1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be His holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours … 9God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 9, NIV)
In the last two months, we looked into of Paul’s understanding of calling by focusing on the first chapter of 1 Corinthians. In the opening verses we learn that: Paul is “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (v. 1); the Corinthian Christians are “called to be His holy people” (v. 2); and they were also “called into the fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 9). That’s a lot of calling in just a few verses! Paul’s emphasis on calling reminds us that it is a crucial theological idea, one that deserves our close attention. But calling isn’t one of those speculative notions that keep theologians busy but has little to say to ordinary Christians. On the contrary, the doctrine of calling is one of the most relevant and transformational of Christian truths. It’s something we all need to understand more deeply, whether we’re theologians or teachers, attorneys or assistants, pastors or presidents, millennials or third thirders. One reason we need to study and understand the idea of calling – often referred to as vocation – is that what we find in Scripture is strikingly different from the way calling/vocation is talked about in our culture. The Bible knows nothing of the equation we often make between vocation and occupation. My calling may or may not overlap with my job, but they aren’t the same thing according to Scripture. Moreover, my calling, from a biblical point of view, is not necessarily something that aligns perfectly with my personal passion. I don’t discover my true vocation only by paying attention to my own longings, desires, and delights, though these are surely relevant. Paying attention to what Scripture says about calling will correct common misconceptions and open us up to a fresh experience of God’s grace in our lives. If you missed any of the Pastor’s Word on calling, please check them out on our congregation’s website, beginning on April 13, 2021. You will find them at fullerton.fecc.us/pastors-word1. Gracious God, we thank You for Your calling. O Lord, may we live as called people. May we experience relationship with You because of Your call. Comments are closed.
|
Archives
April 2024
Categories |