R.C. Sproul

Now, if an apostle walked in here this evening and we had a chance to have him come up and lead a question and answer, and we would say to the apostle, be it Paul or Peter or John or whoever, we said to them, tell us what our priorities should be.

What kinds of things should we be most diligent to learn?

Would we not be a little bit surprised if the answer said, you need to learn about the doctrine of election?

But the doctrine of election or of predestination, not in the abstract,

but with respect to your own person.

What would you say if that apostle said to you, the most important question you could ever get answered in this lifetime is the question, am I numbered among the elect?

Now, I realize that there are multitudes of professing Christians out there that don't even worry about such questions because they don't believe in election in the first place.

In fact, if there's one verse that people appeal to in all of sacred Scripture to try to deny the doctrine of election, it is a verse that we will examine later on in this same epistle, that verse that says, God is not willing that any should perish.

And if it's true that God is not willing that anybody should perish, then manifestly who needs to worry about election?

You do, because Peter is saying you need to be all the more diligent to make your calling

and your election sure."

Do you remember to whom the first epistle of Peter was addressed?

To the elect.

The doctrine of election permeates the epistles of Saint Peter.

So we can't dismiss the doctrine of election simply to the machinations of the mind of the Apostle Paul.

or even to Jesus himself.

It's everywhere on virtually every page.

Now, I want to ask two questions.

What does Peter mean by making your calling and election sure?

And what reason does he give for being especially diligent to do that?