Certain (949) (bebaios from baino = to go, walk, step) describes that which is fixed, stable, sure, attested to and certified. It is something which is unwavering and persistent and thus can be relied on or depended on. It pertains to that which is known with certainty. It refers to something that has validity over a period of time (e.g., the promise made to Abraham remained valid to NT believers, see note Romans 4:16). Figuratively bebaios refers to that upon which one may build, rely or trust. Bebaios is something that can be relied on not to cause disappointment for it is reliable and unshifting. In practice, though not originally, bebaios is close to pistos (4103) (trustworthy, dependable, reliable, faithful) Bebaios - 8x in 8v. Translated a variety of ways in the NAS = certain, 1; firm, 2; firmly grounded, 1; guaranteed, 1; more sure, 1; steadfast, 1; unalterable, 1; valid, 1. Romans 4:16 (note) For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 2 Corinthians 1:7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort. Hebrews 2:2 (note) For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, Hebrews 3:14 (note) For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end; Hebrews 6:19 (note) This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, Hebrews 9:17 (note) For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. 2 Peter 1:10 (note) Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 2 Peter 1:19 (note) And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. TDNT says that bebaios means “standing firm on the feet,” “steadfast,” “maintaining firmness or solidity,” “steadfast for …” Hence “firm” in the sense of having inner solidity. In respect of abstract things and persons bebaios thus comes to mean “steady,” “sure,” “reliable” “steadfast,” or “certain. " (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans) Bebaios has a legal sense, signifying a legal guarantee, obtained by the buyer from the seller, to be gone back upon should a third party claim the thing. Thus in classic Greek bebaios described a warranty deed somewhat like a guarantee one might have today on an automobile or similar product. A holy life is like a "guarantee" demonstrating one's calling and election to others as well as to one's self. Peter uses bebaios describing the Word of God, writing that we have the prophetic word [made] (not in Greek. Literally = "word more sure") more sure, to which you do well to pay (close) attention (nautical term that meant to hold a ship in a direction and so to sail towards!) as to a lamp shining in a dark (miry, filthy, murky, dismal, dark) place, until the day dawns (shines through, breaks forth) and the morning star arises in your hearts. (see note 2 Peter 1:19) What Peter is saying (although the translations in some versions make this meaning difficult to discern) is not that the eyewitness account of Christ's majesty at the transfiguration confirmed the Scriptures, but that the prophetic word is a more reliable attestation or verification of the teachings about the person, atonement, and second coming of Christ than even the genuine first hand experiences of the apostles themselves. Courson has an interesting comment on this passage adding that If someone offered you the choice of either being on Mount Hermon with Jesus, seeing Moses and Elijah, hearing a voice from heaven—or having the Old Testament, most of us would choose to see the Lord glowing, to see Moses and Elijah, to hear a voice from heaven. But Peter would choose otherwise. Why? Because experiences fade, but the Word endures. The problem with experiences is that all they produce is a craving to see more...Having been around for a while, I would rather hear a great Bible study and be fed from the Scriptures than see a bunch of experiences unfolding. There was a time when this was not true in my life. But the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I realize that experiences fade—even the valid ones, even the wondrous ones. Only the Word endures. (Courson, J. Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Page 1589. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson) The writer of Hebrews uses bebaios reminding his Jewish readers, some of whom were teetering on going back to Judaism, that in Christ we have a hope set before us and This hope we have as an anchor (that which forms a bend i.e., an anchor and can stabilize the thing to which it is attached) of the soul, a hope both sure (does not totter, cannot be thrown down, steady, immovable, safe, secure from peril) and steadfast (bebaios) and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (He 6:19, 20-see notes Hebrews 6:19; 20) Comment: Vincent says means here a hope that sustains one’s steps in going, one that does not break down under what steps upon it MacDonald comments that "In the storms and trials of life this hope serves as an anchor of the soul. The knowledge that our glorification is as certain as if it had already happened keeps us from drifting on the wild waves of doubt and despair. The anchor is not cast in the shifting sands of this world but takes hold in the heavenly sanctuary. Since our hope is the anchor, the meaning is that our hope is secured in God’s very Presence behind the veil. Just as sure as the anchor is there, we shall be there also." (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson) Bebaios was used of confirming something as in the legal terminology of validating a will. So a Christian by growing in grace becomes assured (stabile, secure in the salvation, having assurance of their salvation) of having been called and elected by God. This stresses the responsibility of the believer to live in conformity to his calling into a partaking of the divine nature in Christ Jesus (2Pe 1:4-note). The exhortation is that the believer should make sure of the fact that he is saved by seeing to it that the Christian graces superabound in his life. There is no idea here of making sure that we retain our salvation but that we possess salvation. Spurgeon comments that... "Full assurance is an excellent attainment. It is profitable for a man to be certain in this life, and absolutely sure of his own calling and election. But how can he be sure? Now, many of our more ignorant hearers imagine that the only way they have of being assured of their election is by some revelation, some dream, and some mystery. I have enjoyed very hearty laughs as the expense of some people who have trusted in their visions. Really, if you had passed among so many shades of ignorant professing Christians as I have; and had to resolve so many doubts and fears, you would be so infinitely sick of dreams and visions that you would say, as soon as a person began to speak about them, "Now, do just hold your tongue." "Sir," said a woman, "I saw blue lights in the front parlor when I was in prayer, and I thought I saw the Saviour in the corner, and I said to myself I am safe." Peter is not necessarily urging the readers to engage in more strenuous activities per se. A believer's spiritual growth confirms that God has called and chosen him. The "blighted" condition pictured in 2Pe 1:9-note destroys such personal assurance. In 1654 Thomas Brooks wrote the following statement regarding the believer's assurance of salvation... Assurance is the believer's ark where he sits like Noah, quiet and still in the midst of all distractions and destructions, commotions and confusions...Most Christians live between fears and hopes and hang, as it were, between heaven and hell. Sometimes they hope that their state is good, other times they fear that their state is bad. Now they hope that all is well and that it shall go well with them forever. And then they fear that they shall perish by the hand of such a corruption or by the prevalency of such to temptation. And so they are like a ship in a storm, tossed here and there. (Heaven on Earth by Thomas Brooks written in 1654) Charles Haddon Spurgeon wisely reminds us that... Faith saves us, but assurance satisfies us...Full assurance is not essential to salvation, but it is essential to satisfaction...No believer should be content with hoping and trusting, he should ask the Lord to lead him on to full assurance, so that matters of hope may become matters of certainty. Related Resources on Assurance: William Plumer - Assurance of Grace and Salvation - What It It? How to Attain It. Why More Do not Enjoy It. J C Ryle - Assurance Thomas Brooks - "Heaven on Earth" (Read intro to this book) - Assurance has amazing transforming powers. It changes iron to gold, ignominies to crowns, and all sufferings to delights! Thomas Brooks - Precious Remedies Against Satan Thomas Brooks exhorts us to... Let heaven be a man's object, and earth will soon be his abject. Assurance of more great and glorious things, breed in the soul a holy scorn and contempt of all these poor, base worldly things —which the soul before valued above God, Christ and heaven. The more the soul is conformed to Christ, the more confident it will be of its interest in Christ. Many a Christian has his pardon sealed in the court of heaven before it is sealed in the court of his own conscience. Though no man merits assurance by his obedience, yet God usually crowns obedience with assurance. Perfect signs of grace can never spring from imperfect grace. Genuine holiness will yield you a heaven hereafter; but genuine assurance will yield you a heaven here. He who has holiness and knows it, shall have two heavens —a heaven of joy, comfort, peace, contentment, and assurance here—and a heaven of happiness and blessedness hereafter. Genuine assurance will be a spring of joy and comfort in you. It will make heavy afflictions light, long afflictions short, and bitter afflictions sweet. It will make you frequent, fervent, constant, and abundant in the work of the Lord. It will strengthen your faith, raise your hope, inflame your love, increase your patience, and brighten your zeal. It will make every mercy sweet, every duty sweet, every ordinance sweet, and every providence sweet. It will rid you of all your sinful fears and cares. It will give you ease under every burden, and make death more desirable than life. It will make you more strong to resist temptation, more victorious over opposition, and more silent in every difficult condition. Genuine assurance will turn...every winter night into a summer's day, every cross into a crown, and every wilderness into a paradise. Genuine assurance will be...a sword to defend you, a staff to support you, a cordial to strengthen you, a medicine to heal you, and a star to lead you. Well, remember this—next to a man's being saved, it is the greatest mercy in this world—to know that he is saved. ABOUT HIS CALLING: ten klêsin: (Ro 1:1, 7, 8:28, 29, 30; 8:30, 9:24; 1Cor 1:2, 1Cor 1:9; 1Cor 1:24, 1Cor 1:26, Gal 1:6; Eph 1:18, 4:1, 1Thes 2:12; 2Thes 2:14; 2Ti 1:9; Heb 3:1; 1Pet 2:9,21;2 Pet 1:10;Jude 1:1, Rev 17:14, Torrey's Topic Call of God) Note that "calling and choosing" are modified by a single definite article (ten) and thus are viewed in essence as a "unit", for both acts are integrally, intimately related to the origin and efficacy of our salvation by grace through faith. "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/2_peter_110-11.htm#Certain