THEREFORE BRETHREN: dio mallon, adelphoi:

Why the "therefore"? Because of our provision (everything pertaining to life and godliness" "His precious & magnificent promises") and our ''potential'' ("partakers of the divine nature"). In fact this verse closely parallels Peter's exhortation to diligence in (v5).

"Therefore" ties these great truths together.

Peter is saying that on the basis of everything I have said

"Therefore, brethren be all the more diligent..."

In this verse and the next Peter gives the 2 results of spiritual growth, the first relating to this present life (assurance of salvation) and the second to the future (abundant entrance into God's eternal kingdom)

Though God is “sure” who His elect are and has given them an eternally secure salvation (see notes 1 Peter 1:1;  1:2; 1:3; 1:4; 1:5; cf. see note Romans 8:28ff) (click for John MacArthur's 8 Sermon series on assurance of salvation  and scroll down to "Reasons People Lack Assurance" and "Tests of Assurance), believers often do not have assurance of their salvation. Security is the Holy Spirit revealed objective fact that salvation is forever (see note Romans 8:16). Assurance is one’s (subjective) confidence that he or she possesses eternal salvation. In other words, believers who pursue the spiritual qualities delineated by Peter guarantees to themselves by the fruit God brings forth through them that they are called and chosen (elect) by God unto salvation.

BE ALL THE MORE DILIGENT: mâllon spoudasate (2 PPAAM): (See Torrey's Topic "Diligence") (2Pe 1:5 3:17)

Diligent (4704) (spoudazo [word study] from the noun spoude [word study] Peter used earlier in 2Pe 1:5-note) means to do something in a hurry with intense effort and motivation or involving earnest application to some specific pursuit. In using this word Peter is conveying a sense of urgency and eagerness.

Spoudazo is aorist active imperative which commands a definitive action and conveys a sense of urgency. Make certain of His calling now. Don't put this off!

Spoudazo calls for an intense effort and an eagerness of spirit applied to the believer's walk. This effort is important as it will solidify their sense of assurance that the individual is truly a child of God and a member of His family.

Spoudazo - 11x in 11v - Gal 2:10; Eph 4:3; 1 Thess 2:17; 2 Tim 2:15; 4:9, 21; Titus 3:12; Heb 4:11; 2 Pet 1:10, 15; 3:14. NAS =  diligent(6), eager(2), make every effort(3).

The writer of Hebrews conveys a parallel thought (Heb 6:11-note) expressing the

"desire that each one of (his readers) show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end".

Are you struggling with lack of assurance that you are genuinely saved, delivered from the wrath to come? Peter is writing a great prescription for what ails you.

TO MAKE CERTAIN: poieisthai (PMN) bebaios: (See Torrey's Topic "Assurance") (2Ti 2:19 Heb 6:11,19 1Jn 3:19, 20, 21 )

Make (4160) (poieo) means make or do. Poieo is in the present tense which calls for continuous effort -- making certain (strengthening our assurance of salvation) is to be a lifelong process, and as such is synonymous with progressive sanctification (holiness). Poieo is also in the middle voice which calls for the reader to personally initiate this action and to participate in the effects of the development of the virtues leading to holiness. Peter is saying "make certain for yourself". So if we are diligently supplying these qualities, and they are increasing, we can know that we have salvation and can avoid the awful struggle of doubt and fear associated with a lack of assurance.

Wayne Grudem writes that...

The way that we confirm our call and election, then, is to continue to grow in “these things.” (Ed: The "things" mentioned in 2Pe 1:5; 1:6; 1:7 - see notes) This implies that our assurance of salvation can be something that increases over time in our lives. Every year that we add to these character traits in our lives, we gain greater and greater assurance of our salvation. Thus, though young believers can have a quite strong confidence in their salvation, that assurance can increase to even deeper certainty over the years in which they grow toward Christian maturity. If they continue to add these things they will confirm their call and election and will “never fall.” (Grudem, W: Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. IVP; Zondervan, 1994 or Logos) (Bolding added)

Certain (949) (bebaios from baino = to go, walk, step) describes that which is fixed, stable, sure, attested to and certified. It is something which is unwavering and persistent and thus can be relied on or depended on. It pertains to that which is known with certainty. It refers to something that has validity over a period of time (e.g., the promise made to Abraham remained valid to NT believers, see note Romans 4:16).  Figuratively bebaios refers to that upon which one may build, rely or trust.

Bebaios is something that can be relied on not to cause disappointment for it is reliable and unshifting. In practice, though not originally, bebaios is close to pistos  (4103) (trustworthy, dependable, reliable, faithful)

Bebaios - 8x in 8v. Translated a variety of ways in the NAS = certain, 1; firm, 2; firmly grounded, 1; guaranteed, 1; more sure, 1; steadfast, 1; unalterable, 1; valid, 1.

Romans 4:16 (note) For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

2 Corinthians 1:7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.

Hebrews 2:2 (note) For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense,

Hebrews 3:14 (note) For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;

Hebrews 6:19 (note) This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

Hebrews 9:17 (note) For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

2 Peter 1:10 (note) Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

2 Peter 1:19 (note) And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

TDNT says that bebaios

means “standing firm on the feet,” “steadfast,” “maintaining firmness or solidity,” “steadfast for …” Hence “firm” in the sense of having inner solidity. In respect of abstract things and persons bebaios thus comes to mean “steady,” “sure,” “reliable” “steadfast,” or “certain. " (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W.  Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans)

Bebaios has a legal sense, signifying a legal guarantee, obtained by the buyer from the seller, to be gone back upon should a third party claim the thing. Thus in classic Greek bebaios described a warranty deed somewhat like a guarantee one might have today on an automobile or similar product.  A holy life is like a "guarantee" demonstrating one's calling and election to others as well as to one's self.

Peter uses bebaios describing the Word of God, writing that

we have the prophetic word [made] (not in Greek. Literally = "word more sure")  more sure, to which you do well to pay (close) attention (nautical term that meant to hold a ship in a direction and so to sail towards!) as to a lamp shining in a dark (miry, filthy, murky, dismal, dark) place, until the day dawns (shines through, breaks forth) and the morning star arises in your hearts. (see note 2 Peter 1:19)

What Peter is saying (although the translations in some versions make this meaning difficult to discern) is not that the eyewitness account of Christ's majesty at the transfiguration confirmed the Scriptures, but that the prophetic word is a more reliable attestation or verification of the teachings about the person, atonement, and second coming of Christ than even the genuine first hand experiences of the apostles themselves. Courson has an interesting comment on this passage adding that

If someone offered you the choice of either being on Mount Hermon with Jesus, seeing Moses and Elijah, hearing a voice from heaven—or having the Old Testament, most of us would choose to see the Lord glowing, to see Moses and Elijah, to hear a voice from heaven. But Peter would choose otherwise. Why? Because experiences fade, but the Word endures. The problem with experiences is that all they produce is a craving to see more...Having been around for a while, I would rather hear a great Bible study and be fed from the Scriptures than see a bunch of experiences unfolding. There was a time when this was not true in my life. But the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I realize that experiences fade—even the valid ones, even the wondrous ones. Only the Word endures. (Courson, J.  Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Page 1589. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson)

The writer of Hebrews uses bebaios reminding his Jewish readers, some of whom were teetering on going back to Judaism, that in Christ we have a hope set before us and

This hope we have as an anchor (that which forms a bend i.e., an anchor and can stabilize the thing to which it is attached) of the soul, a hope both sure (does not totter, cannot be thrown down, steady, immovable, safe, secure from peril) and steadfast (bebaios) and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (He 6:19, 20-see notes Hebrews 6:19; 20)

Comment: Vincent says means here a hope that sustains one’s steps in going, one that does not break down under what steps upon it

MacDonald comments that

"In the storms and trials of life this hope serves as an anchor of the soul. The knowledge that our glorification is as certain as if it had already happened keeps us from drifting on the wild waves of doubt and despair. The anchor is not cast in the shifting sands of this world but takes hold in the heavenly sanctuary. Since our hope is the anchor, the meaning is that our hope is secured in God’s very Presence behind the veil. Just as sure as the anchor is there, we shall be there also." (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)

Bebaios was used of confirming something as in the legal terminology of validating a will. So a Christian by growing in grace becomes assured (stabile, secure in the salvation, having assurance of their salvation) of having been called and elected by God. This stresses the responsibility of the believer to live in conformity to his calling into a partaking of the divine nature in Christ Jesus (2Pe 1:4-note).

The exhortation is that the believer should make sure of the fact that he is saved by seeing to it that the Christian graces superabound in his life. There is no idea here of making sure that we retain our salvation but that we possess salvation.

Spurgeon comments that...

"Full assurance is an excellent attainment. It is profitable for a man to be certain in this life, and absolutely sure of his own calling and election. But how can he be sure? Now, many of our more ignorant hearers imagine that the only way they have of being assured of their election is by some revelation, some dream, and some mystery. I have enjoyed very hearty laughs as the expense of some people who have trusted in their visions. Really, if you had passed among so many shades of ignorant professing Christians as I have; and had to resolve so many doubts and fears, you would be so infinitely sick of dreams and visions that you would say, as soon as a person began to speak about them, "Now, do just hold your tongue." "Sir," said a woman, "I saw blue lights in the front parlor when I was in prayer, and I thought I saw the Saviour in the corner, and I said to myself I am safe."

Peter is not necessarily urging the readers to engage in more strenuous activities per se. A believer's spiritual growth confirms that God has called and chosen him. The "blighted" condition pictured in 2Pe 1:9-note destroys such personal assurance.

In 1654 Thomas Brooks wrote the following statement regarding the believer's assurance of salvation...

Charles Haddon Spurgeon wisely reminds us that...

Faith saves us, but assurance satisfies us...Full assurance is not essential to salvation, but it is essential to satisfaction...No believer should be content with hoping and trusting, he should ask the Lord to lead him on to full assurance, so that matters of hope may become matters of certainty.

Related Resources on Assurance:

William Plumer - Assurance of Grace and Salvation - What It It? How to Attain It. Why More Do not Enjoy It.

J C Ryle - Assurance

Thomas Brooks - "Heaven on Earth" (Read intro to this book) - Assurance has amazing transforming powers. It changes iron to gold, ignominies to crowns, and all sufferings to delights!

Thomas Brooks - Precious Remedies Against Satan

Thomas Brooks exhorts us to...

Let heaven be a man's object, and earth will soon be his abject.  Assurance of more great and glorious things, breed in the soul a  holy scorn and contempt of all these poor, base worldly things —which the soul before valued above God, Christ and heaven.

The more the soul is conformed to Christ, the more confident it will be of its interest in Christ.

Many a Christian has his pardon sealed in the court of heaven before it is sealed in the court of his own conscience.

Though no man merits assurance by his obedience, yet God usually crowns obedience with assurance.

Perfect signs of grace can never spring from imperfect grace.

Genuine holiness will yield you a heaven hereafter; but genuine assurance will yield you a heaven here. He who has holiness and knows it, shall have two heavens —a heaven of joy, comfort, peace, contentment, and assurance here—and a heaven of happiness and blessedness hereafter.

Genuine assurance will be a spring of joy and comfort in you. It will make heavy afflictions light, long afflictions short, and bitter afflictions sweet. It will make you frequent, fervent, constant, and abundant in the work of the Lord. It
will strengthen your faith, raise your hope, inflame your love, increase your patience, and brighten your zeal. It will make  every mercy sweet, every duty sweet, every ordinance sweet, and every providence sweet. It will rid you of all your sinful fears and cares. It will give you ease under every burden, and make death more desirable than life. It will make you more strong to resist temptation, more victorious over opposition, and more silent in every difficult condition.

Genuine assurance will turn...every winter night into a summer's day, every cross into a crown, and every wilderness into a paradise. 

Genuine assurance will be...a sword to defend you, a staff to support you, a cordial to strengthen you, a medicine to heal you, and a star to lead you.

Well, remember this—next to a man's being saved, it is the  greatest mercy in this world—to know that he is saved.

ABOUT HIS CALLING: ten klêsin: (Ro 1:1, 7, 8:28, 29, 30; 8:30, 9:24; 1Cor 1:2, 1Cor 1:9; 1Cor 1:24, 1Cor 1:26, Gal 1:6; Eph 1:18, 4:1, 1Thes 2:12; 2Thes 2:14; 2Ti 1:9; Heb 3:1; 1Pet 2:9,21;2 Pet 1:10;Jude 1:1, Rev 17:14, Torrey's Topic Call of God)  

Note that "calling and choosing" are modified by a single definite article (ten) and thus are viewed in essence as a "unit", for both acts are integrally, intimately related to the origin and efficacy of our salvation by grace through faith.

Calling  (2821) (klesis [word study] from kaleo = to call. See also study of related word - kletos)  means a call and was used for an invitation to a banquet. In the NT the word is used metaphorically of the call or invitation to come into the kingdom of God with all its privileges. Here "klesis" refers to the divine call by which Christians are introduced into the privileges of the gospel. God’s invitation (klesis) to man to accept the benefits of His salvation is what this calling is all about, particularly in the gospels. It is God’s first act in the application of redemption according to His eternal purpose (Ro 8:28). A distinction is made between God’s calling and men’s acceptance of it (Mt 20:16).

Klesis is used 11 times in the NT in the NAS (Click study of related word kletos, and a discussion of who are "the called")

Romans 11:29 (note) for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

1 Corinthians 1:26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

1 Corinthians 7:20 Let each man remain in that condition in which he was called.

Ephesians 1:18 (note) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Ephesians 4:1 (note) therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

Ephesians 4:4 (note) There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;

Philippians 3:14 (note) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power;

2 Timothy 1:9 (note) who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

Hebrews 3:1 (note) Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.

2 Peter 1:10 (note) Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

Klesis can also refer to a call unto Christian service or ministry. That the calling is to more than a Christian profession is clear from the experiences which Paul associates with it. (see note Romans 1:1) No one can be a chosen one unless he is a called one. The initiative always comes from God.

Louw Nida defines klesis as an

urgent invitation to someone to accept responsibilities for a particular task, implying a new relationship to the one who does the calling; the station in life or social role which one has."

Vine says klesis

a calling, is always used in NT of that calling the origin, nature and destiny of which are heavenly (the idea of invitation being implied); it is used esp of God's invitation to man to accept the benefits of salvation.

In the present context klesis refers to those who have been summoned by God (the following phrases are meant to be read as one long sentence which gives a Biblical statement regarding calling)...

saints by calling (Kletos - 1Co 1:2)

both Jews and Greeks (Kletos - 1Co 1:24)

by grace (Kaleo - Gal 1:6)

through the "gospel" that we "may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Kaleo - 2Th 2:14)

and be brought "into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Kaleo - 1Co 1:9)

God's great doctrine of our calling should cause all the "called of Jesus Christ" to exclaim "Glory!"

While God’s choice of the elect is firm and certain in God (2Ti 2:9-see note), it may not always be obvious to the individual Christian.

McGee summarizes Peter's command explaining that...

In other words, the security of the believer is objective; it is something that cannot be disturbed. However, your assurance can certainly be disturbed by the life you live. If your life is not lived in sincerity and truth, you are bound to lie on your bed at night and wonder if you really have been born again. While it is true that Christ has done everything necessary to save you and keep you saved, your Christian life to be meaningful is something that you have to work at.

Who are the CALLED? Well, they are those who have heard. The Lord Jesus made it clear when He said,

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (Jn 10:27).

If you are following someone or something else, you haven’t heard Him, you are not one of His sheep. The ones who hear and follow Him are the called ones. Let’s not argue about election. It is as simple as this: He calls, and you answer. If you have answered, you are among the elect, one of “the called of Jesus Christ.” Paul assures the Roman Christians that they are called ones. In the writings of both Paul & Peter when they mention "called" ("call", "calling", etc), the reference is to an "effectual" call, that is a call which is answered & thus "the called" equates essentially with those who are "the chosen" or "the elect".

Note that the gospels use the term called differently -- in (Mt 22:1-13,14) many were "called" to the "wedding feast" but few were "chosen", so in the gospels the term "call..." was not synonymous with an effectual call to salvation.

Spurgeon makes the distinction between "general" and "special" calling writing that...

By the word "calling" in Scripture, we understand two things—one, the general call, which in the preaching of the gospel is given to every creature under heaven; the second call (that which is here intended) is the special call—which we call the effectual call, whereby God secretly, in the use of means, by the irresistible power of his Holy Spirit, calls out of mankind a certain number, whom he himself hath before elected, calling them from their sins to become righteous, from their death in trespasses and sins to become living spiritual men, and from their worldly pursuits to become the lovers of Jesus Christ."

Peter pointed out that “calling” and “election” go together. The same God who elects His people also ordains the means to call them. The two must go together, as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians

God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth...It was for this He called you through our gospel,” (2Th 2:13,14).

We do not preach election to unsaved people; we preach the Gospel (cf 1Cor 1:17,23,2:2). But God uses the inherent power (Ro 1:16, 1Cor 1:18) of the Gospel to call sinners to repentance, and then those sinners discover that they were of the elect, chosen by God! Let's face it this truth is too mysterious & too deep for finite human minds to comprehend (cf Dt 29:29).

If you walk around with your eyes closed, you will stumble! But the growing Christian walks with confidence because "sees where he is going" & he knows he is secure in Christ. It is not our profession of faith that guarantees that we are saved but it is our progression in the faith that gives us assurance. The person who claims to be a child of God but whose character and conduct give no evidence of spiritual growth is deceived and heading for judgment & eternal torment in the lake of fire (Titus 1:16-note)

CHOOSING: kai eklogen: (See Torrey's Topic "Election") (Ro 8:28, 29, 30, 31 1Th 1:3,4 2Th 2:13,14 1Pe 1:2)

See C H Spurgeon's sermon entitled Election

Choosing - That is "election". Election is the benevolent purpose of God by which any are chosen unto salvation so that they are led to embrace and persevere in Christ’s bestowed grace and the enjoyment of its privileges and blessings here and hereafter. 

Choosing (1589) (ekloge [word study] from eklegomai [eklego - word study] in turn from ek = out + lego = select, choose, eklegomai meaning to choose or select for oneself, but not necessarily implying rejection of what is not chosen. See study of related word eklektos = elect) means literally a choosing out, a picking out, a selection or an election (2Pe 1:10, 1Th 1:4 - referring to God's selection of believers). In the passive sense ekloge refers to God's selection for a purpose or task. In other words it represents a special choice as when God referred to Paul as "my chosen instrument" (Acts 9:15). In Ro 11:28 ekloge speaks of God's choice of Israel, who were selected by Him to carry out His specific plan of redemption for mankind.

Ekloge is used 7 times in the NT in the NASB (Acts; Ro 4X;  1Th; 2 P)  (Click for in depth discussion of the related word eklektos)

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

Romans 9:11 (note) for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls,

Romans 11:5 (note) In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.

Romans 11:7 (note) What then? That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;

Romans 11:28 (note) From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;

1 Thessalonians 1:4 (note) knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;

2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

John Piper writes that...

The danger described in v8,9 (as an incentive to advance in the fruits of faith) is not the danger of slipping into the kingdom with no rewards. It is the danger of not being saved at all. When Peter says, "Be zealous to confirm your call and election," he means that our lack of diligence in Christian graces may be a sign that we were never called and are not among the elect. (from Confirm Your Election )

Wuest adds that...

Alford says of the Christian’s act of making his calling and election sure, secure, firm,

for both (the calling and election), in as far as we look on them from the lower side, not able to penetrate into the counsels of God, are insecure unless established by holiness of life. In His foreknowledge and purpose, there is no insecurity, no uncertainty; but in our vision and apprehension of them as they exist in and for us, much, until they are pointed out.

The exhortation is that the believer should make sure of the fact that he is saved by seeing to it that the Christian graces superabound in his life. There is no idea here of making sure that we retain our salvation but that we possess salvation. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos)

Peter says, "Confirm your election! Make sure of it!" How? By standing in your faith and pressing on (by faith not sight, remembering that "faith" is an "action" verb and calls for Spirit enabled, grace filled obedience) to virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly affection and love - in short, zealously work out  your holiness in the sanctification process.

John said

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love (present tense = continuous action i.e., not perfection but direction. The pattern of our life is loving those in the family of God - remembering that love is an "action verb"- it's not so much a word we say as one which we "show"!) the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. (1Jn 3:14)

The confirmation of our election is one benefit of our growth in grace (cp 2Pe 3:18-note) (sanctification). God predestined all the elect to be conformed to the image of Christ (Ro 8:29-note). It follows that the reassuring evidence of our election is ultimately our continually growth in Christ-likeness. This begs the question "What is your 'assurance quotient' regarding your salvation?" (cp 1Jn 5:13)

FOR AS LONG AS YOU PRACTICE THESE THINGS: tauta gar poiountes (PAPMPN): (Ps 15:5 Isa 56:2 Mt 7:24,25 LK 6:47, 48, 49 1Jn 3:19 Rev 22:14)

The word order in Greek is actually "these things" first giving them emphasis.

These things (tauta) refers to (2Pe 1:5, 6, 7).

Practice  (4160) (poieo) means to do or practice. The present tense active participle indicates that by a choice of one's will we are continuously in the process of nurturing and developing these Christian qualities. Present tense also calls for a lifelong habit of pursuing holiness - direction not perfection is the point! It is axiomatic that you are living like where you are destined to end up (heaven or hell!) The Christian virtues are not the wages beggars pay to earn entrance into God's eternal kingdom, but are the evidence that our trust in God's promise is genuine. This "evidence" serves as confirmation of our divine call and election. James 2 teaches a similar idea that faith alone saves but the faith that saves is not alone. Faith that saves is a working faith or is a faith that has works. (Jas 2:14-26 - see in depth commentary notes = Jas 2:14 ; 15;  16;  17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26)

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No Fail Recipe - Like most people who cook, I have a favorite recipe. Mine is for a scrumptious banana cake. Handed down from my mother, it's a no-fail recipe--that is, if you follow the directions exactly. I've shared it with friends, and most of them have had good results. One or two, however, said the recipe was no good. Later I discovered they had omitted some ingredients and substituted others.

The apostle Peter gave us the recipe for effective Christian living. The two main ingredients God provides are His divine power (2Pe 1:3) and His precious promises (v.4). As we thoroughly blend His power and promises into our believing and living, we'll be more like Christ.

Then Peter listed the ingredients we must add to our faith: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2Pe 1:5, 6, 7). If we include each of these, we'll not be unfruitful, nor will we stumble in our walk with the Lord (2Pe 1:8). Anyone who omits these vital ingredients is shortsighted, even blind, and "has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins" (2Pe 1:9).

Don't change God's ingredients and then blame His recipe when things go wrong. Instead, follow His instructions diligently. His recipe brings spiritual success. — Joanie Yoder (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

Oh, help me, Lord, to take by grace divine
Yet more and more of that great love of Thine,
That day by day my heart may give to Thee
A deeper love, and grow more constantly. --Mountain

Obedience to God's Word
is the recipe for spiritual success.

YOU WILL NEVER [absolutely never in any way] STUMBLE: ou me ptaisete (2 PAAS) pote: (2Pe 3:17 Ps 37:24 62:2,6 112:6 121:3 Mic 7:8 Ac 20:24,25 1Pe 1:5 Rev 3:10,11)

Never (actually two separate Greek negatives, ou 3756 = absolute negation + me 3361 = relative negation) is a strong double negative which is combined with pote (4218) which means never, at any time, once, ever.

Literally one could translate this combination as "no not never" will you stumble!" There could not be a much clearer picture of eternal security. Peter is saying "absolutely not ever or never in any way ever!" He is not saying that believers will never sin. We all stub our "spiritual toes" and lose our spiritual stability and focus for that moment. This is not what Peter is talking about.

Stumble (4417) (ptaio) means literally to loose one's footing and so to fall, stumble or “to be tripped up”. To lose one’s footing. 

Wuest notes that ptaio was used in secular Greek writings to refer to a

“sure-footed as a horse that does not stumble” (Xenophon), and thus of a good man (Epictetus, Marcus Antoninus) (Robertson). (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos)

All the NT uses of ptaio are figurative and mean to err (wander from the right way; miss the right way; to commit error). To sin. To make a mistake. To "slip". To fail to keep the law of God. In the Septuagint, ptaio  is used for the defeat of an army, e.g., 1Sa 4:2 ("defeated before the Philistines" - Lxx translates defeated with ptaio = "men of Israel fell before the Philistines"), 1Sa 4:10, 2Sa 10:15 (defeated translated with ptaio).

Peter uses ptaio figuratively meaning to experience disaster, be ruined, fall into misery, become wretched, be lost. Peter's point is that such a disaster simply cannot ever happen to a genuine believer. Peter uses a strong double negative (ou me, where ou = absolute negation; me = relative negation) with the aorist subjunctive has the force of an categorical denial. In addition the fact that the double negative is placed first in the Greek sentence adds even further emphasis. In sum, in this section, Peter is not teaching that a genuine believer can lose their salvation. He is talking about the added assurance that a genuine believer will have if they live a holy life.

Ptaio - 5x in 4v -

Romans 11:11  I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.

Comment: Stumble in this verse means to make a mistake, to go astray, to sin. Denny writes that "The subject is the mass of the Jewish nation, all but the elect remnant. The contrast here between stumbling and falling shows that by the latter is meant an irremediable fall from which there is no rising."

TDNT - In Rom. 11:11 the basic sense “to stumble” is plain, and there is perhaps a distinction from falling inasmuch as those who merely stumble may regain their balance, but falling has the greater finality of eternal ruin. Such a fall is not the purpose of the stumbling of the Jews.

Rienecker adds that "A man who stumbles may recover himself, or he may fall completely. The word is used here of a completely irrevocable fall—to fall to rise no more—as the sprawling on one’s face puts a runner out of the race (New Linguistic & Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament)

James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

Comment: James is speaking particularly about the tongue (vv. 1-12). Honesty compels us to say that in our speech "we all stumble in many ways" (NASB, NIV). Connecting this verse with the admonition of the previous verse, J. H. Ropes makes this interesting observation: "All men stumble, and of all faults those of the tongue are the hardest to avoid. Hence the pro­fession of teacher is the most difficult mode of life conceivable" (ICC, James, 228).

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

Ptaio - 11 uses in the Septuagint (LXX) - Deut 7:25; 1 Sam 4:2, 3, 10; 7:10; 2 Sam 2:17; 10:15, 19; 18:7; 1 Kgs 8:33; 2 Kgs 14:12; 1 Chr 19:19

Deuteronomy 7:25 "The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, or you will be snared (Heb = yaqos - to catch by means of bait, in context being the desire for other gods; Lxx = ptaio) by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God.

Spurgeon reminds us to

Mark the difference between falling and falling away. The true believer can never fall away and perish; but he may fall and injure himself.

To reiterate, understand what Peter is not saying. He is not saying that a believer's efforts merit salvation (the price was paid in full at Calvary). On the other hand Peter is saying that a saint's good works, good deeds, application of diligence in their faith, disciplining of themselves for godliness, pursuit of holiness, etc (all of these terms are essentially synonymous, and all speak of progressive sanctification or being setting apart more & more from the world and more & more unto God)...all of these are a visible manifestation to other men and an internal confirmation to the believer that they are genuine. By manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, we can provide unmistakable evidence that we truly belong to Him. A holy life proves the reality of our salvation.

Below are thoughts by seasoned expositors (although you may not be as familiar with Hiebert...you might want to purchase one of his excellent commentaries on 1Peter, 2 Peter, Jude, James, 1Thess to supplement your inductive study of those books - Click list of highly recommended books from Grace Books International's Timothy Library) on what Peter means to "never stumble"

Hiebert writes that

The aorist tense here points to a stumbling that is final, a fall from which there is no arising ((Ro 11:11, Heb 6:6, 10:26; 1Jn 5:16 "sin to death"). This does not mean that those who are "DILIGENT TO MAKE CERTAIN" will “never sin,” but that they will be kept from an irretrievable fall, they will complete their journey to their destination. [Ed note: they will hold fast to the end as in Heb 3:6,14 & this fact proves they are saved...if one falls away he can have no such assurance] They are assured spiritual “surefootedness” on their way to the eternal kingdom.

John MacArthur offers another thought on "never stumble" writing that this means...

"You will never fall into doubt, despair, depression, grief, fear about your spiritual condition. You'll always have confidence, you'll always have assurance. Why? Because your calling and election will be sure in your mind. Why? Because you're pursuing these virtues, you see them on the increase, you know God is producing them in your life and because you can see it and it's visible and it's evidence, you know your spiritual condition, you know you've been saved, you know you've been called by God, you know you've been elected before the foundation of the world. And in the confident knowledge of that you enjoy the fullness of assurance. Beloved, what Peter is saying and what I'm saying to you is that assurance is directly tied to how you live your life. Everybody would like to be sure about their salvation, nobody wants to live their life in doubt. And yet I would guess that many, if not most, Christians do live in doubt. Some people say, "Well, all you have to do to be assured is to go way back to some point in time when you signed on the dotted line, that's all the assurance you ever need," that's not what the Scripture says. If you want to make your calling and election sure, you're going to make it sure by virtues that are visible in your life, produced by the Spirit of God as you pursue those virtues. And as you pursue those things and you see that you are useful to God and fruitful and these are increasing in your life, you'll never stumble in to doubt, despair, fear, and questioning."

In another note, MacArthur writes that 2Pe 1:10

expresses the bull’s-eye Peter has been shooting at in 2Pe 1:5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Though God is “sure” who His elect are and has given them an eternally secure salvation, the Christian might not always have assurance of his salvation. Security is the Holy Spirit revealed fact that salvation is forever. Assurance is one’s confidence that he possesses that eternal salvation. In other words, the believer who pursues the spiritual qualities mentioned above guarantees to himself by spiritual fruit that he was called (cf. 2Pe 1:3) and chosen by God to salvation." (MacArthur, J.: The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word Pub)
 

J Vernon McGee has some insightful thoughts on this passage writing that...

Give diligence to make your calling and election sure”—he means, of course, more sure. In other words, the security of the believer is objective; it is something that cannot be disturbed. However, your assurance can certainly be disturbed by the life you live. If your life is not lived in sincerity and truth, you are bound to lie on your bed at night and wonder if you really have been born again. While it is true that Christ has done everything necessary to save you and keep you saved, your Christian life to be meaningful is something that you have to work at. I have been married for a long time, and I never have to lie awake at night and wonder whether or not I am married; but to make my marriage meaningful, I have to work at it, and I have been working at it for a long, long time. Likewise in your Christian life, “make your calling and election more sure.” That is, let it become subjective in your own heart—to know that you are a child of God. “For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” I have talked with many Christians who have gotten into sin. It is very interesting to me that I have never yet talked to one who had the assurance of his salvation before he got into sin. You see, the person who lacks assurance lacks a solid foundation under him." (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary:  Thomas Nelson) (Bolding added) (Listen to Dr McGee's Mp3)

Warren Wiersbe also gives his usual wise counsel on this this passage...

Peter also pointed out that election is no excuse for spiritual immaturity or for lack of effort in the Christian life. Some believers say, “What is going to be is going to be. There is nothing we can do.” But Peter admonishes us to “be diligent.” This means “make every effort.” (He used this same verb in 2Peter 1:5.) While it is true that God must work in us before we can do His will (Php 2:12, 13-see note Php 2:12; 13), it is also true that we must be willing for God to work, and we must cooperate with Him. Divine election must never be an excuse for human laziness. The Christian who is sure of his election and calling will never “stumble” but will prove by a consistent life that he is truly a child of God. He will not always be on the mountaintop, but he will always be climbing higher. If we do “these things” (the things listed in 2Peter 1:5–7, cf. 2Pe 1:8), if we display Christian growth and character in our daily lives, then we can be sure we are converted and will one day be in heaven." (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor) (Bolding added)

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Regarding "Make your calling and election sure" C H Spurgeon wrote...

When Mr. Whitefield was once asked to use his influence at a general election, he returned an­swer to his lordship who requested him that he knew very little about general elections, but that if his lordship took his advice, he would make his own particular "calling and election sure." It was a very proper remark.

I beseech you, give no sleep to your eyes till you have read your title clear to mansions in the skies. Shall your eternal destiny be a matter of uncertainty to you? What! Is heaven or hell involved in this matter, and will you rest until you know which of these shall be your everlasting portion? Are you content while it is a question whether God loves you or is angry with you?

FOR IN THIS WAY THE ENTRANCE: houtos gar plousios epichoregethesetai (3SFPI) humin e eisodos: (Mt 25:34 2Co 5:1 2Ti 4:8 Rev 3:21)

What "way"? By diligent pursuit of the virtues and the blessing of assurance that accompany them as you pursue diligently. Peter is saying that  in the future when you enter in to the eternal kingdom, you will receive an abundant reward. So Peter is saying that If you pursue virtue in your life, you'll not only enjoy assurance here but you'll enjoy reward in the life to come. Paul instructed Timothy is a parallel passage to

"discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" for "godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (see notes 1Timothy 4:7; 4:8).

And so the entrance into the eternal Kingdom looks at our hope in the future.

Entrance (1529) (eisodos from eis = into + hodos =road, highway) means the way in or the road into.

The definite article appear before the eisodos in the Greek text, pointing to a particular road.

Our Lord said that "I am the (definite article = the one and only) way" (John 14:6).

The writer of Hebrews  describes how the way was opened initially saying

"Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh" (Heb 10:19, 20)

Our Lord Jesus Christ then is "the Road" and the "Entrance" into the eternal kingdom by virtue of His precious blood. Peter had just said we won't stumble...we are on the highway of holiness [Isa 35:8] so to speak.

INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM: eis ten aionion basileian: (Isa 9:7 Da 7:14,27 Rev 5:10)

Eternal (166) (aionios from aion = age) means perpetual, eternal, everlasting, without beginning or end, that which always.  It comes as near to the idea of eternal as the Greek can put it in one word. It is a difficult idea to put into language. Sometimes we have "ages of ages" (aiônes tôn aiônôn).

Kingdom (932) (basileia from basileus = a sovereign, king, monarch) denotes sovereignty, royal power, dominion and then the territory or people over whom the king rules. In this present evil age, the Kingdom of God is the sphere in which God is acknowledged as King. Is He your King? Is He King of your heart, which shows forth in loving obedience?

Every believer entered into the "eternal kingdom" when God "rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Col 1:13-note) by "opening (our) eyes so that (we might) turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God". (cf John 3:1-15) Therefore we are now living in the present form of God's Kingdom under the rule of Christ. The present phase of God's kingdom involves suffering for those who enter it. (2Th 1:3, 4, 5, Acts 14:22) but the future aspect of this eternal kingdom is associated with rewards for the faithful.

At the moment of salvation the fact of our entrance into the eternal Kingdom was settled, but the manner of that entrance was not settled. How grandiose our eternal reward is will be related to how diligent we pursue the virtues in the previous section.

APPLICATION: Beloved, it is worthwhile to be diligent to see to it that the qualities discussed earlier are increasing for as someone has well said by so doing we have

Assurance in this life
Abundance in the life to come

Both "eternal" and "kingdom" are common in the NT, but this combination ("eternal kingdom") occurs only here in the NT.  In other words, this kingdom has the quality of being “eternal,” which means more than endless duration. It is beyond time. It is beyond space and is in the presence of our Lord and Savior at which time there will be an abundant supply to us because we have diligently and faithfully pursued these virtues.

“Eternity will not be endless sequence as much as it will be the presence of the One in whom time ceases to have significance.” (Mounce)

Vincent adds that

"In the first epistle, Peter designated the believer’s future as an inheritance; here he calls it a kingdom. Eternal  is better than everlasting, since the word includes more than duration of time."

OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST: tou kuriou hemon kai soteros Iesou Christou: (2Pe 1:1)

Our is confessional. Believers acclaim Him as Lord of their lives since He first came into their lives as Savior.

The risen Christ is now enthroned at the Father’s right hand and when He returns to earth, His kingdom will be visibly manifest for all (Mt 13:40,41;42-43 25:31). His return will mark the end of the present phase of the eternal kingdom and will inaugurate the earthly messianic phase of the "eternal kingdom" (Rev 20:1ff- note, see simple prophetic timeline).

In His mediatorial capacity, Christ must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet (1Cor 15:25), and when that glorious end shall have come, He will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father and this eternal kingdom will continue forever.

WILL BE ABUNDANTLY SUPPLIED TO YOU : epichoregethesetai (3SFPI) plousios: (Ps 36:8 Song 5:1 Isa 35:2 Jn 10:10 Eph 3:20 Heb 6:17)

You supply the virtues above and God will supply the entrance. We are to furnish in our faith (albeit also a gift from God): the reward shall be furnished unto us.

Abundantly (4146) (plousios) means richly, copiously and suggests a warm welcome, as of a son returning in triumph.

Plousios - 4x in 4v - Col 3:16; 1Ti 6:17; Titus 3:6; 2Pe 1:11. NAS = abundantly(1), richly(3).

It has been suggested that the underlying picture may be that of the return of a victor in the Olympic games. When the victor returned home, the people of the town would welcome him with honor and escort him into the city through a specially prepared entrance through the city wall!

Dearly beloved, the believer who is diligent to pursue godliness and holiness is not the one who will barely "make it" into the kingdom or "be saved only as one escaping through the flames". There is herein is an intimation that heaven’s society will not be "classless" but to speculate at this time would not be wise. Suffice it to say that good stewardship of Christ’s riches will bear eternal proceeds. The Christian, endowed with wealth through Christ’s provision, invests and saves for future wealth (1Ti 6:19). The thought of God’s lavish reward should spur every saint to set their mind to seek "lavish living" for Him. Abundant sowing will be followed by abundant reaping as Jesus taught in (Lk 6:38).

Jamieson has an interesting thought that that

"the reward of grace hereafter shall correspond to the work of grace here."

Caffin observes that Peter

seems to imply that there will be degrees of glory hereafter proportioned to our faithfulness in the use of God's gifts here." (cf 1Cor 3:12-15, 2Cor 5:10) (quoted by Hiebert)

Supplied (2023) (epichoregeo [word study]) means lavishly supplied. It literally meant one who provided out of his own expense with the sense of to convey as a gift (2Co 9:10). Epichoregeo described the practice in Greece where the state established a chorus but a choirmaster (choregus = director) paid the expenses for training and was responsible for supplying everything needed for choir & never meant sparingly but supply lavishly for a noble performance.

The passive voice of epichoregeo indicates that this entry will not be a matter of the saint's own achievement but will be the generous provision of God. A saint's responsibility is to supply the virtues in (2Pe 1:5-7) and God will abundantly supply the entrance.

Epichoregeo - 5x in 5v - 2 Cor 9:10; Gal 3:5; Col 2:19; 2 Pet 1:5, 11. NAS = provides(1), supplied(2), supplies(1), supply(1).

Vincent comments

We are to furnish in our faith: the reward shall be furnished to us. Richly, indicating the fulness of future blessedness. Professor Salmond observes that it is the reverse of ‘saved, yet so as through fire.’ (1Cor 3:15).

The well known theologian B. B. Warfield years ago succinctly summed up this section

Peter exhorts us to make our calling and election sure, precisely by diligence in good works. He does not mean that by good works we may secure from God a degree of election. He means that by expanding the germ of spiritual life which we have received from God into its full effervescence by working out our salvation, of course not without Christ but in Christ, we can make ourselves sure that we have really received the election to which we make claim. Good works become thus the mark and test of election. And when taken in the comprehensive sense in which Peter is here thinking of them, they are the only marks and test of election. We can never know that we are elected of God to eternal life except by manifesting in our lives the fruits of election...faith and virtue, knowledge and temperance, patience and godliness, love of the brethren. It is idle to seek assurance of election outside holiness of life. Precisely what God chose His people to before the foundation of the world was that they should be holy. Holiness because it is the necessary product is therefore the sure sign of election

This future eternal kingdom is the goal of our pilgrimage.

As MacArthur writes...

If you are truly a Christian and...you do not diligently pursue moral virtue, you will live in doubt...depression...fear...despair and you will worry about your spiritual condition and you will wonder if you're really saved because you're not seeing the increase of those moral virtues. And beyond that, while in the future, you will enter into the Kingdom, you will find that you are not going to receive an abundant supply of reward in that day. You will receive praise from God but it will not be to the degree that it might have been if you had pursued virtuous things. It seems so basic that we live our Christian lives in the light of an eternal reward, that we are endeavoring to lay up treasure in heaven, that we are pursuing the virtuous things of gold, silver and precious stones and not the lesser things of wood, hay and stubble. For those who have diligently, faithfully pursued holiness, their reward will be abundantly supplied....A person who is at all conversant with the spiritual life knows as certainly whether he indeed enjoys the light of God's countenance or whether he walks in darkness, as a traveler knows whether he travels in sunshine or in rain. Look at your life. You don't see moral virtue, you don't have any evidence to verify your salvation. Look at your life. You see these things in your life, not obviously in perfection, but there and increasing, and you know you walk in the light.

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W H Griffith Thomas tells of...A Christian on his deathbed spoke these words: