Objection 41

From Sovereign Grace and the Scope of Election: A Comparative Examination of Attainment Theology and Grace Theology, with Particular Attention to the Question of Whether God's Elect Are Found Among All Nations and Religions

2 Peter 1:10, "give diligence to make your calling and election sure." Election must be secured by diligence.

Sure to whom? God needs no confirmation of His own decree ("the foundation of God standeth sure," 2 Timothy 2:19). The diligence makes election sure to the believer's own assurance and to observers, adding to faith virtue, knowledge, temperance (1:5-7) so that "ye shall never fall" into the barrenness and blindness of verse 9, the stumbling of doubt and uselessness. It is the difference between making a marriage and wearing the ring: diligence in the graces is how a child of God enjoys and evidences what grace settled before the world began. This is time salvation vocabulary from beginning to end, and it is precious, which is exactly why it must not be counterfeited into a works-tenure system.