“I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesian believers, he writes on the subject of “oneness,” at it applies to many different, and yet, connected things. He declares the following: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Eph. 4:4-6) Paul’s treatment of this matter of “oneness” as it pertains to these matters, brings home to us that there is a simplicity in Christ, but one where there is also a diversity of meaning, and sometimes application in life. For example, in speaking of the body of Christ, Paul writes that there is one body. This is true, and yet, in that body, which extends from the day of Pentecost to our present day, there is the revelation of very many members, or parts in that body. There is great diversity in unity. He speaks of one Spirit, and yet there are very many “unveilings” of the Spirit of God in Scripture, and the testimony of His working throughout history. There is one Lord Jesus Christ, and yet, the revelation of Him as He was on earth, and now is in heaven, is a mystery of enormous proportions. His nature, and position, as the Son of God, has never changed, but the glory associated with Him, and that glory revealed through history, and in this present day, is remarkably diverse. He is One, the only Savior, Lord, and Redeemer. And yet we see Him in heave, in glory, in a manner that is different than when He was ministering on this earth. The calling of God, as it applies to every redeemed soul, is singular, yet applicable to every individual in the body of Christ. That unique calling has but one Source, and one Means by which it occurs and is accomplished. It has but one singular objective also. Every believer in the body of Christ is a part of that one calling, and yet, there are aspects of that calling which pertain to the individual believer, which are different.
The first aspect of this one calling is mentioned in Peter’s first letter: “…that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (2:9) Paul would put the matter in a slightly different way, writing: “…the Father…who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.” (1:13) In both of these passages, which speak directly, or indirectly, of the calling of God, we are brought face to face with a remarkable reality. The call of God to a lost sinner is such that it penetrates the darkness of this world and Satan, to draw us to the light of the truth in Christ, so that by the miracle of the new birth, we should be translated from the darkness into the blessedness of the kingdom of God. That blessed calling took the lost sinner from his position of being “in Adam,” and under the wrath of God, to being placed “in Christ,” and knowing eternal peace with God.
The second aspect of this calling which is so very important to grasp is found in Paul’ words: “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:9) When Jesus ate the last supper with His disciples, knowing full well what awaited Him, His great joy was always to commune with them, to share His life, and amazingly, to serve them. In the book of Revelation we see where the Lord Jesus Christ’s objective is first and foremost to “sup” with his children, to commune with them. In John’s gospel, he writes eloquently, simply, and yet profoundly, of a true communion with God, born out of union with Christ by the Spirit. The Calling of God is to salvation, but also, to communion with God.
Dear Father, Enable us to embrace this upward, divine call of God today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.