The Daily Word of Righteousness

Called To Be Saints

As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. (John 17:18)

Each of God's elect, His saints, has been sent into the world by the Lord Jesus just as the Father sent the Lord Jesus into the world.

The Father sent Jesus into the world to bear a true witness of the Father. The Lord Jesus has sent each of His chosen into the world in order to bear a true witness of the Lord Jesus. Such is the calling of the saint.

We hear people say this Christian is called to be a doctor, or that Christian is called to be a construction worker. This is not a scriptural concept. No Christian is called to be a doctor. No Christian is called to be a construction worker.

A Christian may become a doctor or a construction worker in the leading of the Lord. This may be God's will for him or her. We all must do heartily to the Lord what our hands find to do. But this is not our calling.

Jesus' calling was not to be a carpenter. Paul's calling was not to be a tentmaker. Peter's calling was not to be a fisherman.

Daniel's calling was not to be a ruler in Babylon. Daniel's Divine calling was to be a saint and a prophet, a true witness of God. Jesus referred to Daniel as a prophet, not as an administrator of civic affairs, although Daniel was a high-ranking official in Babylon.

The calling of every disciple is to be a saint, a holy one, a revealer of the Nature and will of Christ. Every other employment is for practical, temporary purposes.

Our calling as a saint, a servant of the Lord, is our true, significant, eternal calling.

The Father did not send Christ into the world to be a carpenter and Jesus did not send any member of the elect into the world to be a plumber. A saint may earn his living by working as a plumber, but that is not his Divine calling. Aquila and Priscilla were not predestined to be tentmakers nor are their names included in the Word of God because of their trade.

The calling of each saint is to reveal the glory of God in Christ. This does not mean every saint is a preacher or teacher or is called to leave his job and trust in Christ for his wages. It does mean the foremost responsibility of every member of God's elect, his purpose for being on the earth, is to reveal Christ in his life and behavior.

Each Christian is called to be part of the Light of the world.

When we study the various endowments listed in the twelfth chapter of the Book of Romans and the twelfth chapter of I Corinthians, we do not find that the Holy Spirit has given to any person the gift of picking figs or tending sheep or any other occupation in keeping with the economic life of the Middle East.

Instead we find that the Holy Spirit of God is interested in tongues, in prophecy, in teaching, in giving, in showing mercy, and so forth. These are the kinds of gifts and ministries that proceed from the Spirit.

To be continued.