ResponsiveReiding

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?

As we saw yesterday, the first calling of the Christian – that which takes precedence over every other concept we might have concerning ourselves – is that we embrace what it means to belong to Christ as His own possession. Scripture will use various terminology to tease that idea out: Children (as belonging to their parents); servants, as belonging to their Master; creatures as belonging to their Creator; the Bride of Christ as belonging to Him in committed (spiritually) monogamous intimacy, and others. But belonging to Him first and foremost – and that, so as to be given to His plans and purposes.

If we were tease out the Bride of Christ motif just a bit, we could take it back to the original nature of Eve’s creation. She was made to be Adam’s “help meet.” One perfectly suited to come along side in his carrying out the mandates God had given to him. Serving together as one. So the Church. Uniquely crafted and given to Christ that we might come along side Him in His cosmic labors for the Father. But how often we are more intrigued by our own ministry – rather than seeing ourselves as vitally involved in His.

Today brings us to the second facet of the Christian’s calling – and one we’ve explored before so I’ll not expound on it much here. It is found in Romans 1:7 where Paul opens his letter with these words: “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.”

“Called to be saints.” Holy ones. Set apart ones. Those who have a divine mandate to search out, and live out, the very character of God Himself. Called to be saints.

What a true tragedy it is when people do not see the calling to holiness as primary to any other calling they may truly have, or imagine. It is part and parcel of belonging to Christ. It is why 1 Peter 1:14-16 reads: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” We are to be holy because the One to whom we belong is holy. And because we are to “strive…for the holiness without which, no man shall see God.” (Heb. 12:14)

This does not mean we produce holiness out of ourselves. It means rather that being brought into right relationship with Christ in the new birth and justification, we find that the remnants of indwelling sin must be striven against by the power of the Spirit – every step of the way to glory. We strive to enter fully into what He has already given by grace, the way the Israelites were to strive to conquer the Canaan God had already given them. But strive we do. As J.C. Ryle said so well: “True holiness, we surely ought to remember, does not consist merely of inward sensations and impressions. It is much more than tears, and sighs, and bodily excitement, and a quickened pulse, and a passionate feeling of attachment to our own favourite preachers and our own religious party, and a readiness to quarrel with every one who does not agree with us. It is something of “the image of Christ,” which can be seen and observed by others in our private life, and habits, and character, and doings.” And that, not without something of our intentionality harmonizing with where God is bringing us.

Once again, Ryle writes: “The saddest symptom about many so-called Christians, is the utter absence of anything like conflict and fight in their Christianity. They eat, they drink, they dress, they work, they amuse themselves, they get money, they spend money, they go through a scanty round of formal religious services once or twice every week. But of the great spiritual warfare,—its watchings and strugglings, its agonies and anxieties, its battles and contests,—of all this they appear to know nothing at all. Let us take care that this case is not our own. The worst state of soul is “when the strong man armed keepeth the house, and his goods are at peace,”—when he leads men and women “captive at his will,” and they make no resistance. The worst chains are those which are neither felt nor seen by the prisoner. (Luke 11:21; 2 Tim. 2:26.)”

The history of the Church is strewn with the wreckage of gifted men and women who thought holiness was optional, or that at the least, it took a back seat to the exercise of their gifts. How many gifted men in ministry have excelled there for a time, while their sinful, hidden lives were protected by those who thought the “ministry” was more important than the communication of Christ’s holiness? That somehow their individual ministry was more important than the reputation and ministry of Christ Himself! Think only in terms of our own generation and the litany of names of both national and international prominence in Evangelicalism which have scandalized the cause of Christ. And in every case, because striving after the holiness of God wasn’t a primary calling – something else was.

Beloved, give no thought to some individual calling, until you have wrestled with and obeyed the first calling of belonging wholly to Christ as His to use when, where and how He providentially sees fit and provides; and of pursuing the holiness He delivered you from sin to live freely in.

It has been my experience, that when the question of “calling” is raised, it is virtually always attached to the idea of some personal, special destiny or pursuit. Someone feels “called” to be a lawyer, a doctor, a homeschooling Mom, a prayer warrior, a musician, poet, worship leader, artist, encourager, writer, businessman, influencer etc. You name it. And people are encouraged to find their calling. To settle on who or what it is they are to be about in this world. What they are meant to be. Because God has some secret personal mission each of us is responsible to divine. With the unspoken implication that if you are just a worker (name the industry), just an ordinary Joe or Jane with no sense of a cosmic appointment, somehow, you are not fulfilling your REAL – calling. You are living below your spiritual privilege and even responsibility. After all – we are ALL special – aren’t we? No one is ever meant to be “ordinary.” Heaven forbid.

Additionally, calling is the typical language of ministry. Many a seminary for instance requires their applicants to express some sense of their “calling” to ministry before admission. And almost all of those who I know personally in ministry (be it pastoral or any other branch) will use that language as well – they believe (most often, they feel) they are called to it. Don’t get me wrong, there is certainly a reality behind knowing whether or not one has the gifts, inclinations and character that ought to properly accompany the one who ventures upon the ministry of the Word, especially in the pastoral setting. And I have no doubt some very much do believe they are called to serve the Body of Christ in this way. But in a day and age where the rule of thumb seems to be if anything CAN be done, then it SHOULD be done (think: abortion, transexualism, genetic research and experimentation, etc.) many are those who simply have charismatic personalities, the gift of gab and the desire to have an audience – who take that as a calling to preach, teach and occupy places of authority in the Church.

Shuffling all of that aside, I wonder if we have simply gone through Scripture to get a real handle on what the Christian is unambiguously called to? If you are a Christian, you ARE indeed, called. A calling which requires no subjective feeling to verify; that does not make you stand out among your peers; and does not define you over and against any others in the Body of Christ. A calling, which if pursued, brings us face to face with things much, MUCH higher than concentrating on self. To a place of freedom in self-forgetfulness, because of the glory and wonder of it.

So, the first passage I would bring to your attention, one we’ve dwelt on before but bears repeating – is that found in Romans 1:6: “you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”

Now let that sink in beloved. The first calling of every Christian, is to live mindful that they no longer belong to themselves, but that we belong to Christ, are the property of Him, and are the blood-bought trophies of – God’s grace. We do not belong to ourselves. We do not get to tell Him how we will serve. We were purchased that we might serve Christ’s interests, not He ours. This is our first calling. Our high, glorious, unimaginable calling. Just to be His, before we are anything else. Surrendered to Him. Seeking Him. Walking with Him. And if we are not settled in this, anything else we may think of as a calling in life, is irrelevant. Meaningless. No matter how amazing it might seem to us.

I know it is not politically correct in our day to imagine anyone as actually being someone’s property – but it is the Biblical concept of the Redeemed. Redeemed from slavery to sin and death, back to being the image-bearers of the Living God. Back to being at His beck and call, at His disposal 24/7/365. Back to our original purpose – in carrying out His plans and purposes.

So let me ask you – have you attended to this aspect of your calling yet? Have you simply yielded to not being your own, but His? That as His agent and representative, you are to order your life around the plans and purposes He has revealed in His Word? Setting aside your personal preferences, ambitions and goals, simply to be at His disposal? Don’t worry about what you FEEL called to, until you have started here: You are called to belong to Jesus Christ. The theater(s) in which you live this out, are not even secondary – they are WAY down the line.

That, will take a ton of pressure off of some of you. It may be frustrating to others, or even disappointing – because you have imagined your sense of calling to be far more tasty to your sense of self. But it is your first and highest calling. And in time, it will prove the single most important thing you can arrive it this life.

Reading through the book of Judges is harrowing by any account. One wonders how Israel could get so confused and disordered so fast. Indeed, the various records show such violence, debauchery, twisted thinking and abandonment of the principles contained in the Mosaic covenant under which they lived – as to boggle the mind. By the time you get to chapter 18 you read: “And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. So they set up Micah’s carved image that he made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.” Moses’ grandson is carrying out the priesthood accommodating carved images. Imagine.

The reason behind this is not hard to dig out however. It’s spelled out in the closing verses of Joshua: “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel.” When people have no personal experience with God, no matter how clear and wise the laws which are supposed to govern them may be, they inevitably fall into the condition the author of Judges notes: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” We become a law unto ourselves – according to our own wants, desires, opinions and fallen wisdom.

So all that you read in Judges goes on in one tragic story after another. And you come away wondering – even given all of God’s chastening efforts – why didn’t He just wipe them out? Why not bring justice with its full force upon them long before the following centuries of continued disobedience and sinfulness?

The answer to that isn’t hard to dig out either: It is “the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience” with the aim that “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.”

Oh the unimaginable patience of God in the way He deals with His people and their sins. With you and me. If it were not so, who of us would last a moment? And how that patience has continued for millennia as the Gospel is given continued, undeserved room to gather in more and more souls – even as the Spirit is given more and more room to continually fit Believers better for Heaven.

What a patient, kind, and gracious God He is. How He delays His justice. Not a justice which will at all in the end be denied. But a justice painted upon the blindingly glorious backdrop of grace.

Failing, weary Believer – rejoice in it.

Hesitating, rebellious sinner – rejoice that even as you read this, such patience has kept you alive one more day to hear and obey the Gospel and come to Christ. But do not doubt it, though His justice is delayed, it will not be denied. Now is the day of grace.

I beg you, don’t let it pass you by.

Those now famous words were uttered by Marlon Brando’s character Terry Malloy in the 1954 classic film – “On The Waterfront.” It is the plaintiff cry of a man who woefully missed what he thought was his mark in life. But the second phrase is really revealing: “I could’ve been somebody.” My point? Sadly, many today in the Church – even if they won’t admit it to themselves, imagine they could be “somebody” too, if they could be “contenders.”

Now there is clearly a powerful exhortation in Jude about the need, indeed the urgent need (both then and now) for Believers to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” One of the highest responsibilities of the Church is to be a guardian of the truth of God’s Word as given to us. It is a never-ending battle which admits of no respite. And every generation of Believers must be about it in their day and context.

Sadly though, there seems to be some confusion in our day between earnestly contending for the Faith, and being contentious about the faith – as well as contentious about other things. (Can you spell P-O-L- I-T-I-C-S?) It is as though being contentious in itself is somehow inherently virtuous. It isn’t. We forget that firmness is not the same as harshness. That correction is meant to be in gentleness, which at the same time does not yield to compromise. That the truth of the Gospel is never to be communicated through clenched teeth. That there are no prickly pears listed among the fruit of the Spirit. Uncompromised truth does not require irascibility. Jesus never had to yell at those he boldly opposed.

I was reminded by a friend this this week of a quote I had read (and forgotten) by John Newton in a letter to a friend about handling controversies. While Newton encourages him to contend for truth, he also gives this very insightful and balanced consideration:

“It seems a laudable service to defend the faith once delivered to the saints; we are commanded to contend earnestly for it, and to convince gain-savers. If ever such defences were seasonable and expedient, they appear to be so in our day, when errors abound on all sides, and every truth of the Gospel is either directly denied, or grossly misrepresented. And yet we find but very few writers of controversy who have not been manifestly hurt by it. Either they grow in a sense of their own importance, or imbibe an angry contentious spirit, or they insensibly withdraw their attention from those things which are the food and immediate support of the life of faith, and spend their time and strength upon matters which at most are but of a secondary value. This shews, that, if the service is honourable, it is dangerous. What will it profit a man if he gains his cause, and silences his adversary, if at the same time he loses that humble, tender frame of spirit in which the Lord delights, and to which the promise of his presence is made!”

The point is clear, and necessary – the cause of Christ, must be conducted in the Spirit of Christ. Oh, may we not lose “that humble, tender frame of spirit in which the Lord delights” as we wade into the necessary contentions of our day.

None of us should ever think that we “could’ve been somebody”, if only we had really been “contenders”, punchers in the ring.

Tragically, in our day – some have built their ministries on this aberrance.

The original opening to Reinhold Neibuhr’s “Serenity Prayer” (made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous) reads: “God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.”

It isn’t Scripture, but it is wise. And it crystallizes a Biblical principle highlighted in Joshua chapters 18 and 19. They might seem pretty perfunctory in the surface, but there is something important here we don’t want to miss: How precise God is in assigning the boundaries of His people.

This principle is reiterated later by the Apostle Paul in Athens. In Paul’s address on Mars Hill in Acts 17 we read: “From one man he made every nation of the human race to inhabit the entire earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” And if that is true for every human being – then how much more for His own, blood-bought ones?

Did you catch the idea? How it is that God has set certain fixed limits for all of us – with the intent that our very limitations would maximize our seeking after Him. And when it comes to those who are God’s people in Christ – the precision of those limitations is startling. And sometimes, we don’t like them.

So it is in Joshua, God set out specific boundaries for each tribe. They were to work, live and grow within those proscribed limits – as given to them by God as an inheritance. Not as a punishment. Not as a hindrance to their personal dreams, aspirations or desires. But as a gift from His hand. And I would argue that for the Believer, our Heavenly, loving, all-wise Father has been no less careful and gracious in setting our limits in life as a blessing, than He was with Israel’s tribal land grants.

So what kinds of divinely set limitations might we experience? Parentage. Physical abilities or dis-abilities. Challenges. The particular sins we battle. The people He surrounds us with. The circumstances in which we find ourselves – be they pleasant or not. The question is, will we see them all as from His hand, and respond to them as such, serenely receiving what we cannot or should not change, while courageously tackling what we can and should, as we look to Him both for the wisdom to know the difference, and the empowerment to do what is necessary?

We get an interesting example of this in chapter 14 where Ephraim and Manasseh complained to Joshua that they didn’t have enough room. In truth, they did, but they were unhappy that their allotment included a rough hill territory with some particularly fierce Canaanites to face. They wanted different land, not one that was going to be so hard to settle. But the answer was – no – God has given you what it takes, now go possess it. That was not to make light of the true dangers and battles they were going to have to face. The dangers and difficulties were real. But in God Providence, these were the difficulties He had assigned them. And He intended blessing in it, even if they could not (or would not) see it. They simply wanted something else. Something more pleasing. Less challenging. Something that wouldn’t require them to rise to an occasion they did not savor.

How many times I have been in that very place in life. And how many times I have spent more time complaining to God, and straining against the limits rather than seeing His hand – accepting what lines He has drawn, and responding to them in faith. Changing what I can and should, and yielding to His sovereignty in what I can’t. And looking more to Him in both. Convinced of His love, wisdom, promised provision and attendance to my needs.

Maybe you are not in the circumstances you would prefer today Christian. God has set before you some heartbreaking challenges. Painful, frustrating and draining things you have no power to alter for the better. Know for certain He intends your good in it. Draw closer to Him. And look to Him for His resources. Ask for wisdom and courage to act righteously in regard to the things where you might be able to make good change. But in it all, know that He has set the boundaries, and that He can be trusted. That He has your soul’s best interest at heart. Do not fear that somehow He has done you wrong, even if people have. That is the oldest and vilest of the Enemy’s lies. Rest assured, every hill, valley, mountain, forest, wasteland, coastland, and oasis has been carefully scrutinized and assigned, that you might seek Him – and in Him, find your true heart’s content.

Let me let one cat out of my overcrowded cat-bag first. As an Historical Premillennialist (not Dispensational) I do believe the Bible teaches that there will be a tremendous ingathering of the Jews to faith in Christ before Jesus’ return – if not in some way concurrent with it. Preaching through Romans convinced me God has something yet in store for His original “chosen people” – and that, in conjunction with masses of ethnic Jews coming to saving faith in Christ. Even some Amillennialists like Eric Alexander and others would argue that as well.

That said and out of the way, my question as stated in the title remains: Was Israel’s establishment of statehood in 1948 significant – in terms of being some sort of fulfilled prophecy?

So on to cat #2 – I don’t think so. Despite the tsunami in recent years of Biblical-Prophecy mavens to the contrary. In reading Deuteronomy afresh this week, I was struck by God’s address the to the Israelites in the closing chapters – and a specific condition He speaks to – in terms of defining an eschatologically significant return of the Jews to the Promised Land. If indeed one is to be had at all.

To put it mildly, a LOT gets said to Israel in Deuteronomy’s recapitulation of God’s instructions for His people once they enter and settle Canaan. And there is a powerfully pervasive atmosphere of warning throughout. The warning centers on fidelity to singular devotion to God. When that is abandoned, disaster is inevitable in judgment. Lack of fidelity to the Lord will result in their being prey to their enemies.

But what caught my eye recently, is the very specific statements in Chap. 30. On the heels of 3 massively conditional “if”s in 28, and the revelation that they still have a “heart” problem in 29:4 (But to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear.), is the promise of forgiveness and restoration in Ch. 30. But it is a conditional restoration. It runs like this…

“When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you. Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you. He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he has scattered you. Even if your exiles are in the most distant land, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. Then he will bring you to the land your ancestors possessed and you also will possess it; he will do better for you and multiply you more than he did your ancestors. The Lord your God will also cleanse your heart, and the hearts of your descendants so that you may love him with all your mind and being and so that you may live. Then the Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies, on those who hate you and persecute you. You will return and obey the Lord, keeping all his commandments I am giving you today. The Lord your God will make the labor of your hands abundantly successful and multiply your children, the offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your soil. For the Lord your God will once more rejoice over you to make you prosperous just as he rejoiced over your ancestors, if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this scroll of the law. But you must turn to him with your whole mind and being.“

My point is this: The return to the land which has eschatological significance (as best as I can see in this text) is one predicated upon the people en mass turning to the Lord with their “whole mind and being.” As the portion closes: “But you must turn to Him with your whole mind and being.” (Emphases here and above, mine)

Now unless someone can point me to something which indicates this whole-heartedness after God was the case with the re-creation of the State in 1948, and the flow of ethnic Jews back into the land, I cannot see how that event is the fulfillment of what we have here. And thus I think it lacks any true eschatological importance. For all intents and purposes, Israel is in fact a secular state not one born out of national repentance. Now that IS something I hope and pray to see. I believe it IS in God’s prophetic plan. But I do not believe we can safely establish that such is the case given the current circumstances. And thus I think the current view of many in the way they are responding to Israel – as though this is the case – is in error.

Will Israel be gathered in in due time? I firmly believe the Bible says it is so. Is the current State of Israel that ingathering? I don’t believe so. And to look for all sorts of end-times signs around Israel’s 1948 establishment, especially as a means of determining where we are in God’s prophetic timetable is probably a pretty large error.

Nevertheless – let us all continue to pray and work for the conversion of these dear folk in our generation.

Now, let the arguing begin!