The second thing is he tells us is: be diligent; diligent to make your call and election sure.
1 Peter 1: 10 – “Therefore brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble”.
Notice he says: “if you do these things”. That phrase ‘do these things’ means: constantly practice the list he's just given us (we'll go into that list in detail in a moment); but he's saying: it requires diligence. You've got to constantly work on these areas, you're constantly practicing, putting into practice; and he's saying: you need to be diligent, to make your calling sure. If someone says you've got to really be diligent to make this thing happen, that implies that if you're not diligent, then it won't happen.
He's saying: you have a high calling. You have precious promises from God. We've got wonderful things He's prepared. We must be diligent. The promises are what God makes available; but diligence is our part. You can either be diligent; or you can be lazy - and this is the difference between many Christians.
Some are very diligent in their prayer life; diligent in reading the word; diligent in following what God is showing them. Others are neglectful. They turn up on Sunday. It's casual, what they have; and they never take notes, and never respond to anything that's taught. For them, it's just coming to church - great atmosphere, feeling encouraged and strengthened, reminded God loves them, and being inspired by a message. It's not a lifestyle of intentional building.
When you've got a lifestyle of intentional building, you want to be in a learning process constantly. He says: we need to make our calling sure, implying that it's not sure, unless you make it sure - and even Paul wasn't sure until the very end. So be diligent!
What does it mean to be diligent? Diligent. I love diligence. I've won the prize for diligence three times. Once in primary school; once in secondary school; once in university - diligence will get you through. It's not the gifting you have; it’s the diligence you show, that makes all the difference. Diligence means: to make every effort; to give care and attention to something, making sure you do what's necessary.
Another meaning of diligence means maintain the focus - an ongoing, sustained effort. That's a great definition - keep your focus; this is where I'm going; sustain the effort. You keep at it; you persevere at it. Diligence is the difference between just dreaming about something, and actually having it happen. Many people are dreamers; but they're not diligent, applying themselves intentionally to grow.
He says: we're to apply diligence to make our calling sure; and he mentions it twice. When something is mentioned twice, they're trying to get your attention - it's important. When its mentioned three times, it's even more important.
Verse 5 – “give diligence to build on your faith the Christ qualities”.
Verse 10 – “be even more diligent to make your call and election sure”.
He connects the two - building the qualities into your life, with making your call and election sure. Notice it's: “give all diligence” - be even more diligent, so he's emphasising that laziness is not acceptable. You're not getting anywhere if you're lazy; you've really got to apply yourself to this. Making your call and election sure is connected to building the character qualities of Christ in your life.
It's worth the study to look through the Book of Proverbs, and other places in the Bible, on the meaning of diligence, and the promises of diligence; and the meaning of slothfulness, and the things stated concerning slothfulness.
Proverbs 12:24 – “the hand of the diligent will rule…”.
If you want to be in charge, be diligent in whatever you're doing. A person who's diligent will end up in charge.
“…but the lazy man will be put out to forced labour”.
You'll find these contrasts in the Book of Proverbs, of diligent versus lazy.