Abiding in God's Calling

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” -I Corinthians 7:23,24.

The scripture here emphasizes that as Christians, we have only one true authority in our lives, the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't mean to say that we are never to be in subjection to anyone, for there will be those who are circumstantially set over us; yet even to those our submission can only go as far as the Word of God will allow. Please remember to apply this also in areas of giving, and follow the scripture accordingly (2 Corinthians 9:7). Even within the body of Christ, Jesus directly discouraged His disciples from taking authority, one over another, saying,

“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren...Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.”-Matthew 23:8,10.

It is up to God the Holy Spirit to direct each one of us in the way He wants us to go (Psalm 25:12), yet at times this can be hard for us to grasp, and we might even fight against the disapproval of other Christians. We should be careful to be sure we're seeking God's approval, and not that of men alone (Galatians 1:10). Remember again that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9), and so our own best intended actions will account for nothing with God- only that which is founded through Jesus Christ.

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” -I Corinthians 3:11. But the apparent results of even the true works of our calling may seem doubtful in the eyes of others, and may leave us perplexed, as well. We see that as Elijah fulfilled his Godly calling, he was granted a great victory over hundreds of false prophets, yet on the heels of this, he fled for his life from Queen Jezebel (I Kings 18:37-40, 19:10).

The Apostle Paul wrote that in the course of his service that he was, “...pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:” -2 Corinthians 1:8.

And we all remember the stoning of Stephen, whom the Bible describes as, “...a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost...And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.” -Acts 6:5,8.

We should be careful not to fall into the trap of merely doing good works of legalism, and focus instead on seeking the mercy of God in humility, as we read of in Luke 18:9-14. Even after centuries of Biblical instruction, many are still struggling with the sinful respect of persons God warns us about (James 2:9).

There's nothing wrong with seeking the advice of other good Christian men & women, but in the end we must get the sure direction of our calling from the Lord alone, and sometimes this will mean going it alone, at least for a season; even if those seasons seem to drag on for long periods. It's all about finding the calling we have in God, and abiding there, no matter the cost (Luke 14:28).

In both 2 Chronicles 35:15, and Mark 13:34, we see that the role of the PORTER is a rather isolated one, but essential for brethren in Christ. Even in the “days of Jesus' flesh,” the scripture records a disciple that was serving God who remained apart from the main body of disciples in Mark 9:38. And when the Lord is telling us of conditions in the Last Days, the description in Mark 13:13 naturally implies great difficulty & isolation when it says,

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

It goes without saying that as Christians we are individual members of the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:6,14), even as our physical bodies have unique parts for unique functions. In this case, though, we are considering the spiritual application made by the Holy Spirit, and for now we can see only in part (I Corinthians 13:12).

Our stumbling, then, comes in one of 2 ways, but it is reflected in one scripture, 2 Corinthians 10:12;

“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

And so this comparison with others can take place either internally or externally; either when we model ourselves too much after others in God's service, or when others try to force us into a mold they're already familiar with. We need to resist improper impulses, and examine all things by prayer, walking by the measure of faith God's given to us individually (Romans 12:3).

Brethren, I encourage you today to seek God's calling in your life day-to-day, and once it is found, abide therein, simply but steadfastly. Jesus is our righteousness, and justifier, and we will account individually for our actions in this life.

“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” -Romans 14:11,12.

Please check out the YouTube video I did on this subject at https://youtu.be/-ldyxHsEUHk