2 Peter 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

It seems that there has been a lot of misunderstanding among our people concerning this verse of scripture. If we are not careful in how we apply this verse we might fall into the error of judging if a person is a child of God or not. The scriptures have never given us the authority to set ourselves up as Judge and Juror in the since of saying that this one is a child of God, but this other one is not because he or she did not persevere unto the end. Just because we do not see any fruit on a tree does not mean that the tree is not capable of bearing fruit. Just because we do not see any fruit on an apple tree does not mean it is not an apple tree. In the next verse we read, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” (2nd Peter 1:10) The text is not teaching that a child of God will never fall, but is teaching us how to keep from falling. It is so sad that there are some that would use these two verses to try and prove someone else is not in grace.

As we read through this chapter we find that adding to our faith brings virtue, virtue brings knowledge, knowledge temperance, temperance patience, patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. Then in verse 8 we read; “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall never be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” These verses are teaching us on how to bear fruit that others may see and glorify God. If we lack faith we could never bear fruit because faith is a fruit of the Spirit. If we do not have faith it would be because wehave not been born again. This text is telling us to add to our faith and we cannot add to something that we do not have. “He that lacketh these things.” That is the adding to our faith the things, that brings to light, that manifests to us over and over again that we have been purged from our old sins. It seems to me that if we have forgotten that we were once purged from our old sins that surely we had to have once been purged in order to forget it.

This is teaching that a born again child of God can hear the truth, embrace the truth, love the truth, yet quit exercising his faith and become blind, cannot see afar off and forget that he was purged from his old sins. I have seen this happen in the Walker family, my wife`s family and other families. In 1st Corinthians 15:2 tells us that there is a must that we keep in memory those things that have been preached unto us, less we have believed in vain. Would not it be sad to become lack in the service of the Lord and finally fall away to your understanding and forget that Jesus died for you! Regardless of how much we strive, of how much we do not strive, of how much we retain or not retain, of how much we persevere or not persevere, the foundation of God still standeth sure having this zeal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. We are placed in Christ, preserved in Christ, called in Christ, justified by the blood of Christ and nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Make your calling and election sure. Through adding to our faith brings this calling and election sure to our minds and as long as we keep adding we shall never fall. AMEN