ResponsiveReiding

The line in the graphic above from the Office’s Michael Scott – could well describe many in modern Evangelicalism. To be sure, most of us would not actually categorize ourselves that way. But it is something worth considering.

I Chronicles 13 contains one of the most enigmatic passages in the Bible. David, after solidly becoming King over all Israel, decides it is time to bring the Ark of The Covenant up to Jerusalem – the place to become the seat of power of the nation. Verse 3 notes David’s reasoning: 1 Chron. 13:3 “Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”

During Saul’s reign, he was not as interested in seeking the face of God for what God wanted to do in Israel. He was more interested in simply using God to do what He decided he wanted to do. The prime example of that being one of the most dark moments in Israel’s history – the battle with the Philistines where the Ark was captured, and Saul and Jonathan lost their lives in battle. They had taken to Ark into battle as a sort of good luck charm. And it failed. Tragically.

Now David, with basically good intentions, wants to honor God and bring the Ark to a resting place in the capitol city. The Ark is being transported on a cart instead of being carried on the shoulders of the priests as God had required. And when hitting some rough road, the Ark looked like it might tumble and fall. Uzzah, a man nearby, stuck out his hand to steady the Ark. And God killed him for it. The text then notes that David was angry. We’re not sure if it was with God, himself or what. But in the meantime, he goes back to consult the Word, finds his error, and brings the Ark to Jerusalem properly this time. Verse 12 is very telling: 1 Chron. 13:12 “And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” And from then on, before David enters any battle – battles which would seem to be no-brainers – repelling attacks. David first consults the Lord before going.

Why?

Because David had learned that even though he was King, he was King to carry out God’s program. God was not the means for David to carry out his own. He was there to do God’s will. God was not there to do David’s.

Truth be told, many of us are like David before the incident with Uzzah. We seek God’s presence, say our prayers, go to worship, have our daily quiet time, etc., with a subtext of getting God on our side in the things we want to do in life. We treat the Christian life like a good luck charm. After all, God is here to bless and accomplish our agendas isn’t He? Doesn’t He want us to be healthy and prosperous and above all – happy? And isn’t it His role to serve us in achieving our dreams and ambitions? Won’t reading our Bibles every day influence Him to make our business deals go well, make our wives nicer, our kids more obedient, our sports team win and our candidate take office?

No.

God is not a good luck charm. The crosses on our necklaces are no amulets against the powers of darkness. The “Jesus Saves” bumper sticker on our car is not a magic talisman. Nor are Church attendance, small groups, prayer, tithes or quiet times. For He does not exist to enable us to achieve our wills and bless our endeavors: We exist to serve His plans and purposes. We are here to make Him known. To carry out His will. We cannot carry Him about to make life nice.

Don’t use your pastor that way either. As if you can live any way you want, but if he performs your marriage ceremony – somehow that make it all right even when making a bad choice in a mate.

Don’t serve God superstitiously. Even a little-stitiously. Serve Him as your Lord, and God and King. As here to do His bidding. There is no life so satisfying, as living it the way we were designed: To be His image-bearers; Informed by His Word; empowered by His Spirit – to carry out His desires.

How can you know if you are superstitiously serving God? When you tie a troublesome event – like a flat tire – to whether or not you have your quiet time today. When you are discouraged from reading the Word, prayer or attending worship because things aren’t going your way. When you are frustrated with God for not answering prayer the way you wanted Him to – and are ticked off at Him for it. When in sum, He refuses to be manipulated, and it bugs you. You’re doing all the “right stuff” and He’s not responding the way you want. It is then that you have begun to try and magically make God your servant. And He’ll have none of it. As God warned the Israelites before entering Canaan – citing the pagan practices of the nations they were to dispossess – “You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way.” (Deut. 12:4) For ALL false religion functions on the premise of getting cosmic powers to do one’s bidding by rites, rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices etc.. And God WILL NOT be served that way.

We do not serve God as a means to obtain our pre-conceived goodies. We serve God, because He Himself is our inheritance – as a nation of priests – even as He swore to the Levites. If the Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, nothing else could be the full measure of it other than the fullness of God Himself in all of His triune glory. Not things – HIM!

Christian – serving God for stuff, is rank superstition. Idolatry. Serve Him for Him. And you have everything.

Psalm 130 “A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

Up the Down Staircase was the title of Bel Kaufman’s famous book, and of its subsequent movie. I’m relatively certain she had no idea how relevant that title is to the Christian life. For as humanity has descended into sin, and in age, we all descend toward the grave, nevertheless, for the Believer, we are also ascending toward our final home with Christ. We’re going up the universal down staircase.

Now one of the peculiar experiences of those who have entered the stage where the living days behind us are far more than those in front of us – at least in terms of this present life – is that we tend to reflect a lot. And if one has a tender conscience because of Christ (hopefully more and more tender as we age) past sins, failures and regrets seem inexplicably to surface and resurface. It can be quite disturbing. And in our present age of “cancel culture”, we can begin to cancel ourselves over past incidents, words spoken, things undone, or things unwisely done etc. But there is a blessing to be had in the phenomena even as there can be real danger to our soul’s condition if the experience is not brought back to our faithful Lord in the light of the Gospel.

The Psalms contain 15 of what are called “Songs of Ascent.” These traditionally were sung either going up to the Temple in Jerusalem, or on the way to Jerusalem for the annual Feast of Tabernacles. And among them is Psalm 130. And it could not be a more appropriate prayer during this later age experience of reflection and regret.

Note first the grace of God in refusing to let us be comfortable with our past sins. Paul’s “forgetting those things which are behind” is not a total dismissal of the past. He himself will go on to recount some of his previous sins, and they are in fact recorded in God’s eternal Word. What changes, is not the facts of the past, but our relationship to them. Once in Christ, all is new. Praise God! Past sins can still (and rightly do) grieve us, even if they cannot condemn us. How good our God is. So the opening lines of the prayer have the Ascender recognizing their need for mercy. Mercy promised and accomplished in Christ – but ever necessary.

Then comes the reality that if our standing before Him was based on not having sin – no one could possibly qualify. “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” Indeed! And if that were all to consider, we are all lost. But then comes the refrain: “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” Yes! With Him, there IS forgiveness! And as only He can forgive sin which is always ultimately against Him – He is to be feared as the dispenser of that forgiveness only as He sees fit. How precious the Gospel is then. God extending forgiveness, His personal and cosmic forgiveness, for all to flee to Him in Christ. No matter how grievous those sins.

Now there is truth to the reality that in recounting old sins, there might still be things which on the human level should be made right if they can be. Apologies made. Forgiveness asked. Maybe even restitution. Repentance is a remarkably sweet thing. But due to time, some of those things are impossible to address now. What to do? “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” We cast it upon Him, awaiting the glory of Heaven where all we cannot address here, will at last be made right. When especially those Believers with whom we have some outstanding issues, will be so expunged and met in Christ, that we will simply all rejoice together around His glorious throne – oblivious to all but His transcendent glory. Oh precious promise!

And what do we do now as we ascend this downward staircase to our Heavenly home? “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

We hope in Him. We trust in Him. We lavish in His steadfast love, that more than comprehends all the sins we may be able to recall – knowing full well we only know the tip of the iceberg of our sin. But He knows it all, and provided for it all in Christ. We leave the unresolvable with Him – in joy, hope and peace.

When plagued by the past, we view it through the lens of atonement accomplished, and the promise of what is just before us – His all encompassing glory. Jesus has won a “plentiful redemption.” More plentiful than all our sins. And we reflect on His accomplished work on the Cross. We safely rue our past sins, in the light of His cleansing power and promises. And they become occasions to worship Him for His grace.

“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” No one is quite sure where the saying came from, but it first appeared in this form in a London newspaper in 1828. It probably came from an 18th century German proverb. And it carries with it two ideas: First, what has come to be known as the “Law of Unintended Consequences.” We can make decisions which seem really good at the time, but have not been thought out well enough to guard against results we never considered. Years ago there was a big push to tax the very wealthy by placing an onerous levy on yachts. The idea was to raise revenue. In response many of the rich said, “oh wow – too expensive for me now.” And the result was the decimation of the yacht industry. The super rich didn’t really care. But the majority of those buying previously, disappeared. Instead of raising revenue, it put multitudes out of work and lowered revenue. Oops. But many of us can attest to making similar foolish moves in our own lives. I know I can.

The second idea in the proverb is that which is more closely related to what Jesus said in Matt. 7:13 – “The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction.” Taking no pains to know the truth of God’s Word and to live in the light of it is much easier than serving Christ. Jesus went on to say that “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.” Walking contrary to the World and our own flesh is hard. It is fraught with difficulties. Jesus would again tell His disciples: “In the world you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33) And Paul would preach in Lystra, Iconium and Antioch: “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)

What makes this so? Nothing to me, makes it more difficult than fighting the battle of the remnants of indwelling sin. If we are really engaged in it – we have both the promise of eventual victory and total deliverance, as well as the piercing reality of failure at times. To the true Believer, nothing so pierces the heart as those times when we have fallen into an old sin, and grieved the Holy Spirit within. It is hard in those moments to guard against the grace of conviction being deformed into condemnation. How glorious that the new nature within, and the indwelling presence of God will no longer let us sin comfortably. But it doesn’t feel glorious when our heart is smarting from the sting of knowing how we have offended our precious Savior, grieved His indwelling Spirit, perhaps hurt other brothers or sisters in Christ, or misrepresented our Lord to the World. It is grace that makes those things grievous to us. AND, it is grace that bids us consider over and over and over – that “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it. White as snow.”

To this end then, is why we are admonished to be sure we take advantage of what might just be the most neglected part of the “armor of God” as given to us in Ephesians 6: The provided shoes for our feet, in the readiness given by the Gospel of peace. To preach the reality of the Gospel to ourselves over and over and over. To remember that we stand before our God NOT in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. There is nothing else which keeps us so ready to continue our trek toward the Celestial City with a calm heart and assured mind as when we stand firmly on the Rock of our Salvation alone. When we protect ourselves from being debilitated by the thorns, pits, sharp stones and debris which litters our path – by resting only in the finished work of Christ – and not in our performance. Nothing gives a more “ready” mind to face the challenges of the day, then when our feet are firm in the Gospel.

Maybe you are smarting today from a fresh wound of your own sinfulness. Then hear me Christian – Christ has died. His blood has atoned. He has made you His own, and taken full responsibility for you. He cannot fail. His cross is all sufficient. He who began this good work in you WILL complete it until that great day of His return. Stand steadfast and sure on the Gospel. For in Christ, you have peace with God. And in that peace, is the means to fight still, and press forward.

I’m not quite ready for the Rasin Ranch yet, but I’m not as peppy as the Six Flags guy either. What I am learning however, is that every season and circumstance of life, brings with them their own, peculiar temptations. Age not excluded. It is true that there is some generalization in this observation, but the tendencies remain typical.

In 1 Kings, we read the following of Solomon: “When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been.” (1 Kings 11:4)

Age weakens resolve. This is a lesson every Christian must take to heart. And it shows itself in two ways.

Now it is true that in some things, the wisdom of age and experience may teach us where we have been too harsh or made poor judgments in the past. At the same time, we must beware we do not fall to compromise when making corrections. Due to the loss of energy in old age (and I think mainly of emotional and mental energy here) we can lose the resolve to keep from growing soft on the non-negotiables, as well as intractable in areas where moderation is legitimately called for.

In areas of clear Biblical truth, we dare not compromise. What God’s Word teaches unambiguously, must be clung to with a tenacity which allows no modification, no matter how compelling the reason. In Solomon’s case, as the NET puts it, Solomon was “irresistibly attracted” to his foreign wives. That they had a “powerful influence over him.” And in time, with age, he gave in to providing idolatrous places of worship for them, which eventually snared his own soul. He wanted to please them. More than he wanted to please his God. And it spelled disaster for him personally, and for the nation.

At the same time, when age robs us of mental energy, it is easy to become so fixed in areas where there may be legitimate differences among sound Biblical people – we can lose a proper elasticity of charity and write off any who do not share our exact understanding in things non-essential to the Gospel and Biblical truth. Or, worse yet, make every difference an issue of Gospel fidelity. So for instance in Romans 14 where there were disagreements over regard of certain days and of eating certain foods. Such areas can bring unnecessary division when we make the debate so pointed, as to fail to allow for any legitimate difference. And to argue the issues to the point where we claim any holding any other view are compromising the Gospel. When we lack energy to treat legitimate shades and subtleties, we can grow overly hard in places where we ought to remain generous. These aren’t necessarily age-related – but I do sense in myself how much more prone I am toward them as I grow older.

Not all gentleness is weakness. Not all strength is loving. Not all freedom to disagree is license. Not all refusal to agree need be condemnation. Such matters are not always easy to distinguish. And more difficult to discern and maintain as we grow older. I do believe it is a good thing to be warned of such realities, and to pray that the Lord may guard our hearts accordingly.     

Heavenly Father, preserve us in such days. Preserve me. Help me to keep a clear eye. Let me keep from compromise in every area, and at the same time, soften my heart when it has been my flesh that has made me overly strict or opinionated. Let the Spirit of Christ dominate my heart and mind. Be glorified in and through me. You are ageless, and never change. In contrast, I begin to reckon with the creeping frailty of age more each day. With temptations both to compromise, and toward hardness. So fill me with your Spirit afresh, that I may always walk in the perfections of Christ, and not according to the weaknesses of my fallen flesh. For Jesus’ sake, and for His name.

The picture above is the eye of a fly seen with the aid of an electron microscope. The detail is pretty astounding. How precise the Great Designer is.

Years ago when I was in business, I was trying to secure a contract to manufacture perforated basting spoons for the military. I was a bit surprised when I got a 17 page specification sheet for them. Yup, just a little ole spoon like you see here. Nothing special.

Now all of this came to mind as I was reading 1 Kings today, and the amount of detail given to us regarding the construction of Solomon’s Temple. I mean seriously, do we really need all that?

Apparently we do. If we didn’t, God wouldn’t have seen fit to include it.

But what for?

I’ll leave the ferreting out of grander or deeper reasons why this may have been written down for us, to hearts and minds much more capable than mine. But I think we have at least this: It is an intimation of how precisely God has designed each and every one of His redeemed, for our place as “living stones” in the “spiritual house” Christ is constructing. (1 Peter 2:5)

Christian, Christ is as intentional in every facet of your being and its usefulness in building His Church, as He was in minutiae of Solomon’s Temple. Of those tiny, microscopic projections in the eye of the fly above. More so. Since both the fly and Solomon’s Temple were meant to be transient. And all those in Christ are meant to serve His eternal purposes, in revealing and celebrating the infinite glories of the Christ who has saved us by His blood. Down to the atomic level of your individual being – you are designed to fit and serve ever so perfectly. And He would not have His Temple complete, without you, and your microscopic details. Not because of you, but because He made you that way.

No one in Christ by faith is a mere hanger on, superfluous. You are in His details.

Marvel at the wonder of such a God. And how He brought you to such a place by His redeeming love.

As the quote above notes, God has not revealed everything to us. But we can be found trying to pry into the things God has not revealed, as though He has improperly hidden something needful from us. It is Adam and Eve syndrome still at work. Suspecting that God has kept back what is best, and what prevents us from reaching our full potential.

It isn’t true.

So it is the Apostle Paul needs to remind the Corinthians “not to go beyond what is written” (1 Cor. 4:6).

Just last night I watched a video from a self-proclaimed “prophet” telling us how she regularly goes into the presence of God to bring back “nuggets of gold” so that we can have something “precious to hang on to.” Implying, that God has not given us enough precious things to hang on to in His Word, and that we need her intercession to bring us what we really need. Apparently, God’s ministrations are insufficient.

What God has provided may seem insufficient for some of our wants, and in terms of our curiosity – but He has given us what we need to know and do His will. And why we need to go beyond that, is an echo of Satan’s whispers in the Garden. That we need, and deserve – more. Which is an indictment upon the loving and wise provision of our Father.

In contrast to that – we read “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:3-4)

He is faithful, wise, loving and good. Settle your heart on those things, and you won’t need to be searching out something else.

When people talk about their calling, they are usually referring to some sense of their personal purpose in life. The reason why they – as the specific person they are – are here. It is quite self-focused. Not that any should be aimless in life. The pursuit of noble goals is right. The old saying that if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it, is true. Proverbs speaks repeatedly to being set on the path of righteousness, not being a fool, or a sluggard, listless or indolent. Prov. 21:25 “The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.” And Prov. 14:23 “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” We were created to be about something in life.

Now for the Christian, we are never without purpose – without calling. And what is incumbent upon us, before we ever consider what personal calling we might think, feel or decide is ours in life – are the things Scripture says we are specifically called to. And in truth, if we are given to fulfilling this calling, the area of life in which we find ourselves is almost irrelevant. God’s calling(s) are universal and as applicable whether we are ditch diggers, neuroscientists, poets, philosophers, housewives or professional athletes. Apart from reckoning with God’s calling(s) whatever other calling we may choose for ourselves, really doesn’t matter. At the end of days, I might be able to say: “I was a really top flight musician in my day.” And at the gates of Heaven, that will count for what?

We’ve been building the profile of the Christian calling out of the Scriptures. And so far, we identified 5 aspects or constituent parts. ALL Believers are called to: Belong to Jesus Christ as His personal possession; To be Saints; To fulfill His eternal purposes as given in His Word; To walk in living fellowship with God and Christ; To be men and women of Peace – and today we add to that Gal. 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—” A people who live their lives in the light of the grace which has called us out of darkness, into His marvelous light.

In other words, Christians are to carefully consider and keep as a static part of their self-understanding, that in Christ, they walk in the perpetual sunshine of God’s smile. That we are never alone, never hopeless, never defenseless, never forsaken, not on probation with God, and not living life trying to curry His favor. Living as a consciously “graced” people. Unlike those Paul had to admonish in Galatia, who had fallen back into a pattern of life and service that sought to earn God’s favor. For favor which is earned, is not grace, it is wages. It is anti-grace.

When we fail to fully grasp the Gospel, that we were chosen by grace (not because of some goodness in us); saved by grace (not because of any good deeds we might have done); are kept by grace (not by our great performance); and promised yet more grace to come (because He simply loves to lavish grace upon His own) – then we can walk in freedom. Then we live in joy, even in the harshest of conditions and deepest of sorrows. Then we are fulfilling our calling. For the one thing which above all others pleases our God – is for Him to be trusted. Without faith, without trusting Him, His Word, His character and His promises, we cannot please Him. But when we trust Him and Him alone – for all of life, salvation and our eternal future – we have found a cosmic calling which testifies to His greatness and goodness to men and angels alike.

Now that, is a calling.

1 Cor. 7:15 “But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.”

God has called you to peace. What a statement to conclude thoughts on a topic where volatility, conflict and anything but peace tends to be the case: The tragic dissolution of a marriage between a Believer and an Unbeliever. And yet, in this most unlikely setting, the calling of Believers to be people of peace comes to the fore.

As we continue to look at this topic of knowing the Christian’s calling, those things ALL Christians are called to as a place of focus rather than trying to divine some individual calling, I am struck by this reference. But it is in keeping with the general tenor of the Christian life, repeated throughout the New Testament. The Gospel itself is the “good news of peace through Jesus Christ.” Peace with God in submission to His right to rule us and our abandoning our war against Him in continuing in unbelief and sin (Acts 10:36). Paul’s most common greeting in his letters begin with “grace and peace.” He calls the Christian life “the way of peace” (Rom. 3:17), and we are repeatedly admonished to pursue peace – especially among our Christian brothers and sisters. Indeed, the very fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace…(Gal. 5:22). In Romans 16:20 God is titled “The God of peace”, as His victory over Satan brings all things back into right relationship to Himself. To a state of peace.

And yet how many today, even among professing Believers do not seem to consider the conscious pursuit of peace part of their calling? Social media is lit up constantly by Christians agitated with life, the World and even one another. Displaying anything but “peace” as an abiding state or mind, let alone seeking peace.

Don’t get me wrong, we are not to BE at peace with our sins. In that sense, we are to be ever fighting the “good fight of faith.” We must contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. We must not compromise with truth or injustice. But if we are inwardly riled up all the time about all sorts of matters, in and outside of the Church, and especially if we find ourselves easily tolerating broken relationships among the saints because we are not actively seeking peace with other Believers – something is tragically wrong. We have abandoned our calling.

I am reminded of the admonition of

Romans 12:18

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Now that levies a great responsibility upon us. Do we take this call seriously? Do I consciously think, so far as it depends upon ME, I am to live peaceably with ALL? Or do I see that as a nice suggestion, while waiting for others to be at peace with me?

Brothers and sisters, this is our calling. To think carefully about how we must seek out peace, even as we avoid compromise with Biblical truth and practice. To rue division that is not absolutely necessary. To be willing to set aside some opinions and so-called rights, because peace in the Body of Christ is more important than making my point. And being the agent who tries to bring peace, even when true but conflicting convictions are in the cross-hairs – like those in

Romans 14

and other places.

We are called to lay down arms in our striving with God over who has the right of supremacy over our lives first and foremost. To be reconciled in peace to Him through Jesus Christ. And then, so seek out and promote peace with all those joined to Him in genuine faith. And to bring that heart of peace, that heart that lives at peace without internal agitation – to the World.

DO you know your calling, to peace?

1 Cor. 1:9 “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Called. We tend to think of one’s calling as some sense of their individual vocation. The Apostle Paul uses it that way in Rom. 1:1 when he says he was “called to be an apostle.” But then, elaborates on what he means by that in more general terms in his follow up statement: “set apart for the gospel of God.” While he was set and sent as an apostle, and you and I are not – whatever else such calling may imply, it means at least and foremost this: That the gospel of God was the priority in His life. And in that sense, each one who is in Christ has the weight of that calling as well. God has set us apart to hear and believe His gospel, and to build our lives around it. Believing it, living it and proclaiming it. All of God’s people are called, and set apart for the Gospel of God, irrespective of the theater in which that takes place.

It is interesting to note that nowhere in the New Testament is anyone ever said to be “called” to any more specific vocation. Yes, Scripture says that God has gifted His Church with evangelists, pastor/teachers, etc. But we do not read that anyone is to find out if they are “called” to those roles. Gifted for them? Sure. Qualified for them? You bet – following the Biblical mandates. Skilled in them? Each should seek to be if they are laboring in them. But, and I am well aware this goes against the grain of popular thought – but called to such an office as Paul was to be an apostle? I’m hard pressed to find that Scripturally. Logically, maybe. But Scripturally – not so much.

The above is not to utterly dismiss the reality the reality that for some there is a sense that they are serving in a capacity which resonates with their abilities and desires. Happily, this can often be so. But like Paul, the callings we need to fulfill, will be those do not require a specific context. He would be set apart for the Gospel (and his apostleship) whether writing letters, evangelizing his captors in jail, plating Churches, etc. He did not need a formalized office. Those gifted by God to teach His truth, will do it regardless of whether or not they hold that office in a local assembly. And there will always be those who shepherd the souls of God’s people whether they are employed in a recognized “Pastoral” role or not. Evangelists will evangelize. They will do so if they are ditch diggers, doctors or bus drivers.

The “calling” passages of the Bible are all far more general. They are universal callings to all who are in Christ by faith. So as we’ve already seen, no one is called to belong to Christ, to be a saint or serve His purpose any more – or any less – than every other Christian. So it is creating a separate category of saints as some traditions or denominations do – is essentially mythical. It has no basis in Scripture. We need to consider that mode of thinking a bit more carefully.

But here, let me mention one more calling every true believer has. And to be truthful it is staggering. 1 Cor. 1:9 has it: “called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Rather than me wasting ink, let Calvin give you something to think on in terms of the wonder of being called into this fellowship. Oh may we grasp it, and live in it fully:

“For this is the design of the gospel, that Christ may become ours, and that we may be ingrafted into his body. Now when the Father gives him to us in possession, he also communicates himself to us in him; and hence arises a participation in every benefit. Paul’s argument, then, is this—“Since you have, by means of the gospel which you have received by faith, been called into the fellowship of Christ, you have no reason to dread the danger of death, having been made partakers of him (Heb. 3:14) who rose a conqueror over death.” In fine, when the Christian looks to himself he finds only occasion for trembling, or rather for despair; but having been called into the fellowship of Christ, he ought, in so far as assurance of salvation is concerned, to think of himself no otherwise than as a member of Christ, so as to reckon all Christ’s benefits his own. Thus he will obtain an unwavering hope of final perseverance, (as it is called,) if he reckons himself a member of him who is beyond all hazard of falling away.”

Hallelujah!

Calvin, John, and John Pringle. Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. Logos Bible Software, 2010, pp. 60–61.

We are taking a quick survey of what Scripture says about the Christian’s “calling.” And so far we’ve seen in Romans 1:6 that every Believer is called to “belong to Christ.” To understand ourselves as belonging to Him as His possession. That we are not our own. Then we saw in Romans 1:7 that we are each called to be “saints.” Holy ones. Set apart in an exclusive way to Him. And meant to become bearers of His own holy nature and character.

These are high things indeed. And if they were all Scripture had to say on the topic, they would be more than enough to occupy us fully in living out life in the light of them. But there is more. Much, much more. And so we read further in Romans 8:28 those amazing and familiar words: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Now it seems to me that we tend to focus on the first part of this verse – but not so much on the second. We all want to know that in the ups, downs, challenges and experiences of life – “all things work together for the good.” However, we tend to modify even this to read more like: “No matter what, everything will be OK.” It becomes a sort of universal maxim of Christian Karma. I recently read a book which is gaining much popularity, and in its closing chapter on the resurrection, the author utterly ignored Jesus’ teaching on the resurrection that some will be resurrected to life, and others to judgment. In closing he quotes Julian of Norwich: “all will be well…and every manner of being will be well.” “Everything, including our own lives, eventually will end sunny-side up.” This, he says to all without qualification. And done in this way, it is a lie. It makes a lie out of Romans 8:28. For all things working for the good, is true as God defines our good, and only for those “called according to His purpose.”

So of the utmost importance here is for Believers to grasp that we are called to be living out and serving God’s purpose. He is not our cosmic agent in helping us carry out OUR purposes. Which then begs the question – just exactly what purpose is it we have been called to, so that in so doing, we might know for certain all things in life work for our good in obtaining it?

What is it God is doing in all of creation and all of life as respects us? Peter captures it in all of its wondrous glory: 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” That in being His image-bearers, we might manifest and make known His glorious, infinite excellencies. And this, cosmically. Even as Paul expands on it in Eph. 3: “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.”

This beloved, is THE purpose we are called to: To be revelatory agents of God’s glory – even to the vast angelic hosts.

And why would God be so invested in making His glorious excellencies known? Because the very highest blessing He can bestow on any creature, is Himself – as the very fountain and sum of all goodness. All of creation is the overflow of His unimaginable triune love spilling out on objects of that love. And we then, even in light of The Fall, are conscripted to call all of humanity to come into right relationship to Him through the atoning work of Christ – that they too might be restored to that purpose. To preach the Gospel of reconciliation in Christ.

And so John writes: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” (1 John 1:1-4, emphasis mine)

Called to belong to Christ Jesus. Called to be saints bearing His own holiness. Called to His eternal purpose in Christ.

Tell me Christian – do you know your calling from God’s perspective? Or are you still trying to invent or discover some hidden thing which revolves around you, rather than orbits – The Son?