2 Peter 1:10 ¹⁰Therefore, brothers [and sisters], make the effort all the more to validate your calling and election, for by doing these things, you will never ever stumble.

This verse balances the two key thoughts of Christian theology and ethics. On the one hand, Peter stressed the need to make the effort with all our energy to live out the virtues listed earlier, while cooperating with God’s power working in us. We do not have to live out the principles in a legalistic way by our own willpower in order to make ourselves look good enough to God to get into heaven. Rather, we practice the virtues to strengthen our faith and confirm our salvation. By practicing the qualities of verses 5-7, a person is secure because such a person is growing in Christ through faith. The opposite may be case, that by not practicing such things, a person’s calling and election are unsure because he or she is still like the world and controlled by fleshly desires. Evidence of God’s Spirit in them is lacking. The effort (spoudasate) represents diligence and zeal for the Lord. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13). Salvation requires faith leading to obedience.

Calling and election likely refer in the context of this letter to the phrase in verse 4: “sharers of the divine nature. Our calling is to become like Christ in love and holiness, which allows us to be in relationship with God with the goal of deep fellowship like Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden and which is the vision of the end of time in Revelation 22:1-5. Election could refer to how God planned for humanity to experience this life of holiness in Christ before the world was ever created (Ephesians 1:4). Our obedience to God confirms our faith and allows it to grow through all these virtues, resulting in mature love in the likeness of Christ, who is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). The call to new life in Christ is clearly Peter’s goal for his readers.