2
Peter 1:3-10New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Confirming
one’s calling and election
3
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our
knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these
he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you
may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the
world caused by evil desires.
5
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to
goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control,
perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual
affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities
in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and
unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not
have them is short-sighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed
from their past sins.
10
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your
calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,
CALLING,
CALL. This is one of the most common words in the Bible, representing over
twenty words in the Heb. and Gr. text. In the OT the emphasis is on Israel’s
corporate destiny; whereas in the NT the emphasis is on the call of the
individual to repentance, faith and service. The “called” comprise a larger
group than the “chosen” who respond (Matt 22:14).
In
Pauline theology the verb “call” and the noun “calling” almost always denote
that sort of call which is issued by the Father, and is made effective through
the Spirit. It is such a call that produces a response of faith in Christ (Rom
8:30; 1 Cor 1:9; Gal 1:15; 2 Thess 2:13f.; 2 Tim 1:9; Heb 9:15; 1 Pet 2:9; 2
Pet 1:3; etc.). In the discussion of the ordo salutis (the way of salvation)
classical Reformed theology generally speaks of this “effectual call” as the
first act of God’s saving grace in the life of the elect. (See Rom 8:28-30;
9:23-26.)
Two
other applications of this terminology may be noted in the NT: (1) God’s call
to a special office or service such as that of apostleship (Rom 1:1);
missionary preaching (Acts 13:2; 16:10); and priesthood (Heb 5:4); (2) God’s
call to a providentially ordered occupation (1 Cor 7:20 possibly).
In
general, one may say that calling is a semi-technical term for that act of God
in Christ, whereby through the proclamation of the Word and the inner witness
of the Spirit, sinners are effectually drawn in faith and repentance into the
kingdom of God. As the message of the Gospel is heralded to every creature, as
the general call is issued, God works by His Spirit in the hearts of those
chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to draw them to the Son.
Such a call is issued by the Father, made effective by the Spirit through the
Word and draws us into fellowship with the Son.
Bibliography
G. Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, III (1965), 487-500.
