Effectual Calling (2)

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; - Hebrews 3:1

    The Word of God describes the call of God by which we are saved as a call out of darkness into God’s marvelous light. In Galatians 5:13, the Holy Spirit tells us that the call of grace is a call…

    Unto Liberty.

    “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." We were by nature children of wrath, even as others; but now, in Christ we are freed from all the curse and condemnation of God’s holy law. We lived all the days of our lives as home born slaves, under the dominion of sin; but now, in Christ we have become the servants of righteousness. We spent all our days under the power and influence of Satan; but we are now Christ’s free men.

    How I thank God for the blessed liberation of grace! Satan, like a strong man armed, held me in a bondage worse than that of Egypt. Grace has set me free (Deut. 4:31-39; 6:20-23). We who believe have been called unto liberty, even “the glorious liberty of the sons of God”!

    Unto Fellowship.

    Not only have we been called out of bondage and into liberty, we have been called into the blessed liberty of intimate, sweet fellowship with the Triune God in our all-glorious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ! "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1:9).

    God calls his people to abandon the world for Christ. Those who are called of God are called to forsake family and friend, like Abram, and follow Christ. We have been, and are continually called by our God, to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” Being called of God, let us forever abandon and never again seek the riches of the world, the recognition of the world, or the religion of the world Deut. 7:2-6, 25-26; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; Rev. 18:4).

    This is no great sacrifice. “The heavenly calling” of which we are now partakers brings us into far better company than we ever knew before. We now have access to and communion with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and blessed fellowship with his saints on earth, and even with his saints in heaven (Heb. 12:22-23). God’s house is open to us. The Lord’s table is open to us. The very throne of God is open to us. What great privileges! We have been called into fellowship with the eternal God!