Call, Command, Promise

Q: What does the Bible say about God's call to His people?

The Bible describes God's call as a command to His chosen people to come out from among the unclean and be separate. In 2 Corinthians 6:17, God commands His people to come out from among them and be separate. This is not merely a request but a divine command intended for a particular group, His chosen people. The example of Lazarus, whom Jesus called forth from the dead in John 11:43, serves to illustrate that when God calls, His chosen respond. Believers are identified as 'the called' (Romans 1:6), and those who hear and obey this call are set apart for His purposes. This calling is intimately connected to God's sovereignty and predestination, affirming that those who are called will inevitably respond to His voice.

Q: How do we know that God's call is effective?

We know God's call is effective because it leads to obedience and transformation in the lives of those who hear it. The effectiveness of God's call stems from its power; when He commands, it cannot fail. As stated in Romans 8:30, those whom God predestines He also calls, justifies, and glorifies. This sequence shows that God's call does not go unanswered. When God calls an individual, it results in a true transformation, leading them away from sin and towards holiness. The transformation is evidenced by a life that begins to reflect the character of Christ, echoing the call to be separate from the world (1 Peter 2:9). Those who respond to this call become part of a distinct community, characterized by fellowship with God and with one another.

Q: Why is being separate from the world important for Christians?

Being separate from the world is crucial for Christians as it reflects their identity as God's chosen people and fulfills His command. The call for Christians to be separate from the world is grounded in the concept of holiness. In 2 Corinthians 6:17, Paul urges believers to come out from among the unclean and to be separate, underscoring that this separation is a command from God. This separation is vital as it not only reflects the believer's identity as part of the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16) but also emphasizes the distinction between light and darkness. When Christians embody this separation, they manifest the truth of the gospel, revealing the transformative power of Christ in their lives. Moreover, this separation helps believers to avoid the corrupting influences of a sinful culture and to live in a manner that glorifies God.

Q: What is the promise of God to those He calls?

God's promise to those He calls includes acceptance as His children and everlasting life. God's promise to those who He calls is profound, as articulated in 2 Corinthians 6:18, where He declares, 'I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters.' This assurance highlights the intimate relationship believers have with God, reflecting His commitment to them. Additionally, in John 6:40, Jesus promises that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life and be raised on the last day. These promises are rooted in God's faithfulness and serve as a source of hope for believers, affirming that their salvation and acceptance into God's family are guaranteed by His power, not their merit.

If you'd like to follow along,
I'm gonna be in 2 Corinthians chapter six. 2 Corinthians chapter six. And
I wanna read the last three verses, verses 16 through 18. And what agreement hath the temple
of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the
living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk
in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore, come out from among
them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing, and I will receive you. will be a father to you, and
ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. I like that, I like that. I got
three things I wanna speak about today. Three points, basically
from verse 17. First of all, the master's call.
Second of all, the master's command. And third of all, the master's
promise. So that's my title, Paul, call,
command, promise. Okay, he starts here in verse
17. Wherefore come out from among
them. This is the master's call. Again, folks, God is not in the
habit of making requests. This is a command, but it is
a call. This is a call to a certain distinct
people. Let's just put it that way. And
I looked at it, and literally, this word come out is translated
to issue, to proceed forth, to come forth. Where he says here,
it's translated come out. And again, I'll say it, this
is not a request. This is not a request. God says,
come out. And I'm going to tell you something,
folks. Whoever God is speaking to when he says this, they're
going to come out. They're going to come out. Oh,
my. I like that. John 12 and verse
17 says this, the people therefore that was with him when he called
Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from the dead bear
record, talking about Jesus Christ. Because what did Jesus Christ
say to Lazarus? He said this, he said, Lazarus,
come forth, come forth. And what did Lazarus do? Lazarus
arose from the dead, for he was dead. and he came forth. Why? Because he heard the master's
call. And when he said, come forth,
Lazarus came forth, bound in grave clothes. I said it last
week, bound in grave clothes, but he came forth. He came forth,
why? Because he was called. He was
called by the voice of the Lord. Oh my, because the voice of the
Son of God is power, power. He speaks. And it's done. It's done. Oh my. Oh, I like
that. He calls, the master calls, and
his chosen people hear. And I'm gonna tell you this,
folks, right now. Believers are the called. That's one of our
titles, the called. Oh. Right here, Romans one and
six says this. Among whom are ye also the called. of Jesus Christ, the called,
that's what he calls us. Verse seven says this in Romans
one. To all that be in Rome, beloved
of God, called to be saints, to be saints. Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. You understand,
the master's call will be obeyed. It has a result. Or, here's the
thing, it's not the master's call. Because his call is always
answered. Oh, my. Called of Jesus Christ,
called to be saints. Called by the master's call.
Wherefore, come out. Come out. Oh, I like that. A
couple of more places where it mentions being called is Romans
8, 28, 29, and 30. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are thee
called according to his purpose. I've purposed it. I'll do it. It's gone out of my mouth and
it's not gonna return unto me void. It shall accomplish that
whereunto I sent it. Oh, I like that. So when he says
wherefore come out from among them, you're gonna come out.
Whoever you are, whoever the Lord is speaking to at that time,
because he doesn't speak to everybody. His call is particular. Oh my. Just like his redemption, but
I'm not going into that today, I don't think. For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them, what? He also called. And whom he called, them also,
them he also justified. and whom he justified, them he
also glorified. I'm telling you something, folks,
it's a good thing to hear the master's call. It's a good thing
to hear that. Foreknown, predestinated, called,
justified, and glorified. That is a very good place to
be. Oh, I like that. Believers are
the called, excuse me, according to his purpose. According to
his purpose. First Corinthians one and verse
nine says this, God is faithful. God is faithful. By whom ye were
called. By whom ye were called. What? Unto the fellowship of his son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. God is faithful. You're not faithful. I'm not faithful. God's faithful. That's good news. God is faithful,
what? If you are faithful, you're faithful
in Jesus Christ. Let's just put it that way. Put
the credit where the credit is due. Not on man, but on God. But God called you out unto,
what? The fellowship of his son, Jesus
Christ. What's that mean? Well, Colossians
1 and 13 says this, who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
son. Understand, this is the work
of God. The calling of God, the master's
call is the work. There is a result. There is something
that happens to the believer. He says, come out, and you come
out. He says, come unto me, and you
come unto him. Oh my, I like that. God is faithful,
he delivered and translated us into the kingdom and into the
fellowship of his son, Jesus Christ. Oh my. Because what's that mean, translate?
It means he placed us. in his kingdom, in the kingdom
of his dear son. Oh what, and called us what?
Unto his fellowship. I like that stuff. Oh my. First Corinthians one and verse
24 says this. But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and Christ
the wisdom of God. Because what? The foolishness
of God is wiser than men. Now there's no foolishness with
God. This is Paul being, I don't know what you want to call that,
artistic license or what, but what he's saying is, if God was
foolish, it's still better than the wisdom of men. The foolishness of God is wiser
than men, and the weakness of God, and God's not weak, is stronger
than men. Oh my. And then verse 26 says
this, for you see your calling, brethren. But the masters call. The masters call. How that not
many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble,
are what? Called. That's what he's talking
about here. And I can tell you this, folks.
All believers, those who believe Christ Jesus right now today,
have been called by the master. By the master, oh my. We are
the called out ones. Believers have heard their master's
call. Again, I'll say it. Among whom
are ye also the called, of Jesus Christ. Oh, I like that. But
secondly, secondly, here we see the master's command. Be ye separate. Be ye separate. Oh, here's the
thing, folks. Where was Lazarus when Jesus
Christ called him? Well, he was in the cemetery.
He was among the dead. Oh, literally, Lazarus was among
the dead, and the Lord Jesus Christ called him to come forth. Now, it says, come out, I'm making
this point, from among them. You know where you were before
God called you. You know what you were. before
God called you. Paul talked about it last week.
We were just like the children of wrath. Didn't say we were
the children of wrath, we were just like them. The children
of disobedience. We had our characters, our conversation,
right among them. When? Until God called and commanded. Be separate, be separate, oh
my. We who are now believers were
just like them and we were among them, among them. However, after
the call comes the master's command. You be separate, be separate,
be separate. Oh, I'm gonna tell you something.
Remember, not many mighty, not many noble, not many wise are
called. But if you're in amongst them,
you're to come out of them. And this is the thing, I can
tell you this for a fact, because of the way it happened to me.
Sometimes you don't have to separate yourselves, sometimes your former
friends will separate themselves from you. Because you start wanting
to talk about Christ, and they don't want to hear it. Now, I
always thought that was funny, and then I realized, well, if
somebody had started talking like this when I was lost, I
wouldn't have liked it either. That's the way it is. They'll
separate from you, your family, your friends, your coworkers. Oh, my. But this is the thing. Here's the thing. When the master
commands, be ye separate, that also is not a request. You are
separated. You understand, in the beginning,
God divided the light from the darkness. They're separate. They're separate. And light has
no part with darkness. We were among them, however,
after the call comes his command, be separate. Paul goes further in, 1 Corinthians
chapter six and verse nine says this. Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the
kingdom of God. Now folks, that is a litany.
That is a litany of things. Paul was writing to believers.
So what's he say about that litany of things? 1 Corinthians 6 and
verse 11, and such were, were some of you. And yes, we were. Yes, we were. What's different? But ye are washed, but ye are
washed. But ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and here it is,
folks, and by the Spirit of God. By the Spirit of God. Such were
some of you. Oh, why? What happened? The master's command. The master's
call and the master's command. Come out from among them and
be ye separate. Mm. And by the spirit of our
God, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and ye are separate. Such were some of you. Now I'm not saying you won't
slip. You might fall back into what
you used to do, and you're gonna do things you really wish you
hadn't. You're gonna sin against God. But it's not where you live
anymore. It's not what you want to do
anymore. Oh, my. Paul says, I find in
the law, when I would do good, there's evil present in me. But
that's not what I want. That's not what he wanted. That's
not what he wanted. Oh, I know. Such were some of
you. What? Hear the master's command.
Come out from among them and be ye separate. Be ye separate. What's it say? Christ said this. You didn't
choose me, I chose you. I chose you and told you to come
out from among them and be ye separate. Oh, I like that, I
do. In my father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, what? And receive you. Receive you
unto myself. Why? That where I am, ye may
be also. Oh my. God has separated us. God has separated us. Mm. You know what that is? That's
the master's promise. What'd he say? I will receive
you. I'm not gonna receive everybody,
but I am going to receive those that I've called and those that
I've commanded. He will receive you. Oh, that's
good stuff. And this is the Father's will
which has sent me, that of all which he has given me, I should
lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. That's John 639. John 640 says
this, and this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone
which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life,
and I will raise him up at the last day. What's that mean? That means I will receive you. That's his promise. That's his
promise. He's gone to prepare a place.
And if he's gone to prepare a place, he's gonna come back and receive
us. Oh, oh, talk about the blessings
of God. Oh my, you know, there's a lot
of people wanna talk about calls, there's a lot of people wanna
talk about commands. I wanna hear about the promises,
or promise, excuse me, singular. One promise, I will receive you,
I will receive you. Oh my. But that wasn't the only
part of the promise, because it continues on into verse 18.
I will be a father. What? Unto you. Unto you. Oh, I like that. Ye shall be
my sons and daughters. Now listen, folks. God is God. The Lord is the Lord. To everybody. but he's not everybody's father.
That's as plain as I can make it. He says here, I'll be a father
unto you. I'll be a father unto you. Oh
my, who's that? Those are those that he has called
and commanded and promised. Oh, I like that. What's it tell
us? Romans 8 and 14 says this, for
as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. Who's that? Those that he has
called, the master has called, and the master has commanded.
Oh my, they are the sons of God. First John three and verse one
says this, behold what manner of love the father has bestowed
upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the
world knoweth us not because it what do him not Beloved now are we the sons of
God? when right now If he's called
and commanded and promised you right now, you've received it
because he gave it Now are we the sons and daughters of God?
Oh, I like that and it doth not yet appear what we shall be,
but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is. See him as he is. I'm telling
you folks, that's a promise. That's a good promise. That's
a real good promise. Right now, we are the sons and
daughters of God. God has called us and Commanded
us and promise. Oh my I like that You understand
and here's the thing All this was written before we were ever
born But here's the thing also all
this was promised to us oh Before we ever knew God Ungodly unrighteous
sinners. While we were without strength,
Christ died for the ungodly. Question is, do you fit in that
category? Have you ever fit in that category? As you understand, he didn't die for the righteous,
he died for the ungodly. And if you don't fit the description,
he's not talking to you. And that's the truth of it. Oh my. Just for a minute, let's look
at verse 16 of 2 Corinthians chapter six. The first verse
I read. And what agreement hath the temple
of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the
living God. As God hath said, I will dwell
in them, and here folks, and walk in them. walking them, oh. And I will be their God, and
they shall be my people. We are the sons and daughters
of God. Now here's the thing, we are the temple of the living
God. God dwells, lives in his people. And his people live in his son,
the Lord Jesus Christ. But here's the thing, God walks
in his people. Don't hear many people talking
about that today. We do have a walk. There is a walk for the
believer. How do you walk? He walks in
you. We've quoted here many times,
we'll quote it here many times after. I'll put in you both to
will and to do of my good pleasure. God will do that. Oh, I like
that. And he is their God. and they
shall be my people. Oh, we have fellowship in his
son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and I'm gonna tell you something,
all of the promises in Jesus Christ are yay and amen. I like that, I do. Oh, and you
understand, this is to, this is to believers. That's
who Paul's writing to here. You understand, there's a difference
between being elect and being a believer. I can tell you the
difference in one person with two names, Saul of Tarsus and
Paul the Apostle. They're the same person. And
they're not the same person. It's the same guy. Paul was consenting
under the death of Stephen, who told the truth, who preached
a wonderful message. And they cast their cloaks at
Saul of Tarsus' feet. But then Saul of Tarsus was on
his way to Damascus to kill some people, to put some people in
jail, people who believed Jesus Christ. And what happened? Well, I'm going to tell you something,
folks. The master's call happened. He knocked him off his donkey
and said, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Hebrew of Hebrews, the student
of Gamaliel, you know, a Pharisee, said, who are you, Lord? He didn't
know. He didn't know. And he said,
I am Jesus, whom thou persecute. And now he's called Paul the
Apostle. The one who persecuted the church
is now preaching the gospel. But tell you something, Paul
heard his call, Paul heard his command, and Paul heard his promise. And guess what? He is no longer
called Saul of Tarsus. Oh, I like that, I do. These words are specifically
to those who believe the Lord Jesus Christ. The only question
is, today, do you believe Jesus Christ? Do you believe him today? Look to him. Call upon the name
of the Lord and thou shalt be saved. That's what it says. That's what it means. I'll leave you these words. These
are by John Adams. Now, not John Adams that used
to be president. This is a different one. When
involved in sin and ruin and no helper there was found, Jesus
our distress was viewing, grace did more than sin abound. He
has called us with salvation in the sound. I like that. Oh my, his voice. Oh. You hear the voice of the Son
of God, and they that hear shall live. The Master's call, the
Master's command, and the Master's promise, and all of them are
to his people. They shall be my people. Oh,
thank God for that. Our Heavenly Father, we are thankful
for this day. in this time, this place that
you've given to us, Lord, but most of all, thank you for our
Lord, your son, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, took
upon him the form of a servant, lived the life perfectly, and
took upon our sins in his own body on the tree and bared the
punishment that we could not bear. Lord, help us to walk in
this world. Call out your people. Call them
out from among them and be saved. In Christ's name we pray, amen.

Call, Command, Promise

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's call to His people?

How do we know that God's call is effective?

Why is being separate from the world important for Christians?

What is the promise of God to those He calls?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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Call, Command, Promise

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's call to His people?

How do we know that God's call is effective?

Why is being separate from the world important for Christians?

What is the promise of God to those He calls?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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