Peter on election

by HK FLynn

Over at Pulpit, 2 Peter 1 was brought up~ the make your calling and election sure passage~to defend the MacArthur model against a wonderful onslaught by Bobby Grow. That passage used to be a foundational proof text for the Puritans, but it has never taken on the same status for people like MacArthur and Piper. Probably this is because, in the interest of diplomacy, the word "election" isn't dangled in the forefront of their theology anymore. At any rate, as proof (or even evidence) of the truth of perseverance theology, the passage is utterly weak because Peter clearly precludes the idea. I'll post Peter's entire thought:

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

2 Peter 1:3-10

Peter's language seems pretty hard to get around. A better explanation is that Peter is referring to the person who is elect to great reward in the coming Kingdom. Peter knew he had not only called, but was chosen as one who would "be welcomed" into the Lord's Kingdom, since Jesus clearly told him he would.