2 Peter 1:10-11

2 Peter 1:10-11 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Expanded Translation

On which account, brothers, you must exert yourself more to make your calling (the invitation of the gospel which you accepted) and election (your place among God's chosen ones) sure, certain, and stedfast. For if you practice these things (mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-7) you will never stumble and fall (i.e., be lost eternally); for by following this course it shall be richly and abundantly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom (heaven) of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

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Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence

Christians are in constant need of earnest effort in maintaining and confirming their salvation. (See diligence defined under 2 Peter 1:5, where we have the noun form of this verb.)

To make your calling and election sure

CALLINGklesis, a calling, is always used in the New Testament of that calling the origin, nature, and destiny of which are heavenly (the idea of invitation being implied). It is used especially of God's invitation to man to accept the benefits of salvation, when they are presented through the Gospel message (1 Thessalonians 2:13-15). Here it refers to the accepted call, for these are brethren.

ELECTIONekloge, denotes the act of picking out, choosing. (See also 1 Thessalonians 1:4.) It refers to God's choice to bless a certain group with salvation. What group? Those who obey himwho comply with his plan for redeeming man (Hebrews 5:9, Matthew 7:21-23). Concerning the elect and the free will of man, see comments under 1 Peter 1:2-3.

SUREbebaios, stable, firm, steadfast, established. If it is impossible, as some maintain, to lose one's salvation, what need is there here for such an exhortation? The very fact that these brethren were told to make it firm, presupposes that at least some of them were in danger of letting it slip from them.

for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble

If you add to your lives the graces mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-7.

The apostle is not teaching here that his readers could expect to be without moral fault or shortcoming. If they would practice these things they would never stumble (ptaio), a word basically meaning to cause one to stumble or fall. But Thayer says it often signified in Greek writings to fall into misery, become wretched. The reference here, then, is to the loss of our salvation. If we practice the virtues here mentioned, we shall not fail to stand up and keep on progressing for Christ.

for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

See supplied (epichoregeo) defined under 2 Peter 1:5. This entrance would be richly (plousios) supplied; that is, it will be abundant and rich in glory, dignity, and bliss.

The eternal kingdom, in this passage, has reference to heaven, for Christians are to enter into it. Admittedly, there is a sense in which heaven is only the church (the usual meaning of kingdom in the New Testament) in a different role, for Daniel prophesied that the kingdom (church) would stand forever (Daniel 2:44) and the church is to be delivered up to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:23-24) at Christ's return. But I think heaven was definitely in the mind's eye of the apostle here, for these saints were to have an entrance (eisodos) into (eis) it. The word entrance (literally, a way into) may either refer to the act of entering, as it seems to here, or to a doorway or admission for getting into a place. We do not enter into a kingdom in which we are presently dwelling, Jesus used the term kingdom in a similar manner as he spoke of the Judgment Day. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34), Paul, in one of his last written statements, said, The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto (eis) his heavenly kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:18).