Many are called to do great things for God, but few are chosen to carry out the call. To walk in the call of God we must come to our Lord and put on the garment of holiness without which none can see the Lord. Holiness is purity towards God, and righteousness and integrity towards others. Our choices made in this world in which we live decides if we are chosen for the call. Mt. 22:14. While on the path of the call many make choices that will detour them from the Great Commission.
The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:18-20. “ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” In the Great Commission Jesus tells believers to go, teach, baptize, forgive and make disciples.
Our choices will determine if we will fulfill the Great Commission in our lives. Many times choices are made by emotions, lusts, or desires instead of wisdom that comes from the Word of God, the Bible. Choices that are made from the Word of God will lead into good fruit in our lives. Gal 5:22-25. The Bible is full of people who made wise choices and wrong choices.
Daniel and his companions, who were captured and taken to Babylonia made the choice to follow God at all costs and not to participate in anything that took them away from their godly habit patterns. Daniel and his friends refused to eat the King’s rich food and only desired to eat vegetables. Though the guard feared at letting them do that God honored their choice and they were allowed that privilege for ten days of testing. The Bible states “ And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.” Da 1:8. God blessed them for their choice. The Bible says, “And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.” Da 1:20. This was only the beginning choice for Daniel and his friends in their confinement, but it was the choice that set them on the path that led them to fulfill the call on their lives.
John, the beloved, well aged, was still called upon to make godly choices that held hard ramifications for his life. He had served God well and he was into his 90’s. John was still the head elder in the Ephesus church when for his faith he was exiled to the prison island of Patmos. Re 1:9. He didn’t whine, but held his faith during his imprisonment. He was given special visions on that island wrote the book of Revelation while he was on Patmos. He came out of that situation in his mid 90’s and took back up his same position in Ephesus. John had made a life long choice to faithfully follow Jesus Christ and he completed the call.
Many times people have made ungodly choices in their impatience of waiting on the Lord. It takes trust in God to wait on Him and not run ahead. This is what God requires of His called and chosen people.
King Saul, truly chosen by God to be King over Israel, anointed by Samuel, the prophet made a poor choice to leave the path of trusting God. God’s Word was clear about consulting with a witch in Deuteronomy 18:10-12. “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” Saul in his impatience of waiting on God while facing a battle chose to consult with a witch and it cost him his call as King of Israel. I Sam 28:4-7.
Choices are often made out of lustful desires that bring havoc into lives of those we love. Samson, the famous judge over Israel, made his choice to walk away from the call by choosing out of his lust a ungodly woman for his wife. Jg 14:3. After she was killed for bringing trouble on her people he went after the harlot Deliah that ended his being a judge for Israel. Jg 16:1. It cost him the call of being judge, his eyes, his life and brought many problems to Israel. Jg 16:21. Samson repented and mercifully God used Samson once more in his death. Jg 16:30.
One young man was truly called to do great things for God. He had walked faithfully and passionately with Jesus for many years when he met a young woman in church. She had given her heart to Christ, but clearly remained smitten with areas of the world. As we were praying one morning I saw a vision of this young man and that women. I saw him with his eyes towards the center of the cross. Then I saw his eyes and head turn towards the young woman. She got up and walked out of the aisle to leave the church and he followed. I shared what I saw with him, but he made the choice to marry that young woman. What I saw in that vision is exactly what happened in his life.
There is a difference between the called (klêtoi) and the chosen (eklektoi) called out from the called. Among the multitude of those that are called by the gospel unto holiness and obedience, very few obey that call. The way of the call of God is narrow, as opposite as the way that leads to destruction is wide. Mt 7:13,14. In this portion of Scripture in Matthew our Savior makes the distinction between the public and private roads. The public roads in Jerusalem were allowed to be sixteen cubits broad, the private ways only four. Each city had gates with roads or paths. We enter into the kingdom of heaven through the strait gate that declares no one comes to the Father, but through Jesus Christ. Joh 14:6. After we enter the gate leading to eternal life by accepting Jesus Christ into our hearts we have a choice of following the narrow path of holiness or the wide road of self- indulgence and lukewarmness.
The narrow path is steep, filled with self sacrifice and cost with every step. It is a path with many perils whereas the wide road is easier, but filled with many more obstacles that obstruct the call. The devil looks for every opportunity to ensnare Christians and he uses people. Mt 19:3; Mt 19:7. Although there are many believers, few on the wide road actually fulfill the call of God on their lives and complete their mission on earth.
Jesus holds out to us the way to eternal life. Once you have entered the Way your eyes are opened to see the Kingdom of God. Joh 3:3. His footsteps are still fresh in the written Word of God, the Bible. All we have to do is follow. That is much easier said than done. The spirit is usually willing, but the flesh is weak. The Bible tells us to pray that we may not enter into temptation. Mt 26:41. The Bible says that we must strive for the narrow path. Lu 13:24. We must leave behind our sins, lusts, worldliness and worldly pleasures for we cannot carry them on the narrow path. We should be serious and earnest about the business of overcoming our sins. Instead currently we find many within the believers who laugh at sins and make light of them. In today’s world there are few that actually read their Bible and know what sin is.
Following Christ means we must swim against the stream of the world. Men search and pervert the Bible for excuses to indulge in their sins and throw Christians off of their beliefs. Christians today are exposed to many dangers for the time is short and the devil is working overtime.
The world is fun, but the end is spiritual death for those who fall into the temptations it contains. Evil habits must be put off, old friends who walk in sin need to be left along the road. We must lift up the name of Jesus and deny ourselves worldly pleasures that even the churches are saying we deserve. The character of Christ is our wedding garment and all the chosen must wear it. “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Eph 4:22-24. True holiness is a changed nature. Holiness comes from the sincere following of “the truth of God”. (Ro 1:25; 3:7; 15:8). It opposes the lusts of the flesh. Daily we must chose to put on Christ as our garment and to stay covered as we face temptations. Ga 3:27. The way of the cross is to crucify the flesh with its affections, appetites and desires. Gal 5:24.
Every man chooses a way. What way will you choose? Will you choose to follow Jesus all the days of your life to the fullest? I pray so.