But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. (2 Peter 1:9-15) Pastor Michael noted the dissonance between our assumptions and reality.  We assume the Christian life is built on what we do.  But in fact, it is built instead on the "everything" from God we have received.   Verses like the one from today's text about "making your calling and election sure," says exactly what we often think.  We've got to put in the effort or else we won't get into the eternal kingdom of our Lord!  But that's not quite what Peter says, nor how our Reformed tradition has understood it.   In Q&A 86 of the Heidelberg Catechism, the question is asked why we still have to do good works if Jesus has already done everything necessary for salvation for us.  One of the four answers to that question refers to this passage and says "so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits," which is part of Christ "restoring us by his Spirit into his image."  In other words, as the Canons later make clear: we can indeed lose our assurance of salvation when there's no good fruit in our lives to show for it, but we cannot lose the thing itself.  God's sovereign choosing in his calling and his election are sure. That said—the Catechism and the Canons say right along with Peter that we must still do good works.  Or said better—that we get to do good works because of all the good Jesus has done for us.  This is the whole thrust of the Gospel, that the power of God is at work transforming us to become like Jesus in all the virtues we've discussed.  God has acted, and we get to respond!  God has given, and we get to receive!  But precisely because none of it is "required" in order to finish up our salvation—we have to be continually reminded of what we've received, lest we take the inheritance for granted and forget to act on it. Remember, remember, remember.  Peter drums away at the theme.  Do not be one who becomes blind, "forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins" (v.9).  "So I will always remind you of these things even though you know them…" "I think it right to refresh your memory…." "And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things" (vv. 12, 13, 15). I am often struck by how much of our journey of following Jesus and becoming like him boils down to remembering.  Rarely in the Old Testament are people defiantly idolatrous or disobedient.  More often, they've just forgotten their God and wandered off someplace else.  Forgetfulness is the biggest problem.  Like in Judges when generations keep rising up who "knew not" the things of old.  Likewise remembering is the biggest gift—like when the book of the law was found under the reign of Josiah, or when the law was read again after the exiles returned under Ezra.   Peter knows his scriptures.  So he not only preaches his message in the opening verses of this letter—but he tells it again, and promises to keep on doing it.  A broken record that repeats the things we already know over and over is no sin, because knowing something in the deep ways of habit and muscle memory takes exactly this: time, attention, and repetition.  So today, if you've already forgotten the list of virtues to add to your faith—go back and read it again.  Start right at verse 1 and recall again what you already know: the "everything" that God has given us to make his calling in our lives sure. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God: Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master. Grow in the grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Amen! (2 Peter 1:2; 3:18 MSG).

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