Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. (2 Peter 1:10, NIV)
Today’s passage has the potential for creating all kinds of controversy, depending on your theological comfort level with the doctrine of election and how you have heard it taught. We’ll try not to go there. We’ll try to stick with the fact that this passage is in the Bible and we will wrestle with its meaning for all of us, no matter where we land on the “election spectrum.”
And wrestle we will, because this is a passage that demands parallels to help us lay hold of it.
So let’s start here. Consider a boy or girl who comes to you and says, “I believe I have the golfing gift. I can play this game at the highest level.” As words, we know, these may or may not be true. I would need to see at least four things in order to confirm this stated calling.
I would need to see first that the young player has a fascination for golf, that he or she is truly interested in the game and that this interest is sustained.
I would need to see next that the young player has some athletic ability, including a sense of balance, a fluid flexibility, and an understanding of tempo. These, unlike some of golf’s other mechanics, are very difficult to teach and usually need to pre-exist, so to speak, for a player to make it in the long run.
I would third need to see that the young player is willing to work at the game. While this may seem different than calling, it shows that the player understands the necessary connection between a dream and a reality. Many a “gifted athlete” has left the gift unopened.
And finally, I would need to see results. Are the player’s scores improving over time and locking in at or under par on a consistent basis? And I would need to see what the player does with these results, holding them in a balance of inspiration, confidence, and humility.
Now let’s draw our parallels. If a friend came to me and said, “I am one called by God, chosen for eternity with him” (or even if I said this to myself), I would want to see:
– A fervency for Jesus, sustained over time, so that love for him compels service for him.- Evidence of supernatural spiritual giftings in the person, including demonstrations of goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (those traits listed earlier in 2 Peter 1).
– A willingness to study the word of God and apply it to life, even when it is most difficult to do so.
– God-glorifying results of the worship and work in the person’s life, again with appropriate responses of inspiration, confidence and humility in future endeavors for the Lord.
Whatever the exact definition of our calling and election, Peter urged us to confirm them, to make them sure. How do you respond to the better idea you have today about getting this done?
—
Jeff Hopper
March 29, 2012
Copyright © 2012 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday through Friday and is archived by passage and topic at www.linksplayers.com.