Letters From Grandpa #545

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 545

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be about the “calling” of God which all of His children receive! Our earthly fathers called us and gave us something to do, and our Heavenly Father does the same. First we are “called” to be a Christian and then we receive a “calling” from God to some special service. It is common to hear that someone is “called” to be a preacher, but our Heavenly Father has many other things for His children to do besides preaching. The church of Christ is a “body” with many members and every member has a different function. Note: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27) Just as the human body needs many members, so does the body of Christ. If one member of your body does not function, you are handicapped. The same is true regarding the body of Christ. Just think, for example, how difficult life would be if you didn’t have an elbow.

Remember! The church of our Lord Jesus Christ is not an “organization” designed by man, it is a living “organism” designed by God. What Jesus began to do in his earthly body, his Spiritual Body continues to do in Jesus!

The Greek word for “call” is “kaleo.” It is used 147 times in the N.T. Scriptures. In particular it refers to a divine call to be in fellowship with other members of His Family (1 Corinthians 1:9). Those whom God “calls” are baptized into His Body (1 Corinthians 12:13).

The word for “calling” is “klesis.” It is used 11 times in the N.T. Scriptures. This “calling” refers to the special ministry God assigns to each member of His body. So: “be all the more eager to make your calling an election sure.” (2 Peter 1:10) When God calls you for a specific function He does not make a mistake. Romans 11:29 assures us that “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” In other words, God knows everything and doesn’t need to change His mind. Your “gift” has been assigned to you by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7). This Bible word for “gift” is “charismata” from which we get our word “charismatic.” The root of this word is “chara” which means “joy”. This means that when you use your gift you experience joy! We should not be surprised, therefore, that Peter described the Christian life as “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

Note also that our English word “vocation” comes from the Latin word “vocare” which means “to call”. Thus in Christ your “calling” becomes your “vocation.” Obviously the members of Christ’s Body have many vocations, just as our human body has many members. This is why Paul wrote: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” (Eph. 4:1 kjv) Remember! Every Christian has a “vocation” assigned by God!

This was not so under the Law of Moses! Christian worship is so different from Jewish worship that to try and combine the two would be like sewing new cloth on an old garment, or putting new wine in old wine skins (Mark 2:21-22). Please consider these dramatic changes made by Jesus:

• Under Moses Law everyone was required to worship in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:4-14). This is why at Pentecost devout Jews from every nation under heaven were in Jerusalem (Acts 2:5). Jesus changed this and now God’s chilren can worship Him anywhere (John 4:23-24).
• Under Moses “Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to sacrifice it to the Lord must be cut off from the people of Israel.” (Leviticus 17:8-9) Today, every believer is a priest and can make spiritual sacrifices to God anywhere! “But you are a chosen
• people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
• As a member of this “royal priesthood” you can make your own offerings directly to Jesus all by yourself! “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)
• Under the Law of Moses only the High Priest could enter into the presence of God. This happened each year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). When Jesus died the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom (Matthew 27:51). Now all believers can enter boldly into the presence of God any time we want to (Hebrews 10:19).
• Our English word “clergy” comes from the Greek word “kleros.” It is used 12 times in the N.T. Scriptures. It refers to casting lots and is used in two times in Acts 1:26: “Then they cast lots, and the lot fell upon fell to Matthias, so he was added to the eleven apostles.” Thus the word “clergy” came to be associated with those who had a special “calling” from God. As we have already said, every Christian has a special calling from God so every Christian is a part of Go’s “clergy”! Peter used “kleros” this way in 1 Peter 5:3. In this verse elders are told not to “Lord it over God’s heritage (clergy) but rather to be examples to the flock.”
• The Greek word “laos” is used 142 times in the N.T. Scriptures and means “people”. It is from this Greek word that we get our word “laity”. In the Bible, however, the “laity” and the “clergy” are the same! That is, all of God’s “people” are “chosen”. That’s why Peter called us a “royal priesthood” a “holy nation” and a “people belonging to God” (1 Peter 2:9).
• As we have already pointed out - “we are all baptized by one Spirit into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). There are not two bodies composed of the “laity” and the “clergy”! The people of God are the clergy, and the clergy are the people of God! As Peter said, nobody should lord it over those “chosen” by God!
• FYI - the word “Reverend” is only found one time in the Bible and it refers to God and not man! “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.” (Psalms 111:9 kjv)

THE POINT IS, YOU ARE SPECIAL! GOD IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM HAS ASSIGNED EVERY MEMBER OF HIS BODY WITH THEIR OWN “VOCATION” OR “CALLING”. “SO WHATEVER YOU DO, WHETHER IN WORD OR DEED, DO IT ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD THE FATHER THROUGH HIM.” (COLOSSIANS 3:17)

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce