The High Calling of God
By Dr. Betty R. Price
What is the call of God on the Christian’s life?
Galatians 3:26 says:
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Once you become born-again you are called into the family of God, and you are
called to be a child or a son (daughter) of God.
First John 3:3 says:
And everyone who has this hope in Him, purifies himself, just as He is pure.
The word pure defines a person or thing as being “clean, modest, pure,
undefiled, morally spotless and without blemish.” If we are the children of
God, then we are to be like God. We are to be pure in our actions and our
deeds, so that when people see us, they know that there is something different
about us.
First Peter 2:9 tells us:
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own
special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of
darkness into His marvelous light;
There are so many people asking themselves what their purpose is in life. Well,
the main purpose for Believers is to know that they have been called out of
darkness into sonship with Almighty God. Once you understand that fact, then
you need to find out your own specific purpose in life by the things that you
are qualified or gifted to do. Some people want to do so much more than what
they are qualified to do. For example, some people may think, “I should be a
minister.” Or, “I should be doing this or doing that.” They sit around watching
others and wanting to do what the others are doing rather than using the gifts
and talents God has given them. They don’t understand that by using their
particular talents is how they can be a blessing to the Body of Christ and to
the world as a whole.
Ephesians 4: 1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk
worthy of the calling with which you were called,
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one
another in love,
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Yes, we are called to be children of the Most High God, but we have to walk
worthy of that calling. Verse 2 says with all “lowliness and gentleness.”
Gentleness is an emotional disposition that means, “to be balanced in spirit,
unpretentious and in control.” The word is best translated “meekness,” which
does not mean weakness. A lot of people think Christians are weak because the
Bible tells us we are to be kind, gentle, and considerate. Meekness is not an
indication of weakness, but rather of power and strength. The person who has
this quality pardons injuries, corrects faults, and rules his spirit well.
Longsuffering means “to be patient, have endurance, tolerant of others, putting
up with, standing firm, and not losing courage under pressure.” We all have
opportunities to exercise longsuffering. If you are walking as a Christian, you
are going to have to exercise patience. Because you are going to be under
attack from the enemy all the time, but you have to know that you are stronger
than what is coming against you. You can be confident that you can handle
whatever it is because He that is in you is greater than he that is in the
world (1 John 4:4).
Learn to walk in your calling of sonship by putting on the "new man."
Ephesians 4:
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in
Jesus:
22 that you put off concerning your former conduct (your manner of lifestyle),
the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true
righteousness and holiness.
So you see we are told to put on this new man in true righteousness and
holiness. Holiness means “sacred, pure, blameless, consecrated, separated,
God-like, God’s innermost nature, set apart for God, reserved for God and His
service.” We have to develop these virtues as children of God. God is not going
to live this life for us. He has called us to this life, and He has given us
the wherewithal to live the victorious overcoming lifestyle, but we have to
live it by putting on the new man and taking off the old man. And it is a
lifetime job.
In walking in our sonship, we are called to be an example of Jesus Christ. What
did Jesus do? He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of
the devil (Acts 10:38). If you are oppressed and mean or doing evil, you can’t
be an example of Jesus to the world. You have to take control of your body and
your mind. The following verses tell us the things we need to do to take off
the old man:
Ephesians 4: 25 Therefore, putting away lying. (Too many Christians still tell
lies. They act like God doesn’t see or hear them.) “Let each one of you speak
the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 nor give place to the devil. (The devil cannot have a place unless we give
him a place.)
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with
his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for
necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
If you don’t have anything good to say, you shouldn’t say anything,
particularly if it is not going to impart grace to the hearers. There are too
many Christians who can’t wait to let evil words about others come out of their
mouths.
We need to practice Ephesians 4:25-29 diligently if we want to get the benefits
of the blessings of being a child of God. And even though we may have
opposition to doing what is right, we can look through the opposition and see
the victorious life that God has provided for us in Christ Jesus.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the
day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from
you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as
God in Christ forgave you.
So the instructions or commands in Ephesians 4:25-32 are the Christian’s
responsibility. That is, putting on the new man and walking in the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus.
This article was excerpted from Dr. Betty Price's teaching at the 2003 New York
Wisdom From Above luncheon at Crenshaw Christian Center East.
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