Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. 2 Peter 1:10 HCSB
I believe in the doctrine “Once saved, always saved.” A person cannot lose his or her salvation by sinning, but I do question if some people are really saved when their lifestyle and how they treat others does not reflect a Christ-like character. Obviously, we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. We cannot do anything to save ourselves. Our good works do not save us. We are all saved by the grace and mercy of God. Even after we accept Christ as Lord we will continue to sin, but we all should be striving to live differently. We should be living to please God and to bring honor and glory to Him.
It seems that some of Peter's readers had the idea that because they were saved by grace, it did not matter what they did because they would be forgiven. Consequently, they were following false teachers and living in sinful behaviors. In this verse Peter encourages followers of Christ to live as described in 2 Peter 1:5-7. In so doing, we are confirming that we are saved. As we strive to live righteously, we will avoid the temptations and traps of the devil. When a non-believer does not see any evidence that a person is a believer, he may wonder why he should become a believer.
Challenge: Believers should live their lives differently, setting the example of how to live. Their lives should reflect the love and compassion of Jesus Christ – even for those who are sinners and often unloveable. What does your lifestyle and actions say about your life and salvation? Would there be enough evidence to convict you if you were arrested for being a Christian?