take The verses that I ended with
last Wednesday in Job 19, verses 25 to 27, there were some things
that I wanted to bring out, but for the sake of time, I was not
able to. And so I wanted to go over those
verses again. But while I was going over those
verses, This passage here came to my mind and heart. And the
more I read in Job, the more convinced I was that I had to
preach out of this, this morning. 2 Peter chapter 1. And I will say this, if there
has ever been a verse of scripture that a believer desires to have
some light on, this is it. This is it. 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 10, Wherefore,
the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election
sure. For if you do these things, ye
shall never fall. The Apostle Peter, under the
inspiration of God's Spirit, exhorts God's people to give
diligence, that is, with all speed, haste, eagerness, and
carefulness, make your calling and election stable. You that believe don't want to
know what this verse means next week. You want to know right
now. I want you to tell me right now. I know that I've heard it before, but I'm in this world and I know
something of my frailty and I want to know what God has to say about
making my calling and election sure. An unbeliever looks back at his decision, at his baptism,
at his confirmation, or some other self-righteous work, that's
what they look back to for comfort. diligence to make his calling.
I know that God did something for me because I remember back
June the 11th, 245, 1991, I know that I gave my heart to Jesus. And I remember. They put their
stamp of comfort on that. But a believer knows that there's
no works of righteousness that he's ever done. So therefore,
if there's no works of righteousness that I've ever done to establish
righteousness before God, then to what can I diligently
look? Give diligence to make your calling
and election sure. But having been given this exhortation
to do it, here's my question. How? Tell me again. I know I've heard it. I know
I've heard it. But tell me again what God has
to say about there being some assurance to me that God has
called me and therefore has elected me. Because if God's called me,
then I was elected. Now if I could look into the
book of life, and I know that in the day of judgment, the Scripture
says that all are going to stand before Him, the books are going
to be opened. This is in Revelation 20. Books
are going to be opened in the book. And every man that's not found
written in the book of life himself is going to be cast into the
lake of fire. I know that. I know that. But I know that
those things that are secret now, I can't look into the book. The secret things belong to the
Lord. But those things that are revealed,
belong to us, our children. I want to know what has Almighty
God revealed that gives me some comfort in making my calling
and election sure. Now I want you to turn to 1 Thessalonians
1. This is important. It's needful. 1 Thessalonians
chapter 1. Verse 4 to 7, now listen to the
words of the Spirit of God. 1 Thessalonians 1, 4 to 7, knowing,
brethren, beloved, your election of God. Now that's some comfort
right there. Now I know that we can know. He said, For our gospel came
not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance, as you know what manner of men
we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us,
and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with
joy of the Holy Ghost, so that ye were in samples or examples
to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia." So I do know this.
I know that to the elect, those called that know their election
of God, that the gospel comes not only in word, but in power. in the power of the Holy Spirit.
So I know that. I understand that. Now, here's
what I want to know. How can I know that the Word
of God, the Gospel of God's grace has come to me in power? I know it does. What am I taught? by God's Spirit. That's why he
said, our gospel came not unto you in word only. I'm going to
tell you something, as I said before. I can understand how
anybody can acknowledge. I had somebody tell me one time.
They said, I acknowledge that election is in the Bible. I know
that. I can read it. I acknowledge
that. But I can tell you this, they had no heart for it. It
didn't come in power. and in the Holy Spirit, it didn't
come in the Holy Ghost powerfully. What am I taught? That God gives me
faith to believe, that gives me some assurance in my desire
to make my calling in election sure. I want you to turn to John
16. John 16, and I'm going to tell
you right now, This right here is irrefutable proof. If God Almighty has given you
a heart to believe this right here. Here it is. John 16. Here we're going to find a believer
convinced of something. John 16 verse 8. And when he has come, Who? The Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
He will reprove, He will convince the world, not the wicked, not
the world without distinction, but the world, Jew and Gentile,
God's elect, Too many scriptures confirm the Lord Jesus Christ
did not die for everyone without distinction. He didn't die for
everybody. He said, I lay down my life for
the sheep. He said, I don't pray for the world. I pray for those
you've given me out of the world. So I know this. I cannot take
a word here, world, and just say, well, it means everybody.
Because everybody is not going to be convinced, Mitch. But I
can tell you this. When He has come, He will reprove
the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because
they believe not on me. Of righteousness, because I go
to my Father and you see me no more. Of judgment, because the
Prince of this world is judged. Now, here's some things right
here. Three things, three tokens. Three evidences, three words
of power that comes to a believer when Almighty God calls him out
of darkness. And I'm going to say this, Lord,
teach me this. I want to know this. I know everyone
that Almighty God calls out of darkness, spiritual darkness.
Number one, they're taught this. They are reproved of sin. You know what that means? God
teaches me that I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner. I'm a sinner before
God, and I'm convinced of it. And the older I get, the more
convinced of it I am. I told you last week, I thought
the older people got, the just better they got. No, sir. No,
sir. Let me tell you a believer. The older he gets, the longer
he's in this world, the more he realizes what he is as being
born in Adam. A believer experiences the pain
of indwelling sin. It grieves a believer. It grieves
them. Romans 7,18, For I know that
in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing, for to will is
present with me in that new man. But how to perform that which
is good I find not. You find a man, you find a woman,
convinced of sin, convinced to that grieving of it that is within,
and you found a man, a woman that God has called, has taught
them something. When He has come, He will reprove,
He'll teach, He'll convince His people of sin. David said in Psalm 51.3, I acknowledge
my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. David had
rebelled against God, sinned against God and went to his grave
grieving over it. Secondly, one that diligently
makes his calling and election sure is convinced according to
John 16 Verse 8, of righteousness. You that believe, let me tell
you what you're convinced of concerning righteousness that
you don't have any in yourself. You're convinced of that. You
do not have any righteousness in yourself that will stand accepted
before God. Isaiah 64 6, But we are all as
an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind
has taken us away. I can tell you for a fact, one
taught of God, knows in himself, I am a sinner against God. In
Adam's fall, sin was imputed to me. But I came forth from
my mother's womb speaking lies. And I know this, I'm a sinner
by birth, I'm a sinner by choice. And I know it. And I cannot not
sin. I cannot not sin. As I've said
this, I try to pray and I can't even keep a clear mind. And it
just grieves me. It grieves me. I stand here and
try to preach and I think to myself. My mind just wanders
and I think of something and I'm thinking to myself while
I'm still talking, thanks be unto the Lord that He would give
me any kind of consistency in what I'm saying. I'm thinking,
what in the world are you doing? And while I'm preaching, I think
to myself, Lord, oh, I pray that I believe what I'm saying. I
know it in my head. Lord, give me a heart for this.
I'm convinced of sin. I'm convinced of righteousness.
That is, that I don't have any. And I'll tell you this, one called
of God, one called out of darkness, let me tell you what he does.
He counts everything that he counted on before. to be nothing
more than dung. I came up in false religion and
I made a profession of faith when I was nine years old. And
I can remember just as sure as I'm standing here, it didn't
more mean anything to me than a man to man. I just thought, well I'll just
go down. It was on a Sunday night, Frank, I remember this. I was
in Alexandria, Louisiana. Walked down the aisle because
my cousin did, Larry. I remember Larry. It didn't mean
any more to me. They patted me on the back and
prayed through with me. And he said, hey, now you believe
Jesus? Yeah, I do. You don't think he'd lie to you?
No, I don't. He said, well, you're saved. You're saved. You're saved. They baptized me. And I knew
then it didn't mean anything. It was nothing. I'm convinced
I have no righteousness of my own. Philippians chapter 3 verse
7 to 10, here was Saul of Tarsus, Paul the apostle. Paul says,
what things were gained to me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless I count all things,
but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him,
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ. the righteousness which
is of God by faith in Him. Let me tell you the righteousness
that God Almighty is going to accept. The righteousness of
Christ. His righteousness. I don't have
any, but I must have a righteousness. Therefore, a believer, one that
diligently makes his calling and election sure, he knows this,
I'm a sinner in need of a savior. And I'm convinced, I diligently
am convinced, that if he imputes his righteousness to me, then
I have a righteousness that God will accept, not by our works. but by the faith of... Turn to
Galatians 2. I've read this so many times.
Look in your Bible. This is what? This is the wording. Galatians chapter 2 verse 16. Knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law. Now let me tell you what that
does. That eliminates all works of men. Well, I was saved because I. No, you weren't. No, you weren't. Well, I feel that I was. Well,
feelings are deceiving. knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus
Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not
by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified. I'm convinced of this. I'm convinced
of righteousness, that His alone will answer for me. My works
is not going to answer before God. And one, lastly, that is
diligent to make his calling and election sure, back in John
chapter 16, he's convinced of this, he's convinced of judgment. He's convinced of judgment. He's
convinced, first of all, that God is going to judge. But he's
convinced in making his calling and election sure that the Lord
Jesus Christ has answered for me. When the Lord said, I lay
down my life for the sheep. That means that when he laid
down his life, 2 Corinthians 5.21 says, He, the Father, hath
made Him, Christ, sin for us. He who knew no sin, that
we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. A believer that diligently makes
his calling and election sure is convinced. I'm a sinner against
God who has no righteousness in myself and His righteousness
alone, imputed to me, covering me, robing me, is the only righteousness
where I can stand. So I look away from myself. I look away from me." Don't look
at yourself, because there's no life there. And he's convinced
of judgment. That if the Lord Jesus Christ
has put away my guilt, I have no guilt. I have no guilt
to answer for. Sin, yes. But guilt before God,
no. Romans 8.1, there is therefore
now no condemnation. to them which be in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Back in 2 Peter, in closing,
2 Peter 1, verse 10, Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence
to make your calling and election sure, For if you do these things,
well, what things? Well, I can tell you this. He
was talking about back in the first part of 2 Peter, talking
about these, verse 5. Beside this, giving all diligence.
Here he is, he's still giving diligence. Add to your faith
virtue, strength, stability, but not in myself. The Lord is
my strength. Add to your faith virtue. Virtue, knowledge to know Him. Oh, that I might know Him, be
found in Him. Add to your knowledge temperance,
self-control, that is desiring to be kept by the Spirit of God. Lord, you keep me, I can't. Knowledge, temperance, temperance,
patience, abiding under that which grows in trial. Lord, you
promise you're not going to forsake me. You're not going to leave
me. James says 1-3, knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience. And then godliness,
devout before God to believe Him. Brotherly kindness, charity,
love. Love for Him, love for the brethren.
Almighty God has shown mercy to His people in giving them
some hope. Last verse of scripture, Colossians
3, Colossians chapter 3, verse 12 to 14. Put on therefore as
the elect of God, holy and beloved vows of mercies, kindness, humbleness
of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another and forgiving
one another. If any man have a quarrel against
any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all
these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."
Brother Henry Mahan made this statement, closing on this passage. He said, there's an inseparable
connection between being God's children and behaving like God's
children. If you want to have some comfort,
giving diligence to make your calling and election sure, let
me ask you this. Has the Lord convinced you of
sin? that you and yourself are impotent
spiritually. I can't do anything. I have no
ability, and I know it. Now, the only way I know it is
now that God's given me a new heart to know it. But I know
this. I'm convinced of sin, of the
presence of it, of the grieving over it. I'm convinced of righteousness,
that I don't have any in myself. that I have not established righteousness
before God by my free will. I don't have a free will. My
free will is bound. My will is bound to trespasses
and sins. He gives me a new will in the
day of His power to come and trust Him. I'm convinced of sin,
I'm convinced of righteousness, and I'm convinced of judgment
that the Lord Jesus Christ has put away my guilt. And I look
to Him and I trust Him. And I rest in Him. If you want
to have some comfort, has the Lord taught you those things?
If he has, then you've got good reason for a good hope. Lord,
bless these words to our heart.