There are two options in life for every Christian: (1) a life of joy and confidence in the Lord, being assured of your salvation, or (2) a life that is robbed of all joy and confidence in the Lord, lacking assurance of your salvation. And what does God desire for you? To enjoy a life of joy and confidence in the Lord, walking with Jesus in full assurance of your salvation every day.
Peter said, "For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:8). "These things" refers to the virtues we are to add to our faith according to verses 5-7.: "moral excellence," "knowledge," "self-control," "perseverance," "godliness," "brotherly kindness," and "love" (NASB). To pursue these qualities, to make them your own, to make them part of who you are, and to have these qualities ever increasing in your life, is a good thing. In fact, it is a very good thing. Because, with these qualities increasingly present in you, your life will be increasingly productive spiritually.
The phrase "are yours and abound" (v. 8a), or "are yours and are increasing" (NASB), is a strong expression drawn from two present participles. The first refers to owning property in an abiding sense, and the second refers to possessing more than enough, or even too much of something (John MacArthur, Jr., The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers, Chicago Illinois, 2005], 42). If these virtues are present in your life and are on the increase, "you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 8b).
"Barren" (v. 8b), or "useless" (NASB), means "inactive," or "idle," and describes something inoperative or unserviceable (Ibid, 43). "Unfruitful" (v. 8b) refers to unbelief or apostasy (Ibid). Though stated in the negative, the point is positive in that, when you pursue these virtues, make them your own, and continue to grow in grace, you will not be useless and unfruitful. Instead, you will be useful to the Lord and, as you follow Him in service, He will build you up in full assurance of your salvation.
The phrase "the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 8b) makes it clear that Peter is speaking to true born again Christians, whose faith is real, and to whom God has granted true saving knowledge. When you have this true saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, you can pursue these virtues and apply them in your life in a way that honors Christ. When they are present in your life, you will enjoy the full assurance of your salvation.
"For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins" (v. 9). This second option is negative and is to be avoided. The believer who fails to pursue these virtues, will find them lacking in his life. Peter says that such a believer is "short-sighted, even to blindness" (v. 9a). He can't understand his true spiritual condition. He doesn't even realize what he is missing.
The believer who does not pursue these virtues and is not experiencing an increase of them in his life, will forfeit assurance. He will lack assurance of his salvation because he "has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins" (v. 9b). Literally, the phrase here means "to receive forgetfulness" (Ibid). "Cleansed" (v. 9b), translates katharismos, from which we get the English catharsis ("cleansing"). (Ibid)
A believer in this position will find that his continuing sin robs him of his joy and confidence, causing him to doubt that he was cleansed from sin and that he was rescued from his former way of life. He finds that he cannot be certain about whether he has been truly saved or not. And it is all because he does not see an increase of virtue and usefulness in his life.
John MacArthur said, "Once blind before salvation, then made to see, these saints can experience a kind of spiritual blindness again." (Ibid)
This spiritual blindness, or spiritual forgetfulness, leads to falling back into old sins. Christians who fall into this trap find that they are robbed of their assurance. Assurance of salvation is tied directly to our obedience and our growing in the virtues of Christ. When you are faithful in living by the Word of God and you continue growing in these virtues of Christ, becoming more like Him, you will find yourself more certain of your salvation with each passing day. Amen.
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