Called of God

The Hebrew writer records “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus,” note that in this text that christians are identified as holy brethren, they have received a heavenly calling (divine calling), Jesus Christ is said to be the Apostle and High Priest of our profession (confession).

The heavenly calling of which he speaks does not come in some miraculous way, it comes through the gospel.  Paul in writing to the Thessalonian brethren said “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 2:13-14).  In 2 Tim. 1:9 Paul instructed Timothy “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, not of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 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,” 2 Tim. 1:8-9.  Regarding this calling several things can be noted: 1. It was a call to salvation, 2. It was a holy calling, 3. It was not in view of our works, 4. It was according to God’s own purpose and grace, 5. It was a call purposed in Christ Jesus before the world began.  Another consideration of this call is found in Paul’s statement to the Philippians in chapter three verse fourteen “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:13-14.  Paul here identifies the call as a high call to the obtaining of a prize that is worth striving for.

As Christians we have received a divine call through the gospel, a call that we must not take lightly.  To what have we been called?  Perhaps if we understood to what we have been called it would instill within us more respect, gratitude, conviction and drive to serve faithfully the one who saved us by His grace.  Let us list some things to which we have been called.

We have been called to salvation Acts 2:38-39 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

We have been called to be saints “Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 1:6 saints ” (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated): – (most) holy (one, thing), saint.”

We have been called to be children of God “And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God” Rom 9:26 also compare Gal. 3:26-27.

Bill Cantrell