CALLED WITH A HOLY CALLING*

“How precious
also are thy thoughts unto me,
O God!
how great is the sum of them!”
PSALM 139:17

The true knowledge of God within a man is born out of intimacy. Intimacy with God brings a man to the precipice of purpose and the fear of the Lord. It is in this place of understanding we begin to comprehend the immensity of the thoughts of God concerning our being as a unique and precious work of God. In the unfolding of this knowledge comes a sense of accountability to “finish” the work and the purpose for which we have been created.

From science we are now told that the blueprint of an individual’s life (DNA), if it were stretched out linearly, would reach the moon over 6000 times. This unique and comprehensive instruction set of an individual is only the beginning of what we are. The everyday interaction with circumstances and others are all part of the great sum of HIS thoughts toward us becoming His expression in the earth. For Christians to think that their lives are to be lived without purpose is a tragedy in itself. Without this intimacy with God there can be no true comprehension of the CALL and PURPOSE of life. Aimlessness is the result of a Gospel that presents a God who is at the whim of men to decide whether or not to “accept” HIM. This presentation has really put man on the throne rather than God. Men who KNOW that they are the result of an eternal call (with a purpose and a sense of being accountable for the fulfillment of that call) are no longer drifting through life left to their own resources. God’s WORD to Jeremiah was:

“Before I formed thee
in the belly I knew thee;
and before thou camest forth
out of the womb I sanctified thee,
and I ordained thee a prophet
unto the nations”
JEREMIAH 1:5

The declaration of this to Jeremiah was to gird him with the strength of purpose; to equip him to withstand the opposition and the persecution of all that he would face. It is the same for us in our day. We need to know that we are here to spend our time concerned about our “Father’s business” just as Jesus was.

“And if ye call on the Father,
who without respect of persons
judgeth according to every man’s work,
pass the time of your sojourning
here in fear…”
1Peter 1:17

Those who fear the Lord know that to squander our time here will be accounted for in the Day of Judgment. The writer of Hebrews declares…

“Let us therefore fear, lest,
a promise being left us
of entering into his rest,
any of you should seem
to come short of it”
Hebrews 4:1

The Call of God implies accountability. In Philippians Paul speaks of apprehending that for which he had been apprehended; to lay hold of the purpose, to press toward the MARK of the high call of God in Christ Jesus. Those with a true sense of being called of God know they have, through unfathomable mercy, been apprehended at a great cost to God Himself. To fail to finish the race set before us, to linger and to squander the wonder of this CALL, is the greatest tragedy men can bring upon themselves.

“Ye have not chosen me,
but I have chosen you,
and ordained you,
that ye should go and bring forth fruit,
and that your fruit should remain”
John 15:16

In the same intimate dialogue with His disciples Jesus also said:

“Every branch IN ME
that beareth not fruit
he taketh away…”
John 15:2

Paul in Romans chapters nine through eleven sets forth the most magnificent portrayal of the COMPLETE AND UTTER SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. In this context he continues:

“I beseech you therefore
(because of God’s Sovereignty),
brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God…”
Romans 12:1

The “beseeching” set forth here is the very cry of the Spirit of God for us to RESPOND correctly to the CALL. The CALL of God REQUIRES response. Failure to respond fully ends in disqualification and shame. This is not a loss of being His child but of failure to enter into the Kingdom of God as joint heirs with Christ.

“For many are called,
but few are chosen”
Matthew 22:14

Peter sums up the whole truth of this with a clarity and power. (Please read these verses reverently and carefully and may the power within them impart to us the truth of God’s heart and purpose for us in this DAY). 2 Peter 1:3-11

“3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8. FOR IF THESE THINGS BE IN YOU, AND ABOUND, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, GIVE DILIGENCE TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: FOR IF YE DO THESE THINGS, ye shall never fall:

11. FOR SO AN ENTRANCE SHALL BE MINISTERED UNTO YOU ABUNDANTLY INTO THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.”

Ω

“Who hath saved us,
and CALLED us with an holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to HIS own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began”
2TIMOTHY 1:9

*NOTE: While men love to debate the “doctrinal issues” of these things those who know God have, through out the ages, understood that the CALL of GOD comes with definite purpose and accountability. Watchman Nee, who traveled from village to village preaching the Gospel of God, knew that in every village there were men and women who had been called of God and prepared of God to hear the WORD he preached. His absolute determination to preach the Word was because of this: that he knew he must not fail the grace of God. Men who hold to a mere doctrine or teaching will always miss God’s heart but they who know the truth of God’s CALL labour to fulfill that to which they have been called. The belief in the teaching/doctrine of these things can produce lethargy, pride and self-righteousness but unto those who are gripped by the CALL know of the awesome responsibility unto HIM to “make our calling and election sure”. We cannot linger in the debates and opinions of men for there is a inward compulsion to FULFILL GOD’S CALL rather than discussing it.

Brian Troxel