The Call of God

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, IITimothy 1:9

Many of us have the misunderstanding that there are certain ones in the body of Christ that are ministers;and there exist a dichotomy of clergy and laity; Actually this distinction came about in the 2nd century ad.,by Bishop Clement, which is Romish in nature. In 1st Peter 2:5 the entire church, not a building but the members in particular are called a holy priesthood. In 1st Peter 2:16 we are called servants, which is also translated as bondslaves,and ministers. Each member is a minister, and has a measure or portion of Christ to minister. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Every member ministers to the building up or edification of the body!

IITimothy 1:9 say's that when Jesus Christ saved you He also called you. You are called of God to be a minister, and every child of God has a gift
to use for the glory of God. See Romans 12:3-8. This happened before you were born and before the world was created. You were called,elected to eternal life and given a holy calling or task for the Lord. Glory to God

What about the so called "Five-fold ministry?" The doma gifts are not separate from the rest of the priesthood we are a nation, and in any given locality there are a body of priest. We are not talking about charismata gifts. The gifts referred to as the five-fold ministry are given by Christ to equip the body of Christ, with each member functioning in his or her given charismata allotted by Jesus Christ. Refer to Ephesians chapter 4:8-15.

These Ephesian equipping gifts are for the building up of the temple of God; placing one living stone upon the other until we stand in the full stature of Christ.

Spiritual Life

1st Peter 1:23,

For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is through the living and abiding word of God. NASV.

Here the Apostle Peter is writing to New Jewish believers that have been scattered because of persecutions. In the first verse of the same chapter he refers to these new christians as aliens, because they were strangers in the regions of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia; Some no doubt were also gentiles.

Peter says that "they have been born again". Our Savior Jesus Christ used the same expression when talking to the Pharisee Nicodemus as they were talking about spiritual matters in St. John 3:3. "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Of course the man referred to that must be born again is what Peter calls in 1Pet.3:3 " the hidden man of the heart." The man that we cannot see with our physical eyes. He is hidden because he is clothed with a body of flesh. This is the real person, who is made of spirit; so we are speaking in connection with a spiritual rebirth, called being born again.

It does not come by the will of man, or any physical agency of man. He can't produce it. It comes by God through the agency of the Word, which here Peter says is "imperishable." Not only is it imperishable, it is living. It is a living seed. A living word. Why? Because as a seed it has the life of God in it. Just like an apple seed will produce an apple tree, because that's the life that it carries. Once a person is born again, he or she carries the very life of God in him or herself! Here in this passage the metaphor, "seed " is used in relation to Divine Life. Peter continues, with other metaphors which relate to spiritual truths. For example, milk in chapter 2 verse 2 for growth, and Living Stone and living stones which relate to building the habitation or superstructure of God.

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Following Christ , continued

The problem that we have today with us christians, particularly in the United States of America, is that we are practicing christianity without discipleship! We have gotten so caught up with our church programs, that first of all we forgot what the church is! We are the body of Jesus Christ; a living organism, not an instituion. We must simply be the church. Our Lord Jesus Christ say's in Matthew 16:24,25, "If anyone wishes to come after me,let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me, 25, For whoever wishes to save his life shall loose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. NAS version. Ladies and gentlemen we are not following an organization we are suppose to be following ardently a living person. The person is none other than GOD who came in the person of our savior Jesus Christ, who for our sin, and sinfully wicked ways, was beaten, and that severely, then nailed to a cross, head lascerated with a crown of thorns, then pierced in His side with a Roman spear. Because of His everlasting love, Jesus suffered humiliation, the horrendous death by crucifixion, all for us, for anyone who would believe on His name. Then because He was the Son of GOD, death could not hold Him. The Apostle Peter quotes the psalmist David, in his address to diasporic jews who were at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, verses 26,and 27. " therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will abide in hope; Because 'Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades (Hell), Nor allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay." NAS. This Jesus whom we serve was brought back to life. This is the One who was, and is, and is to come, The Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the begining and the end!!! Praise GOD !!! He alone is the One we are suppose to be following. Note that to follow Jesus is to be a disciple. What is a disciple you ask? Why, a disciple is one who with discipline follows, learns, and imitates his master (teacher), and in this case his Lord. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says 3 things one must do if he is going to be a disciple : 1. deny himself, 2. take up his cross, 3. follow Me. It's all about Jesus Christ, not us. What we must do is to deny ourselves of our selfwill or as I like to say, our selfish will; what we want, what we think, and what we feel is not the issue here. Like John the Baptist said " we must decrease and He (Jesus) must increase. We must willfully take up our cross, until we take it up we cannot truly follow Christ. In order for us to receive grace we must experience the cross, and the only way that grace can be appropriated is through the cross. And without this, As singer and songwriter Matthew West says "we are just going through the motions". Notice it's not someone else's cross. What is our cross? It's where our will and GOD's will cross. There you will find your cross! After finding out what your cross is, then you must follow Jesus Christ; and that is daily, then and only then my beloved, are you a true disciple. Following Christ part 2