GOODNEWSLETTER
NUMBER 437 OCTOBER 17, 2012
KNOWING THE CALLING OF GOD
Ephesians 1:18.
“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe..” Ephesians 1:18.
The KNOWLEDGE of God’ calling is amazing. Of course, He calls us by His grace; which, in Paul’s writing to Timothy is abundantly clear. “Who (God) 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” (2 Tim 1:9). In the beginning, God placed His elbow on the window of time and saw the end. He knows everything! God, therefore, calls us OUT OF THE WORLD to honor His Holy Name.
It is easy to understand why Paul regarded God’s calling as exciting and personal. His Damascus road experience was God’s wonderful work in Paul’s life. Used of God mightily, Paul writes to the Philippians that he works hard on inheriting. He “presses toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (3:14).
The word “CALLING” is the English word that comes from “κλήση” in the Greek language. Placing “εκ” in front of “CALLING” gives us the Greek word for CHURCH in the New Testament. Here, it is easy to make doctrinal decisions. In fact, Liddell & Scott’s Greek/English Lexicon, says “εκ” is a vowel that speaks ‘from out of a place.’ Thus, it is not hard to see that God’s calling is to be fulfilled in the body of His Son, the church. As His people, we are to follow the Pastors and teachers who yell at us. They are concerned that we observe every church principle and, thereby, serve in truth and doctrine.
Then, to the Thessalonians, Paul says them that he PRAYS for everyone in the “CALL” to understand the importance of the “CALL.” “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith and power” (1:11). So, it’s not the Pastor of the church that constantly nags you about coming to church and honoring God. No, indeed! He has support of the Bible message. In fact, Peter joins with Paul and writes about the CALL. “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: for if you do these things, ye shall never fall:” (2Pet. 1:10). In Peter’s next verse, he shows clearly that there is a difference between being saved from HELL and, entering the KINGDOM OF GOD. “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly in the the EVERLASTING KINGDOM of our LORD and SAVIOR Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:11).
Get your concordance out and check these verses. Go to CALLING and read it for yourself. You’ll be blessed by understanding that God’s CALLING doesn’t stop when we were saved. There is the kingdom of God to inherit. This IS the calling from God and, certainly, only by grace through His Son, Jesus Christ.