Peter calls it confirming your call and election. Being eager to prove that it’s the real thing in our lives. That our salvation is sure. That the new man, the new woman, is really, in fact, new. That the power is truly present.

And Peter says it will require diligence. That it will take effort. That we’ll need to work hard to prove that what’s true is really true.

And then he lays out there this audacious promise . . . you will never fall.

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

(2Peter 1:10 ESV)

Read it again. Chew on it a bit. You will never fall. Is that a promise to claim, or what!?!?

And it’s a promise of faith that we claim by what we pursue. A divine determination appropriated through diligent doing.

. . . if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

And what are these qualities we are to practice? These things we are to be eager to work at?

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

(2Peter 1:5-7 ESV)

There’s seven of them (not surprised). Virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, love.

Seven qualities we are to make every effort to practice. Seven qualities that confirm our calling and election. Seven qualities that, when pursued, realize an audacious promise–you will never fall. And these seven qualities are faith supplements.

But these supplements shouldn’t be thought of simply as works-based add-ons. But as effort-required furnishings for our foundation of faith. As meaningful business which ministers to, and adds to our belief. As steps taken which, when realized, will strengthen trust.

Peter knew that faith can atrophy without fuel. And so, as he anticipates his days coming to a close on earth, he wanted to remind his beloved brother and sisters of these qualities and to stir them up with a reminder to keep on pursuing them (1:12-15).

But go back over the “to do” list and, who’s able to get it “to be done”? Uh, we are!

That’s what Peter’s saying when, before telling us to work at pursuing these faith supplements, he reminds us of what God has already provided. That “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” That through “His precious and very great promises” He has supplied all we need to “become partakers of the divine nature” (1:3-4).

We have the power to supplement our faith. Not because of who we are. Not because of what we are capable of doing. But because of Who lives in us, and through us, and what He is capable of doing. He is the Source of faith supplements. And He is the great Yes and Amen of the promise that if we practice these seven qualities we will never fall.

Never fall? Yes, never fall.

Faith required? Absolutely.

Faith supplements required, too? Absolutely, again.

By His grace. For His glory.