R.H. Hitchcock
Sugar Land, Texas
God's Calling
Eph 1:18-19
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
God would want all of His people, His sons and daughters, to KNOW some things. He wants our understanding enlightened about some important subjects. Here in the great book of Ephesians, God would first want us to know what is the hope of our CALLING. What's is the believer's CALLING?
What is there to know about it from the Word of God? Perhaps a good place to start is to consider what our CALLING is not.
1 Cor 1:26-31
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 nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
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.
Well, we know our calling is NOT a calling of being wise after the flesh. We could attend every top notch university and obtain a great deal of worldly wisdom, but that would not suffice our calling. What else? Next we know that our calling is NOT a calling of physical might. Why yes, there are many mighty men of strength ( I know because they are paid millions and millions of dollars to shoot, kick or carry various size balls into various size cups, hoops and nets or knock them with various implements over walls for home runs or into little cups in the grass for birdies.) That's entertainment, but that's not the believer's calling. The believer's calling is also NOT being born into a well off family- that's nobility. The silver spoon calling is NOT the calling of the believers.
Please notice that the passage says "NOT many." It doesn't say "NOT any." Nothing inherently wrong with wisdom, might or nobility except that it often times gets in the way of believing God's Word and THEN it would become a problem!
Have a look at this:
Jer 9:23, 24
23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
There are all three of the "NOTS": wisdom, might and riches. Believe it or not, those are not the main ingredients to a successful life. A successful life is for someone to knows and understand GOD! It is one who knows God's lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness. It is one who knows what is the hope of His calling! Wisdom, or might, or riches may all have their place in life, but they are not the goal to which the believer aspires. Our goal is to know the hope of our calling in Christ Jesus as sons of God.
Eph 4:1-6
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation [calling] wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
God wants us first to KNOW what is the hope of our calling. What our calling is all about. What our calling is NOT about, too. Then God would have us to WALK in the calling. The word "vocation" is the same word in Greek as "calling." We are to walk worthy of our calling. This calling of God includes such qualities as lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and love. It includes putting forth a diligent effort to keep the unity of the spirit. Anyone see the wisdom of the world mentioned here? Anyone see pumping up with iron or a stock portfolio set forth? No, the true riches of life are spiritual and the believers' calling in Christ is far superior to all that the world has to offer. The believer's calling is a more than abundant life now, and eternal life in the future.
Matt 16:26
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
An individual could have it all: noble birth, wisdom and might, but end up without eternal life, which of course in the long run is much, much more important than anything one might accumulate on earth!
2 Tim 1:7-9
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9 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,
The calling of God is a holy calling. It certainly isn't a calling of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. It is very apparent also that the calling of God is not according to an individual's works. It's not their wisdom, or their might or their riches either. No, the calling of God is NOT according to a person's works, but rather according to God's own purpose and Grace. It was God's purpose to redeem man in Christ. It was God's purpose to give the believer righteousness and sanctification and redemption. It was God's purpose to call us according to HIS GRACE, and not our works. Now that IS a wonderful, wonderful calling.
Phil 3:14
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The calling of God is not just here on earth. There is a day and time of the future in which Christ will descend from the heavens with a shout! The church will be gathered together unto him. That future point in time is the mark, the "bulls eye" to which we direct ourselves. It is a high calling, an upward calling in Christ Jesus. We press towards that mark, the fixed point, of our calling in Christ as sons of God with eternal life.
Col 1:26-29
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
The calling of God in this our day and time is the calling to the administration of the Mystery. The Church is now ONE BODY, with each individual a member of that BODY. The riches of the glory of that Mystery is that every believer has Christ in them! WOW~ now that's a calling! Christ in you, the hope of glory! God would have every man knowledgeable of the Mystery. God would have us to know who and what we are in Christ. Our calling is a superior calling because it is a calling to the finished work of God in Christ, the completed redemption of man.
God wants every believer to KNOW what is the hope of His calling. God wants us to know that our calling is not an earthly calling of wisdom, might or riches, but an heavenly calling to His family and eternal life. What a great, big, wonderful God!I