Answer God's Call!

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, [12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, [13] till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; [14] that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, [15] but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

Ephesians 4:11-16

Every cell of a healthy human being interacts harmoniously with the rest of the body.  These cells do not exist to take up space, but all work for the well-being of the whole.  Jesus Christ is the Head of the body - the church - comprised of people who have repented and trusted in Him as LORD and Savior.  As the function of a red blood cell differs from a brain cell, every single person who belongs to the Body of Christ has a distinct office and calling according to God's perfect will.  God's desire is for the saints to be equipped "for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ...speaking the truth in love."  As we mature and grow in our faith, we should supply strength to the whole body through the Holy Spirit's power "according to the effective working by which every part does its share" causing growth and edification of the church in love.

Going to church does not make you part of Christ's church.  Frankly for many people, church has become something we do or attend rather than someone we are.  Born again Christians are the body of Christ, we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit.  The fact that most church fellowships meet in a particular building suited for ministry has convoluted and confused the point that we are the church.  We all have a function, calling, and duty to supply our labor for God's glory and the edification (building up) of the body of Christ.  When I read the list above I can't help but notice that "church service and activity attender" does not appear in the list of positions in the body of Christ here or in any other passage of scripture.  We are not called to attend church events as much as our calling is to attend to the work of the church!

What is your part in the body of Christ?  What strength are you called to supply?  Many substitute the strength of the flesh for the Holy Spirit's power, and this sort burns out in disillusionment.  Please read through the entire passage below as Peter exhorts believers to edify the church in this fashion:  2 Peter 1:2-12 reads, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, [3] as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, [4] by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. [5] But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, [6] to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, [7] to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. [8] For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. [10] Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; [11] for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [12] For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth."

People have this mistaken concept that unless they have a formal title like "pastor" or "deacon" they are without a true calling or purpose.  They seek titles and approval of a church group to justify themselves before men.  Verse 10 says we must be diligent to make our call and election sure:  be convinced of your justification, sanctification, and future glorification, and seek to answer God's call upon your life right now.  God has gifted all believers in dynamically different ways, with various personalities, styles, and skills.  All of these are necessary for a strong, healthy, growing church body.  As Os Guinness states in his book The Call, we must answer corporate call of repentance and salvation through Jesus to be part of the body of Christ first, and then we are to seek out and answer our personal call for His glory.  A man should not be a pastor before he is is believer!  Ironically it is through this arrangement that imminent men of faith in God such as John Wesley were soundly saved.  Making your electing and calling sure is your responsibility.

No matter your history, personality, style, or views, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ God has a place in the body for you to fulfill.  Only you can fill the role He has for you.  As Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:10, "By the grace of God I am what I am..."  You do not have to be or think like someone else to be used by God.  It is God who makes a man.  We will never all agree on every single point.  Christians must never allow heresy and false doctrine to blow through the church in the name of grace, but we must be careful not to allow personal differences or styles to divide us.  A cell in the liver is very different from a light-sensing cell in the eye, but both are important to a fully-functioning body.  They do not have to be the same.  In fact, it is fitting they are not.  Yet though they are not identical, they serve the same overall purpose:  the health and well-being of the body.  We are all part of the body of Christ, each having a different function with the same goal:  the glory of God and the edification of the body.

I ask you:  have you made your calling and election sure?  What is your role in the body of Christ?  Is it to pray as an intercessor?  An evangelist?  How about being a godly mom or dad?  A preacher?  Someone who gives to those in need sacrificially?  One who visits those who are sick or in prison?  A missionary?  After you are convinced of your election, seek and answer God's call upon your life at any cost.  There is no one to blame but yourself if you fall short of walking in God's will.  He has given you the Spirit, and God supplies all our needs.  All reasons you cannot answer the call begin with pride and end in selfishness.  The doors Jesus closes cannot be opened, and the doors He opens cannot be shut.  Paul reminds us in Romans 11:29:  "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."  If He has called you as an apostle or prophet, you do not have a choice in that calling:  your choice is if you will embrace the call or not!

The time for excuses is over, and it is time to do our part.  Do not rest until you have laid hold of the purpose for which God has laid hold of you.  Do not be satisfied with willful ignorance because the pursuit of your call will require a step of faith.  God has faith to give if we will walk in it.