September 9, 2002 (8).
SAVED AND CALLED. The calling itself is a holy calling. Anything that emanates from the Lord has the marks and workings of holiness. A god whose very essence and being is holy can only perform a work of holiness in His called out ones. The person from whom the call is made is holy. The call itself is holy. Those called are called unto holiness. 2 Tim. 1:9 It is not the intent of the Lord that He should have a < mixed multitude > which would be called His church. From the beginning His call is to live a life of holiness. Perhaps it is not popular, but it is a divine requirement for those who would be a part of His Bride. 1 Thess. 4:7 The call is heavenly, it originates from heaven and it is too a standing in Christ that emulates the life of God or holiness. Those who are participating are termed <holy brothers >. Heb. 3:1
CALLED THROUGH THE GOSPEL. Any Spiritual work that benefits the < called > has as its goal the holiness and righteousness of His people. With the pinnacle being that glorious church without spot or wrinkle. All that the Lord has ever desired to accomplish He has completed. He has never failed nor could He. The < called out ones > have been chosen for sanctification by the Spirit. 2 Thes. 2:13 If the conscience in man condemns him in his wrong doing, and it does. How much greater is the conviction of the Spirit. An awareness of wrong doing is immensely intensified by the presence of the Spirit. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin and to lead those convicted out of their sin. Jn. 16:8
CALLED TO RECEIVE THE GLORY OF THE MOST HIGH. Unfortunately, few in the church have caught the vision, that is prevalent in the Word, of a last day church that is filled with the glory of the Lord. In the words of the beautiful prayer of the Lord Jesus, he specified that He had given the glory of the Father, which the Father had given him, to His disciples. It is the gift of the heavenly Father and a part of our inheritance in Christ Jesus. The immediate result was to be one of agreement. They were to be blended together in perfect and absolute unity. They would never loose their identity as individuals but were to be consolidated in perfect harmony. The example which the Lord Jesus use was that absolute compatibility and unique accord that is found in the Godhead. Perfection and unity are elements of God Himself. These He would impart to His church that she might be unified. Jn. 17:22 The Father was in Christ. 2 Cor. 5:19 The words and the works that were displayed by Jesus were because of the indwelling presence of the Father. It must be remembered that God is a Spirit. Jn. 4:24 Therefore, the Father, who is Spirit, by His spirit dwelt in the spirit and the physical body of the Lord Jesus. The only < PHYSICAL > body that God has is the body of the Lord Jesus. The Spiritual and the physical worlds were united in the person of Jesus, with the explicit purpose of salvation and the building and development of a church with the same combination of body and spirit. Christ is you.