Sermons on 2 Peter 1:10

2 Peter 1:10 Interpretation:

Active Faith: Transforming Lives Through God's Guidance (New Testament Christian Church - Irving, TX) interprets 2 Peter 1:10 as a call to not only appreciate salvation but to actively and consistently live under the lordship of Jesus. The sermon uses the analogy of a ship entering harbor—either battered and barely afloat or with sails flying and victorious—to illustrate the difference between barely making it into the kingdom and entering abundantly. The preacher emphasizes that making one's calling and election sure is not a passive state but an ongoing, diligent, and transformative process. The sermon also draws a parallel to a returning Roman general, greeted with celebration, to suggest that believers should aim to enter the kingdom triumphantly, not just by the skin of their teeth. The message is that assurance is tied to a life of obedience, transformation, and active participation in God's work, not just a one-time confession or emotional experience.

True Belief: Heart Transformation and Surrender to Christ (Benny Hinn) offers a unique linguistic and theological insight by distinguishing between believing "in" Jesus and believing "that" Jesus exists or did certain things. The sermon references the Greek preposition (epi) in Acts 16:31, explaining that the jailer was told to believe "in" (not just "on") the Lord Jesus, indicating a deep, trusting, and surrendered faith. The preacher also uses the parable of the sower to show that only those who yield their lives fully to Christ—demonstrating fruit—truly make their calling and election sure. The sermon insists that mere intellectual assent or outward acts (like baptism) are insufficient; true assurance comes from total surrender and allowing Christ to live through the believer.

Growing in Assurance: The Journey of Faith (Ligonier Ministries) interprets 2 Peter 1:10 through the lens of the Puritan analogy of the acorn and the oak tree, suggesting that assurance is present in seed form within faith but matures over time. The sermon uniquely frames assurance as the "full oak tree"—the robust, seasoned confidence in salvation that grows through diligent use of spiritual disciplines. The preacher emphasizes that making one's calling and election sure is a lifelong, active pursuit, not a static state, and that assurance is cultivated through ordinary means (Scripture, sacraments, prayer, and even affliction).

Understanding Assurance: True vs. False Salvation (Ligonier Ministries) provides a nuanced interpretation by categorizing people into four groups regarding salvation and assurance, highlighting the danger of false assurance. The sermon uses 2 Peter 1:10 as a biblical warrant for self-examination and diligence, arguing that the very command to "make your calling and election sure" presupposes the possibility of self-deception and the need for ongoing, scripturally grounded assurance. The preacher warns against basing assurance on subjective experience alone and stresses the necessity of aligning one's sense of assurance with the objective truth of Scripture.

Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape (Alistair Begg) interprets 2 Peter 1:10 as a call to active, ongoing spiritual growth that is both enabled by grace and requires personal exertion, likening the Christian life to climbing a mountain where reaching the summit is impossible without effort and focus. Begg uniquely uses the analogy of a garden from Proverbs to describe a neglected spiritual life as overgrown and unproductive, and later contrasts two images for entering heaven: one as a shipwrecked sailor in a burned-out boat (from 1 Corinthians 3) and the other as a victorious vessel returning to harbor in full sail, suggesting that the way we pursue spiritual growth affects the manner of our entry into eternity. He also draws on Peter’s own experience of denial and restoration to illustrate the interplay of divine grace and human responsibility, emphasizing that assurance and fruitfulness are inseparable from diligent obedience.

Examining Faith: Balancing Assurance and Daily Walk (Desiring God) offers a nuanced distinction between the urgent, crisis-driven self-examination of 2 Corinthians 13:5 and the steady, ordinary confirmation of salvation described in 2 Peter 1:10. The sermon’s unique insight is the psychological and strategic difference between “testing” and “confirming,” suggesting that Peter’s command is not about anxious introspection but about living in a way that continually affirms one’s calling and election. The preacher frames 2 Peter 1:10 as a call to habitual, day-by-day pursuit of the virtues listed earlier in the chapter, which serve as the evidence and confirmation of genuine faith, rather than as a sporadic or crisis-driven self-doubt.

Reevaluating Habits: Strengthening Our Relationship with God (Desiring God) interprets 2 Peter 1:10 as a directive to focus on present and future faith and obedience rather than on introspective analysis of past failures. The sermon’s notable insight is that assurance of salvation is not primarily found in dissecting one’s past spiritual experiences but in the “God-given earnestness of present and future faith and obedience.” The preacher encourages listeners to “step into the future” with faith and obedience as the means of confirming their calling and election, emphasizing a forward-looking, action-oriented approach to assurance.

Trusting God: Maintaining Spiritual Lift in Trials (SermonIndex.net) uses the metaphor of an airplane losing lift due to ice on its wings to interpret 2 Peter 1:10 as a warning against spiritual complacency and a call to take one’s calling and instructions from God seriously. The sermon uniquely connects the “loss of lift” to neglecting one’s calling, drawing a parallel with Samson’s loss of strength due to compromise and forgetfulness of his divine purpose. The preacher urges believers to “push forward” into God’s Word and calling, rather than “pulling back” in times of trial, making the passage a practical exhortation to maintain spiritual vitality and avoid the spiritual “stall” that leads to defeat.

2 Peter 1:10 Theological Themes:

Active Faith: Transforming Lives Through God's Guidance (New Testament Christian Church - Irving, TX) introduces the theme that assurance is not merely about initial salvation but about living a transformed, obedient, and fruitful life under Christ's lordship. The sermon adds the facet that assurance is demonstrated by active participation in God's work and by consistently displaying the fruit of the Spirit, not just by avoiding sin but by embracing positive transformation and service.

True Belief: Heart Transformation and Surrender to Christ (Benny Hinn) presents the distinct theological theme that true assurance and salvation require not just belief in facts about Jesus but a personal, total surrender to Him as Lord. The sermon adds the angle that assurance is inseparable from Christ's lordship—one cannot have Jesus as Savior without also submitting to Him as Lord, and this submission is evidenced by a life that bears fruit.

Growing in Assurance: The Journey of Faith (Ligonier Ministries) brings a fresh angle by emphasizing that assurance is a dynamic, growing reality that matures through the "ordinary means of grace." The sermon uniquely highlights that assurance is not instantaneous for most believers but develops as faith matures, and that the pursuit of assurance is itself a spiritual duty.

Understanding Assurance: True vs. False Salvation (Ligonier Ministries) introduces the theme of the danger of false assurance, arguing that 2 Peter 1:10 is a safeguard against self-deception. The sermon adds the facet that assurance must be grounded in Scripture rather than subjective experience, and that the command to make one's calling and election sure is a call to continual self-examination and alignment with biblical truth.

Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape (Alistair Begg) introduces the theme that disobedience and assurance are mutually exclusive, stating, “Disobedience and Assurance don’t sleep in the same bed,” and that spiritual assurance is directly tied to the pursuit of holiness and obedience. He also presents the idea that the warnings in Scripture are as real and motivating as the promises, and that God ordains both the perseverance of the saints and the means (diligent obedience) by which they persevere, thus integrating divine sovereignty and human responsibility in a fresh way.

Examining Faith: Balancing Assurance and Daily Walk (Desiring God) adds the distinct theological angle that the regular, ordinary confirmation of salvation is a communal process, not merely an individual one, referencing Hebrews’ exhortation to mutual encouragement as a safeguard against self-deception. This sermon also highlights the difference between extraordinary self-examination (in times of spiritual crisis) and the ordinary, ongoing confirmation of faith through daily obedience, offering a nuanced approach to assurance that avoids both complacency and unhealthy introspection.

Reevaluating Habits: Strengthening Our Relationship with God (Desiring God) brings a new facet by emphasizing that assurance is a present-tense reality, rooted in current repentance and faith rather than in the analysis of past spiritual states. The preacher’s focus on “turning to the future” as the locus of assurance is a distinctive application, shifting the emphasis from retrospective self-analysis to proactive, forward-looking faithfulness.

Trusting God: Maintaining Spiritual Lift in Trials (SermonIndex.net) presents the theme that spiritual defeat often results from taking one’s calling lightly and neglecting the instructions God has given for fulfilling it. The sermon also introduces the idea that spiritual “coldness” and loss of passion are signs of neglecting one’s divine purpose, and that renewal comes from re-engaging with God’s Word and calling, not from seeking immediate gratification or relying on one’s own understanding.

2 Peter 1:10 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Growing in Faith: Embracing God's Promises and Virtues (Harvest of Hope Christian Center) provides historical context by noting that 2 Peter was written after a period of intense persecution under Emperor Nero, and that the letter addresses the rise of false teachers and internal church conflict. The sermon explains that Peter's exhortation to make one's calling and election sure was given in a time when external pressures and internal divisions threatened the faith and assurance of believers, making the call to diligence and remembrance especially urgent.

Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape (Alistair Begg) provides a brief contextual insight by referencing Peter’s own life—specifically his denial of Christ and subsequent restoration—as a backdrop for understanding the urgency and authenticity behind Peter’s exhortation in 2 Peter 1:10. Begg suggests that Peter’s personal experience of failure and grace informs his pastoral warning and encouragement, making the passage not just theoretical but deeply practical and rooted in lived experience.

2 Peter 1:10 Cross-References in the Bible:

Active Faith: Transforming Lives Through God's Guidance (New Testament Christian Church - Irving, TX) references several passages to expand on 2 Peter 1:10: 1 Corinthians 6:12 to discuss the need for ongoing sanctification and not being mastered by anything; 2 Timothy 4:10 (Demas forsaking Paul) as a warning against falling away; 1 Corinthians 3:15 to illustrate the evaluation of believers' works and the possibility of being "saved, yet so as by fire"; Matthew 28:18 to emphasize Christ's authority; John 14:15 ("If you love me, keep my commandments") to connect love and obedience; Amos 3:3 ("Can two walk together unless they be agreed?") to stress the necessity of alignment with God; Galatians 5:22-23 (fruit of the Spirit) to describe the evidence of transformation; Romans 12:2 ("be transformed by the renewing of your mind") to highlight the ongoing process of sanctification; and James 4:7 ("Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil...") to underscore the importance of submission in spiritual victory.

True Belief: Heart Transformation and Surrender to Christ (Benny Hinn) cross-references Mark 16:16 to discuss the nature of belief and baptism; Acts 8 (Simon the sorcerer) to illustrate false belief; Exodus 14:31 to show that even those who "believed" can fall away; Matthew 7:13-14 and Luke 8:5-15 (parable of the sower) to explain the narrow way and the necessity of fruit-bearing; and Acts 16:31-34 to highlight the Greek nuance of believing "in" the Lord for salvation.

Growing in Assurance: The Journey of Faith (Ligonier Ministries) references Proverbs 2:1-5 to outline principles for spiritual growth; 1 Peter 2:2 ("Desire the sincere milk of the word...") to encourage growth through Scripture; John 9 (the healing of the blind man) as an analogy for growing assurance; and Galatians 5:22-23 (fruit of the Spirit) to describe the results of assurance.

Understanding Assurance: True vs. False Salvation (Ligonier Ministries) references Romans 1 (natural revelation and conscience); 2 Peter 1:10 as the basis for the call to self-examination; and alludes to the parable of the sower and other passages that warn against self-deception and false assurance.

Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape (Alistair Begg) references several passages to expand on 2 Peter 1:10: Proverbs (the garden analogy for spiritual neglect), Jude’s doxology (“Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling…”), 1 Corinthians 3 (the image of entering heaven as a shipwrecked sailor), Ephesians 6 (“having done all, to stand”), and Paul’s statement about Christ purifying a people “eager to do good.” Each reference is used to reinforce the dual themes of warning and encouragement, illustrating both the consequences of neglect and the rewards of diligence.

Examining Faith: Balancing Assurance and Daily Walk (Desiring God) cross-references 2 Corinthians 13:5 (“examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith”) to contrast the crisis-driven self-examination with the ongoing confirmation of 2 Peter 1:10. The sermon also references Hebrews (“exhort one another every day… that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin”) to support the communal aspect of assurance and the role of mutual encouragement in avoiding self-deception.

Trusting God: Maintaining Spiritual Lift in Trials (SermonIndex.net) references multiple passages: Proverbs 3 (“trust in the Lord with all your heart…”), Isaiah 40:29-31 (renewal of strength and mounting up with wings like eagles), Judges 16 (the story of Samson’s fall), 1 Corinthians 10 (warnings against idolatry and self-reliance), Ephesians 4-5 (instructions for Christian living), and Psalm 44 (trusting in God’s deliverance rather than one’s own strength). Each passage is used to illustrate the dangers of neglecting God’s instructions, the importance of spiritual renewal, and the necessity of relying on God rather than self.

2 Peter 1:10 Christian References outside the Bible:

Growing in Assurance: The Journey of Faith (Ligonier Ministries) explicitly references several Puritan and Reformed theologians: the Puritans' analogy of the acorn and the oak tree to describe the growth of assurance; Richard Sibbes on the maturation of assurance; Thomas Brooks on assurance as "meat for strong men"; Charles Spurgeon on the danger of expecting "ripe fruit upon a tree in early spring"; Richard Greenham on reading the Bible with diligence; Thomas Watson on reading Scripture as a love letter; Robert Bruce on the sacraments; and Matthew Henry on leaving a "treasury of prayers" for one's children. These references are used to illustrate and reinforce the sermon's teaching on the cultivation and fruits of assurance.

Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape (Alistair Begg) explicitly references a hymn writer (“the work which is goodness began the arm of his strength will complete”) to reinforce the theme of God’s sustaining grace in the believer’s perseverance. He also alludes to the “chocolate soldiers” metaphor (originally from C.T. Studd) to illustrate the need for spiritual resilience in the face of trials, contrasting it with the superficiality of those who “melt in the heat.”

Reevaluating Habits: Strengthening Our Relationship with God (Desiring God) explicitly references John Newton, quoting his idea that “the top headline on every newspaper every day should be the Lord reigns,” to critique the godlessness of secular media and entertainment and to reinforce the importance of keeping God central in one’s worldview.

2 Peter 1:10 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Active Faith: Transforming Lives Through God's Guidance (New Testament Christian Church - Irving, TX) uses the analogy of a ship entering harbor in two ways—either battered and barely afloat or with sails flying and victorious—to illustrate the difference between barely making it into the kingdom and entering abundantly. The sermon also references the image of a returning Roman general being greeted with celebration at the city gates, drawing from Roman history and culture to depict the triumphant entry of a faithful believer into God's kingdom. Additionally, the preacher uses the analogy of starting and quitting a workout program at the gym to illustrate the need for consistency and perseverance in the Christian life, contrasting it with the up-and-down, inconsistent approach that some take to faith.

Growing in Faith: Embracing God's Promises and Virtues (Harvest of Hope Christian Center) employs the analogy of sports coaches and athletes, specifically referencing how great coaches constantly review the basics with their teams and how good athletes execute fundamentals consistently. This is used to illustrate the importance of continually revisiting and practicing the core principles of the Christian faith, making them second nature through repetition and discipline. The preacher also uses the phrase "play the tape" as a metaphor for recalling and applying foundational truths in moments of challenge, likening it to athletes reviewing game footage or individuals replaying important lessons in their minds.

Growing in Faith: The Journey of the Great Escape (Alistair Begg) uses the popular film “The Great Escape” (starring Steve McQueen) as an initial analogy for the Christian’s escape from sin, but quickly pivots to describe the “greatest escape” as deliverance from evil through Christ. He also employs the vivid imagery of ships returning to harbor—contrasting a victorious vessel in full sail with a battered, shipwrecked boat—to illustrate the difference between a fruitful, diligent Christian life and one marked by neglect and loss.

Trusting God: Maintaining Spiritual Lift in Trials (SermonIndex.net) provides an extended and detailed analogy from aviation, recounting the 2010 crash of a plane near Buffalo, NY, due to ice on the wings. The preacher explains the physics of “lift” and how ice disrupts it, likening this to spiritual coldness and loss of passion. The story of the pilot failing to follow his training in a crisis is used as a metaphor for Christians who neglect their spiritual “training” (God’s Word and calling) in times of trial, leading to spiritual “stall” and potential disaster. The sermon also references the process of de-icing planes before takeoff as a metaphor for spiritual renewal, suggesting that believers need to be “de-iced” by trusting God in order to regain spiritual lift and vitality.