Holy Calling, Bluntly

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Timothy 1:9)

God called us with a “Holy” calling. This is a righteous calling, according to His will, His way, and not ours.  We must renew our minds and conform to Him. Too many people have this backwards. God will not change or conform to your desires and demands. That’s impossible for God cannot change. He is immutable. God is concerned with you conforming to Him. Why? Because only through righteousness can you live eternally.

“Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye” (Ezekiel 18:31-32).

“Not according to our works”. Please understand what this means! Most people limit their understanding of “works” to believing it is a reference only to performing righteous deeds so as to earn a spot in heaven. You can’t earn your way because God does not owe anyone anything. But it means more than that. But it also means not according to our own way. God called us with a Holy calling. This is clearly defining that the way to Heaven is through righteousness, not by our own carnality.

It is His purpose to save us. It is also His choice. We can’t do it on our own. Man minus God leads to death, destruction and Hell.

It is by His grace, that God is loving and forgiving and “big” enough to offer up this invitation, even though we don’t deserve it. But we can’t live eternally doing it our way, the carnal way. We must do it according to God’s Holy and Righteous calling. 

“Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.” (Jeremiah 7:3)

“But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:18-25).

God has invited us to Him with a righteous call. God has invited us according to His will and His way, not ours. Can we do this perfectly? Do this, yes. Perfectly, no. At least, not on our own. This is why God sent His Son Jesus Christ to be our propitiation and redemption through His blood.

Only by the blood of Jesus Christ are we covered so that God no longer sees our sins.

Accept Christ and live!

Bill Hitchcock