What are Christians called to? Are we called to be holy, set apart by God? Is that what the word saint means? Are all Christians saints?
To all who are in Rome, loved by God, called as saints. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7 HCSB)
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's: (1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV)
Is it a permanent calling?
For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. (Romans 11:29 NLT)
Is it wrong to talk to saints who have died? Are they awake or asleep until the resurrection? What does Jesus’ transfiguration teach us?
And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. (Matthew 17:2-3 NASB)
Was this a vision of future resurrected saints looking back in history or did they speak of events still in their future?
And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:30-31 ESV)
Are deceased saints really aware of events here on earth?
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:9-10 NIV)
Are we also called into fellowship with Jesus?
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV)
Should we be vain and arrogant about our calling, or humble? Are mostly foolish and weak people without much influence called? Is that designed by God to put the wise and strong of this world to shame?
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NIV)
Did God call the righteous or sinners?
Go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.’ I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners. (Matthew 9:13 CEV)
Is our calling holy, not according to our works, but because of God’s plan and grace?
… God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity (2 Timothy 1:8-9 NASB)
Must we make an effort to confirm our calling?
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble (2 Peter 1:10 NKJV)
When Matthew was called, did he choose to follow Jesus?
As Jesus continued on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at a kiosk for collecting taxes. He said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9 CEB)
What was a rich young man’s choice, when Jesus called him to be a follower? What did Jesus say to him?
Jesus replied, “If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was very rich. (Matthew 19:21-22 CEV)
Do some respond to the call, but are not chosen? In the parable of the wedding feast, we see a man who was not properly clothed, and therefore kicked out of the royal wedding celebrations.
But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place.’ (Matthew 22:11-13 NASB)
Did the guest at the wedding figuratively not put on the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Holy Spirit? How many are like this, called but not chosen?
For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14 NKJV)
Can we rely on mere human righteousness?
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6 KJV)
Why are many called but not chosen? Does the parable of the bags of gold or talents teach us that our calling entails responsibility? What happened to the lazy servant?
‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:28-29 NIV)
How did Paul view his personal responsibility towards his calling?
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:14 NLT)
To what kind of life have we been called?
God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure. (1 Thessalonians 4:7 CEV)
but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior (1 Peter 1:15 WEB)
Will we respond to our calling like Matthew, or walk away like the rich young man? Are we diligent or lazy in our calling? Have we put on Christ or are we self-satisfied with our own righteousness which is like filthy rags? You decide!
