A High Calling

There is only one calling for the Church; it is a high calling.  The Apostle Peter said that we “as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1Pe. 2:5).  We are God’s special people, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1Pe. 2:9).  Like the priests in the Old Testament, we offer up sacrifices to God on behalf of the people.  What is the Church that makes her special to God?  At the end of this age, the Church will be revealed to all creation.  Christ will appear to destroy the wicked and to reward the righteous.  We who are the Church will receive glorified bodies and reign with Christ over the universe for one thousand years (Rev. 20:4).  There is a difference between the Church and the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom is everything under the government of God.  The Church is the Bride of the King who sits with Him on His throne to rule over the Kingdom. 

The Apostle Paul received a revelation of God’s divine order for creation.  He tells us that Christ must rule until He has put all enemies under His feet, then He will deliver the Kingdom to God the Father (1Cor. 15:24-25).  The last enemy to be destroyed is Death.  For the Church this occurs at the Second Coming, but for the rest of creation it occurs at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:14).  After the thousand years, God will create a new Heaven and a new Earth where the Church will be revealed as the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem.  There will be other cities and nations on this new Earth because the river of Life flows out of the City to bring healing to the nations.  The Church will continue to reign with Christ forever (Rev. 22:5).  Since we have such a holy calling, should we not walk in a manner worthy of it?

Too many in the Church today have settled into complacency concerning spiritual things.  They are satisfied with having their sins forgiven, but have no desire to live a surrendered life.  Can this be the Bride who will reign with Christ?  Jesus taught us in the parables that many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 22:14).  This applies to Salvation but it can also apply to the calling of the Church.  Not everyone who receives Christ will become the Bride of Christ.  We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  Paul told the Philippians that if they did not work out their salvation through obedience, then he would have laboured among them in vain (Phil. 2:12-16).  The Bride must make herself ready for her marriage to the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-8).  To be ready, she has conditions to fulfill.  She must make herself ready by actions, which are the righteous acts of the saints.  In the letters to the churches in the Book of Revelation, Christ gives promises of reward to those who overcome.  They will: eat from the tree of Life (Rev. 2:7); not be hurt by the second death (Rev. 2:11); be given a new name (Rev. 2:17); rule the nations (Rev. 2:26); be clothed in white garments (Rev. 3:5); be made into a pillar in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12); sit with Him on His throne (Rev. 3:21).  These are all rewards that belong to the Bride of Christ.  They are only for those who overcome evil.  Those who do not overcome will suffer judgment which could include losing their salvation (Rev. 3:5) or being removed from the Church (Rev. 2:5; 3:16).

It is not clear what God’s judgment will be for those who believe in Jesus Christ but are not overcomers.  We know that they do not meet the qualifications to be the Bride of Christ, but we do not know which of them may still qualify to remain in the Kingdom of God.  There are some who will be saved from Hell but who will not be part of the Church, who is the Bride.  For a study of the scriptures which help us to understand the Church as the Bride, see: 1Cor. 3:9-17; Eph. 1:15-23; Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 1:18-23; 1Pe. 2:4-5; Rev. 19:7-8; and Rev. 21:2-27.

We have been saved and called to a holy calling (2Tim. 1:9). There is a tendency in us to presume upon the kindness of God rather than to repent and live a life worthy of our calling (Rom. 2:4).  We cannot view the call to be the Bride as a “higher” calling, because that makes allowance for a “lower” calling.  I think this is what Jesus called being lukewarm, which will be removed from the Church before or at His coming (Rev. 3:16; 1Jn. 2:28).  God’s purpose is not just to get people born again, but to make them disciples (Matt. 28:19).  We must be overcomers in order to obtain the reward.  “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it for a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Matt. 16:25-27).

I know these are difficult words, but we must know the challenge before us if we are to go in and take the land. We must press on towards this high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14).  We must not be fearful and unbelieving but, like Caleb and Joshua, we must act in faith: “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” (Num. 13:30).  Grace is available to us to overcome.  We do not need to do this on our own strength.  It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Lu. 12:32).  Our victory is a matter of the heart.  We must guard our hearts so that there is no love of the world in us (1Jn. 2:15-17).  We must put our trust in the Lord.  We must set our affection upon the Lord.  This is what the Lord says to the one who does this: