From childhood to adulthood everyone regardless of our social, economic, political and financial status, carefully journey through life with a lot of caution and minimal risk in decision making or action taking to ensure safety and prevents falling. Unfortunately, investigating and analysing potential risk and possibilities of falling or embarking on a failed event, project, unfulfilled life or destiny, unfruitful business or marriage is unknown until a step is taking or a decision is made that invariably determines the result obtained or experienced which could either be a downturn or upturn.
Apostle Peter affirms our call out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ Jesus as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that was designed to show forth the praises of God who called us. Having been engrafted into the vine as branches, it is expedient that we make our calling and election sure by pursuing a fruitful but fall free life as our lives produce fruits unto righteousness, immeasurable and exceeding great results based on the great and precious promises given to us through Christ by which we might become partakers of the divine nature of Christ to whom we have been called. 1 Pet 2:9, John 15:1-4, Gal 5:23
The question is what must I do to make my election sure as I pursue a fruitful and fall free life?
Every branch must yield fruits after its own kind and having been engrafted in the vine, who is Christ, it is expedient that every believer’s life produces fruits that resemble the vine (Christ) in divine nature and character through our union with Christ as we continue in fellowship with Him through His word and allowed the word of God to dwell richly in us. For our lives are hid with Christ in God and the life that we live now must be based on the faith of the son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us, such that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
This love of God in Christ Jesus is revealed daily to every believer as we continue in the word of God which enables the work of grace to eliminate the corruption that exists in our human nature to be established in us. The life of God that is in His word produces in us a result oriented, word proven, fall and fail free life that is not barren but fruitful in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of Christ, being spiritually discerning and being assured of our sonship in God through Christ which guarantees us a fall and fail free life. Luk 6:43, Joh 15:1-8, Col 3:3b, Titus 2:14, James 1:22-25
Consider this:
- But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: [1Pe 2:9 KJV]
- According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know [them], and be established in the present truth. [2Pe 1:3-12 KJV]
- That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with [his] hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. [Eph 4:14-32 KJV]
- For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. [Luk 6:43-44 KJV]
- I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so, shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. [Joh 15:1-10 KJV]
