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Notice how very homely a virtue it is that takes all this motive to persuade lazy people to it — nothing more than hard work. Diligence is a very prosaic grace, extremely unlike the heated emotion and the idle sentimentality which some of us take to be religion, but it is the foundation of all excellence, and emphatically of all Christian excellence.

I. DILIGENCE IN THE CULTIVATION AND NURTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IS THE SEAL OF OUR CHRISTIAN STANDING. Exercise it, says Peter, to "make your calling and election sure," to confirm your possession of these Divine, and, in themselves, unalterable facts. God does not choose men to a salvation, which consists of certain arbitrary privileges which they may possess whatever their character, but lie "calls us that we should be holy and without blame before Him." If we are not carrying out His design in that choice, are we not invalidating it? On our faithfulness and Christian diligence depends our continued possession of the privileges which God has given us. There is another side to this thought, viz., that this same diligence confirms our Christian standing to our own consciousness. The real sign to a man that he is Christ's is that he is growing like Christ.

II. THIS DILIGENCE IN THE CULTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER BECOMES A STAFF TO OUR ELSE TOTTERING STEPS. "For," says Peter, "if ye do these things ye shall never fall." So our Version has it; but the promise is even more emphatic — "Ye shall never stumble," which comes before falling. Does that mean that if a man will only set himself diligently to try and cultivate these Christian graces he will thereby become immaculate and free from sin? Not so. Observe the language — "If ye do these things." More literally and accurately we might read — "While ye do these things." As long as a man is diligently occupied with the stress of his effort in adding to his character the graces that are here enjoined, so long will he stand firm in righteousness. We have no such efficient prophylactic or shield against the assaults of evil as the pursuit of good. Again, the way to keep ourselves from becoming worse is resolutely to aim at getting better. Again, such diligence, though it may not be crowned with complete success, will certainly secure from utter failure.

III. THIS DILIGENCE IN CHRISTIAN CULTURE IS THE CONDITION OF THE ENTRANCE ABUNDANTLY MINISTERED. There is a "being scarcely saved," and there is an "entrance abundantly." And the principle that lies here is plain, that the degree of our possession of the perfect royalty of Heaven depends on our faithfulness here on earth.

(A. Maclaren, D. D.)

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KJV: Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

WEB: Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.