September 10, 2002 (9).
THE CALLING OF THE PREDESTINED. Those whom He foreknew or could foresee who would accept Him as Lord and Savior are the predestined. But, predestined to what? To be conformed to the image of His Son. To bear and embrace, for themselves, the likeness of the Son of God. We are called, not just to the beginnings of our salvation but to the grand and glorious consummation. The called ones are called not only to justification, but to the high and holy calling of being glorified with Him. Rom. 8:29-30
IN HIS IMAGE OR LIKENESS. We have the assurance of the Word that as we have been born in the flesh, in the image of that which is earthly or human, so we shall bear the likeness of that which is heavenly. Even now, we are in a spiritual process of change by, and compliance to His Word, that will culminate in a bride made completely in His likeness. 1 Cor. 15:49 The secret to the procedure is in < looking unto Jesus >, beholding Him with a great desire to be exactly what He is. We must approach Him with an unveiled face, nothing hindering a clear and precise vision of Christ. Ever beholding the beauty and glory of the Lord that is revealed only in Him. The Word becomes our mirror. Searching its depths produces a constant change in those who are His. They are transported from one measure of glory to another. With a God who is limitless there is no ending, no conclusion to the glory that is His. Eternity, will be one wave of glory after another sweeping over the inhabitants of heaven. The whole of the operation in transforming his people is an accomplishment of the Holy Spirit. If you have ever felt the thrill of the presence of the Spirit in your life, then multiply that by a measure that is immeasurable, and you have the blessing of the Lord that will be manifest in His last day church, in a magnitude that surpasses and staggers the imagination. 2 Cor. 3:18
THE CHALLENGE OF THE CALL. To live a life that is an example, that is worthy of the vocation, the calling unto which we have been called. This calling is a high and holy profession. We are to show forth Christ in every facet of our lives. Eph. 4:1 Christian relationship is the formidable task that lies before us. Just as not all who regularly attend church are called out ones. So it will be that all who profess Christ as savior will not be in the Bride of Christ or the perfect Church in the end of the age. There is just too much measuring up to be accomplished for some to accept the fact of a Perfect Church. The standard is too high. One outstanding element that will identify members of that body will be their desire for unity. Not compromise but a desire to be of one Spirit and one body of believers. They are seen as a people who work at the < unity of the Spirit >. All who are in the Spirit will come to a status where they are truly one in Christ. He is the author and the source of < one Spirit > therefore the true body of Christ will have no divisions in it. What a task we face and what tremendous changes must be accomplished that the Word of God might be fulfilled. Eph. 4:3