Wherefore the rather,
brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do
these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto
you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of
these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by
putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my
tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
Any trained parachutist has a rigorous routine he goes
through before every jump. The canopy of the parachute is critically inspected
for split seams, frayed edges, holes, tears, or signs of excessive wear. The
chords attaching the canopy to the brace are each checked thoroughly, inspected
with a very discerning eye, searching for weakness or tattered threads. After
repacking the parachute into the bag, the parachutist double-checks his
harnesses and all the joints of the harness to ensure that everything is
intact. Finally, confident that all things are as they should be, he mounts the
stairs into the airplane that he will jump out of, and in a few moments, with
confidence and security, he soars through the air exploiting physics and
enjoying every second of it. In verse 10, Peter tells his followers to
double-check their spiritual parachute. He tells them to look inside and out,
to critically inspect with a discerning eye the surety of their faith. Even as
he says this, he leaves the presumption that there will be some way to check
the “spiritual parachute.” He almost implies that there will be tangible ways
to see the saving faith that dwells inside each believer. Faith itself is not
something we do, therefore it cannot truly be quantified. By God’s grace
through faith, we are saved, so then what could Peter possibly be alluding to
when he, like Paul in Philippians 2:12-13, says “work out your own
salvation…For it is God which worketh in you.” He is not advocating that
anything besides faith alone saves you. He is just advocating that if you are
saved, time will reveal that that faith didn’t remain alone for very long. So,
he says, “inspect your spiritual parachute. Check every cord, the canopy, the
harness, and see if there is anything lacking.” Know that without a doubt,
God’s grace alone saves through faith, but know also that visible assurance and
eternal confidence comes through the ability to see the hands-on working of
God’s grace in your life.
Food for Thought:
What is the only way for us to be saved? How can we find assurance of the
saving work of God’s grace?
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