The Calling

It is good for us to truly understand the character of our God, for it is the measure by which we judge our own. We will start with the nature of our calling.

1 Corinthians 1:23

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

To the Jews were committed the oracles of God. They were the keepers of the holy Word and God’s plan for man. Their prophets from Moses to Malachi spoke of the coming Messiah. They spoke of His attributes and His deeds. They proclaimed Him to be the Son of the Most High. He was to be Emmanuel (God with us). They also spoke of His forerunner, John the Baptist, who would go before Him as “the voice crying in the wilderness.” All these things were manifest in their sight and hearing. But they refused to accept Him as their Lord. Thus this man Jesus became a stumbling block to the nation. They could not get past the method of His coming. He was born of a virgin who lived right among them. This was also prophesied.

Isaiah 7:14

14 Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Jesus was a familiar face to them. He was Mary’s boy. He was the son they claimed was born out of fornication and the father never found. Jesus had sisters and brothers He played with, worked with and grew up with. He also went to the synagogue and read from the books of the prophets on the Sabbath. Jesus read the volume of the book and discovered that it was written of Him. He was taken from among them and ordained in great works of the Holy Ghost. He was groomed to suffer death for the reconciliation of man with God. But the wisdom of God became an offense to the Jew and foolishness to the Grecians, who boasted of being most wise. Nevertheless, God did not deviate from His plan. He expects to be accepted and believed, simply because He has proven that He is a God who cannot lie. All these things were foretold so that His great power and omniscience might be manifest. You must consider if the truth about salvation is an offense to you. Where is your stumbling block? Is it the fact that the new creature claims to be capable of living free from sin, or is it that familiar face you see in the mirror every day? This was foretold nearly 2000 years ago.

Romans 8:20-23

20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Why is it so easy to lay aside the precious Word of God, or count it as meaningless? This is what you do every time you deny who you are in Christ. Why is being in this fleshy body a problem when the volume of the book says this was the plan of God from the very beginning? He had a purpose for leaving us in these bodies. But at the same time, He made sure that we would not be able to use the flesh as an excuse for sin.

Colossians 2:10-11

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

You must be careful that your personage does not become a stumbling block for you, as Jesus’ personage became a stumbling block to the Jewish nation. Or maybe your problem is the fact that you are expected to be sinless. Perhaps you still see this as impossibility. We cannot allow ourselves to become scoffers of the Word of God. We are what God says we are. If we reject the truth we will become even as Israel in their unbelief.

Jeremiah 18:12

12 And they said, there is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

There is only one place to go if you reject truth. You must follow the counsel of men or that of your own fleshy mind void of the influence of the Holy Ghost. You will serve the Lord in the manner you devise in your imagination. The extreme of this is the formation of false doctrines and cults.

1 Corinthians 1:24-25

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The called are invited by the Father to become a partaker of the glory found in Christ. It is indeed a high calling. But it is also one in which you must be established.

2 Peter 1:10-11

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.

The renewal of the mind is accomplished by discovering the power of your new birth. When you stand in the righteousness of God in the midst of trials and adversity, the holiness you walk in makes an impression on the mind. When we please the Lord, the emotion we experience is more than one of satisfaction. Holiness vindicates the Word of God. It genders confidence in the purpose of God. This power of holiness is called virtue. The knowledge of God and godliness is essential to walking in the Spirit. You must learn Christ as the scripture has presented Him. The mind of Christ must not be offensive to you. Humility, temperance, patience, kindness and love must be a way of life. If you reject or neglect to walk in these attributes of Christ, there are severe consequences.

2 Peter 1:9

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.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

It is important that you accept that salvation provided you with the life of Christ. It is the life of the Master that is to work the ministry of reconciliation. Therefore, your educational, social or economic background is of no consequence.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31

30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

As we walk in Christ, we are wise, righteous and separated from the world. It is Christ who is glorified in and through us. We can do nothing of ourselves.