2 Peter 1:10-2:10

Bible Study — The Lutheran Doctrine of Election Explained  

Join Pastor Dave Ruddat for an online Bible study on 2 Peter 1:1–10 focused on one of the most misunderstood topics in Christian theology: the doctrine of election.  We start with a refresher on the Lutheran doctrine of election as laid out in the Formula of Concord (Solid Declaration), walking through the eight-point summary of how God's eternal election works — always centered in Christ, always tied to the means of grace (Word and Sacrament), and never dependent on anything in us. 

Along the way we talk about the "two ditches" to avoid: making election all about God's hidden will (and despairing), or making it all about human decision (and losing grace altogether).  From there we turn to the text for today, 2 Peter 1:10 — "Be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure" — and ask what Peter actually means by that. We look at Peter's eyewitness testimony of the Transfiguration, his appeal to the "completely reliable prophetic word," and how he closes chapter 1 by pointing us to hold fast to both the Old and New Testament witness to Christ.  We finish with a preview of 2 Peter chapter 2, where Peter turns to warn about false teachers, and looks at three Old Testament examples of God's judgment — the fallen angels, the flood in Noah's day, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah — as a reminder that God knows how to deliver the godly and preserve His people through His Word.  

Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome & intro to 2 Peter 1
00:27 – Why we're starting with the doctrine of election
01:31 – Refresher: the Lutheran doctrine of election (Formula of Concord)
03:56 – The eight-point summary of God's election
11:31 – How do I know I'm one of the elect? Avoiding the "two ditches"
13:22 – 2 Peter 1:10
15:20 – Peter's testimony: the Transfiguration & the reliable prophetic word
19:00 – Beware of false teachers
20:47 – Examples of God's judgment (angels, the flood, Sodom & Gomorrah)
25:06 -  Closing prayer

Living Savior Lutheran Church (Morrison and Shirley)
www.lslcs.org  Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/