The last line of 2 Peter 1:10 says, “Ye shall never fall.” Many religious people believe and teach that once people are truly saved, they can never sin in such a way as to be eternally lost, that though the saved may fall (sin), those truly saved will always repent and be eternally saved. As with all questions regarding the word of God, it is to the word of God that one must go to find the truth. Thus, to the inspired scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) attention is now turned to determine what is right.
First, Peter, like all men of God (2 Peter 1:20, 21), was inspired to write, “Ye shall never fall.” Peter’s words are not to be taken lightly. He was “a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1). Neither Peter nor the others inspired of God gave “any private interpretation”, speaking “by the will of man”, but “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Being inspired of God to speak as he did guarantees that Peter’s message was correct.
Second, one is now ready to see and accept what God directed Peter to write, that is, “Ye shall never fall.” As with all spiritual matters, to arrive at the truth, one must consider the subject to be studied in light of the total teaching of the word of God, beginning with the immediate context, that is, verses immediately preceding and following a statement. Any conclusion reached must harmonize with the entire Book, the word of the Lord.
Third, understanding and believing Peter’s statement, “Ye shall never fall”, one promptly goes to the immediate context. The anxious student determines to “study” the scriptures, “rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15). Searching the scriptures (John 5:39) to reach truthful conclusions, the honest student begins with the first verse of 2 Peter 1, where it is seen that Peter is writing “to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1). In other words, Peter is writing to Christians, people who believed the same thing he did. Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:10; John 17:20-23; Galatians 1:6-9. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness….” That is to say, the word of God had been given in full. Cf. Jude 3. Peter informs Christians that they have been “given…exceeding great and precious promises”, so that they “might be partakers of the div-ing nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:4). No-tice, “having escaped” shows that they were genuinely saved.
Fourth, the precious reader now learns that Christians are not to be satisfied with being saved, being “newborn babes.” (1 Peter 2:2; Hebrews 5:11-14). One who has faith is to add to that faith virtue, soul power or moral excellence. (2 Peter 1:5). Knowledge is to be added to virtue. Cf. 2 Peter 3:18. To knowledge one is to add temperance, or self-control. (2 Peter 1:6). Patience, or endurance, is to be added to temperance. (2 Peter 1:6). Godliness, or obedience to God is to be added to patience (2 Peter 1:6). Brotherly kindness, fraternal love is to be added to godliness. (2 Peter 1:7). Cf. Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 2:17. Finally, one adds charity, or love, to brotherly kindness. (2 Peter 1:7). Cf. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Matthew 5:43-48. Peter informs one that to be fruitful in the knowledge of the Lord, one must have these things within, and they must be a part of one’s life. (2 Peter 1:8). The child of God must not be complacent, seeking to do as little as possible to miss hell and gain heaven. Christians are to “be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,…” (1 Corinthians 15:58). One realizes that a failure to add these Christian graces (2 Peter 1:5-7), and do other things (Eg. Philippians 4:8; Galatians 5:22-26; etc.), renders one blind spiritually, and causes one to forget being purged from old sins. (2 Peter 1: 9). Thus, one sees that the purged can revert to old sinful ways.
Fifth, with these things firmly implanted in one’s mind, the honest student understands that Christians must “give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” (2 Peter 1:10), that is, the newborn babe must grow as a Christian, adding God’s will to one’s life. The new Christian realizes that pleasing God requires spiritual growth, that becoming a Christian is but a new beginning. Entrance “into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11), requires work, understanding that this growth through doing the works of God grants one salvation by grace, unmerited. (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; Luke 17:10).
Sixth, when the student has seen Peter’s statement, “Ye shall never fall”, in the immediate context, and reaches a just conclusion, the learner then turns attention to the entire word of God to see if the conclusion reached harmonizes with the total teaching of the word of God. A study of 1 Corinthians 15:58 harmonizes with the conclusion reached in 2 Peter 1:1-10. Attention is now focused on 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, and again it is seen that obedience brings blessings, while disobedience results in punishment by Jehovah. The parable of the sower, taught by Jesus, in Matthew 13:1-9 and 18-23, settles the matter once and for all. Jesus describes plants (people) that (who) lived and died, never to live again. In view of this, Hebrews 12:15 says, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and there-by many be defiled.” Some may fall from the grace of God, being defiled. Acts 5:1-11 is a sad example of those who were truly saved sinning and being lost. Compare Acts 1:25, “Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own reward.” This apostle of Jesus did not go to heaven, but “to his own place.” Ju-das was a saved man who fell and was lost, unless Jesus appointed a sinner to be an apostle, which is absurd. Other Biblical statements do not contradict these scriptures. Any and all other scriptures must be studied and under-stood in light of these set forth, and others.
Dear reader and diligent student of the word of God, upon reading and studying the verses in 2 Peter 1, and others, you now most surely believe God and His teaching with regards to who will never fall. Cf. Luke 1:1. Are you looking for a church which teaches what you have found herein, neither adding to nor subtracting from what God has said? Cf. Revelation 22:18, 19. Are you looking for a church which speaks “as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11), which does “all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”? (Colossians 3:17). Have you become a Christian? Have you developed faith by hearing the word of God? (Romans 10:17). Have you repented of sin(s)? (Acts 17:30, 31). Have you confessed the faith? (Matthew 10:32, 33; Acts 8:37). Have you been buried in water baptism for the remission of sins to enter Christ and His church? (Romans 6:1-5; Acts 8:37-39; Galatians 3:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22, 23). Call the writer for help in this or other studies. He will help guide you in any way he can.
It Is Written 