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One may be a believer in Christ and not have attained to a full assurance of salvation. Faith has a beginning and an end. It may be weak or strong, partial or complete. Believers are enjoined to make their calling and election sure. The distinction is an important one. "Many are called, but few chosen." The calling we regard as simply the Word of God, or the truth of God, as objectively put before the mind. To make that sure is to make perfectly certain to ourselves that the Bible is the Word of God. More particularly, that Word sets before us the whole true character of God, the whole true condition of man, and the whole truth as to the way of salvation. One must understand the message, or comprehend to some extent the terms of the invitation. He must be sure that it is really addressed to him, and that he is entitled to accept it as such. Having satisfied himself of that, he must give himself to the more complete understanding of it. How long, then, does it take one to know the truth of the call, objectively considered — the truth concerning God, one's self, and the way of salvation? It will take him to the end of time, neither more nor less. The holiest man that ever lived could not spare a single moment of the whole time given to him by God from the work of making his calling sure. The way of salvation is simply the life-long process of getting into the truth, and, ever as we realise that, the corresponding process of bringing it forth into the life again. It is here that the calling glides into the election. To make one's election sure is the additional matter of attaining to perfect certainty as to one's individual and personal acceptance with God. This is the subjective aspect. It brings into view the living and growing relation of one's own spirit and character to the truth. It is an axiom that the Word of God is true. It is also a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. But it is quite another question as to whether a given individual is among the elect or no. The elect are those whom God chooses as His own, and the only way by which we can either be among the elect or know that we are, is the way of choosing from day to day the will of God as our will or rule of life. The faith that saves and leads to assurance is declared in Scripture to have two aspects. It is "the substance "or fundamental condition of a great and manifold hope; the hope of the ultimate triumph of good over evil and of truth over error; the hope of the personal appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; and the hope of our individual acceptance in His sight. It is also "the evidence" in the present, that these hopes will be realised. As the substance, it is a life-long thought, and as the evidence, a life-long work. As both in one it is an ever-growing spiritual reality, identical with the lifelong duty of making our calling and election sure.

(F. Ferguson.)

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KJV: Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

WEB: Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.