Do you remember or have you read when the parable was over and they had gone out into the highways and gathered people so that the wedding would be furnished with guests? There came also a sequel. There was a man there who had not a wedding garment and the king said to him, friend, how come thou enters without a wedding garment? This person was speechless. And so he was cast out. You have to realize the call is important. Because if you haven't received a call then you can never go in by that door. So, we have to ask one another, because it is very important, do you see your calling brethren? And by asking, we then are doing what is good for if none of us are sure, then we have a great opportunity to let the word of God teach us.

Do you also remember reading the wonderful blessed fact that He calls His own sheep by name. That doesn't’t exactly mean the He calls them by name and then all of the sudden forgets them. But it does mean that He never forgets them. He remembers each and every one of them. And one of the most touching pieces in the whole gospel of John is that on the resurrection morning. He said unto her, Mary. The risen Christ used her name in tones that she recognized. She immediately said, Rabboni, my master. And this emphasizes to us all on the fact that they are His personally. And that makes the callings of God very intimate. And there is a responsibility then in regard to it. Our Savior rebuked some of His very own disciples by saying, you call Me Maser and Lord and so I am. What is the consequences then? So seeing a calling is not only important then but also recognizing that you have some responsibility with it as well.

Now as you read the verses in 1Corinthians chapter 1 you may have noticed a passage where it says, Paul, called to be an Apostle. This is a very important thought. Paul is telling you that he was not simply saying inside himself, well I think I will go in to the ministry, Paul said, I would have avoided it if I could. I fought against it. I said I am not worthy. But He called me and I will follow. I have to respond. I am a called Apostle. This was his calling. And then Paul says under the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called. Our English version has also “to be” in italics. Called to be saints. But even though this is true it is far richer than that. Called saints. These are saints by calling. Whether they are saints in actual practice is totally another question. For Paul wrote to these Corinthians saying, look at the immoral things that you are allowing among you. Even so, they were called saints. Saints, not because they were sanctified of themselves. Oh no, but because they belonged to Christ.

Reading even further in 1Corinthians near the end of this chapter, Paul links it by saying Verse 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness: 24: But unto them which are called, … You see here that he has three classes. He has got the Jews. He has got the Greeks. And He has got the called. The called may be either Jews or Greeks, but their called out of it. To he Hew a stumbling block. To the Greek foolishness. He doesn't write to the Corinthians. Nope, Paul does not. Paul wrote to the called. And then Paul reminds them in Verse 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called 27: But God hath chosen … This is a point to remember. The call of God simple flows out of the choice of God. And that is something that we will see many times through this book. It is because He chose that He called. You are told that no man taketh his office to himself. But he that is called of God.

Lets consider this question of calling a bit more closely. There are two reasons which shall be enough to justify our consideration. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Ephesians in Chapter One mixed the calling with the hope that they had. After Paul has been given the great out line of this teaching, verse 1 to 14, he says in Verse 15 Wherefor I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16: Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18: The eyes of your understanding being enlightended; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, … The hope is he very blessed feature in the t teaching of the scriptures. It is the great difference between the believer in Ephesians and those who were strangers from the common wealth of the Israel and having no hope and without God in the World.

Here are the ones who have a hope in front of them. Here are other were left behind and are without hope. Paul says, don’t you see, you must not just be indifferent with regard to this, Oh I pray that you may have a wise and revealing spirit and in the acknowledgement of Him you will get to know what is the hope of this calling. You may begin to understand that as you think about it, that every calling has its own aspect of blessed hope. From the basic point of view the hope is all the same. That hope being the return of Christ. But as much as there are different places in glory, some are going to inherit the dimension of the new world. Some are going to inherit the dimension of the heavenly Jerusalem. Some are going to inherit the dimension where Christ sits at the right Hand of God, And Christ is God, above all heavens and all things. The point is then, what is my calling? And if I know what my calling is then I can begin to appreciate what my hope of that calling may be. But say that we get distracted and begin to have all sorts of fancy views with regard to my calling then we shall have weird views corresponding with regard to our hope.

They you have not only a hope that is influenced, but then there is the practice. In Ephesians chapter 4 Paul says, Verse 1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worth of the … Our version says vocation. But if you look into the Greek, that is the word calling. Only they have given a stress to that its not merely a calling but is something that which you become devoted to. We can speak about a person having a vocation. That person is not merely entering a certain profession because he want to earn a living. He hopes that he will earn his living, but even if he can’t not make much he still is in it. That is a vocation. That is the word calling. Paul says, Oh seek to walk worthy of this calling. This word worthy is also suggestive. Put the three chapters of Ephesians, with all the calling in it that has been now specified, being blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, chosen before the foundation of the world, all of that, put it all in your walk. That is what we’ve go to do to live worthy of the gospel. That is one thing and then he says in Verse 4 There is one body, and one Spirit… And he says that the only one that is extended and defined is what follows … even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; … You see, he extends that again. One hope of your calling. One hope of your calling. Yes One hope of your calling. So you can not walk worthy unless you know your calling. And you know the hope that is associated with it. You will be very often going this way, and then sometimes you will be going that way. You won’t be able to maintain a steady course. So the more we look at it, it is not one of those things that we can speculate about. It has a great bearing on our doctrine and our purpose and our manner of life.

We often stress the word church as we must. The church of the one body of Christ. That of itself is the word that means a called out people. Ekklesia is made up of two parts. Ek, which means out of and Kaleo {kal-eh’-o} which is the verb, to call. The called out people. So you can’t be a member of that church or this church, or any one, if there has not been a calling. You don’t enter it by any other door, but the calling. It’s a called out people. And the onl one who calls is not a minister of a congregation. It is not even our parents when we are little babies. It is the Lord God Himself who calls and when He calls we respond.

You will see that if we study the scriptures it would be very wise for us, before we go to far in any portion if we make a statement to ourselves. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. So there for I can read Genesis through Revelation with profit. But, we are neither in the book or Genesis nor in the book of the Revelation so far as my calling is concerned. All scripture is written to guide me, by parallels, and motto’s, and morals, and precepts, and general guidance. But if it is a matter of my calling then I ought to be sure. And one of the ways in which this can be checked is to treat the bible, the different books, as though they were letters. And before you take to yourself the contents of a letter, even in this world and this life, it would be wise to read the envelope. Before you try to put into practice this or that part of scripture please be sure that it is addressed to you. You may say, well my name is not in the book, No, but your character is. Is this your character? That at the time ye were without Christ. You can go back, can’t you, in the history and know full well that there was a time that Christ didn't mean anything to you. And that you didn't belong to a nation who were the ones associated with the coming of Christ. Because that is one of he characteristic of the people of Israel. To them pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants and concerning the flesh Christ came. But you never entertained the idea that somebody in your generation might give birth to the babe in Bethlehem. So here you are. You were without Christ, being aliens from the citizenship of Israel and strangers of the covenants of the promise having no hope and without God in the world.

Then you read that the Apostle received a message for the gentiles. You say, my that suits me. That fits me where I am. So your name isn't there, but your character is. Well, lets look, just for an illustration, at the Epistle of James. It gives you a nice illustration of watching what it says on the envelope before you try to put it into practice. If you don't you might be among those friends who anoint some body with oil and pray over them and expect them to be healed. Well, they may be healed for all I know sometimes, but that is borrowed from the book of James. But when James wrote that, that was part of the will of God for them. But should we look at the envelope and see whether we aught to take everything that is written in the book of James as though it belongs to our calling. So, here we are. James. It is also suggestive to know that if you were reading the original, you wouldn't be reading James at all. You'd read Jacob. And I suppose you know enough that you wouldn't go in to a furniture store and ask for a piece of James furniture, but Jacobian, alright. Jacob, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. Well, of course, I must leave that with you. If you say that you are one of the twelve tribes I say carry on, this epistle might be to you. I'd been mistaken in the open air as being one of the lost of the ten tribes and what not, and counted for it. But I still believe by the grace of God I am a gentile who comes under the teaching of the Apostle Paul instead. So you see, I can now read this epistle and I can profit by its instruction but I know full well that it is dealing with a calling that belongs to another group. That is how we should treat the scriptures.

And another illustration, going back to the old testament, and most likely you have anticipated this, for this is nothing novel. The first verse of the prophet Isaiah. He also gives you a hint as to whom he is primarily addressing these words. Isaiah chapter one  verse 1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.  He saw these concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Then it starts Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, ... He is speaking first of all to that nation that He had redeemed out of Egypt. Those to whom He had given the law at Sinai and had given them wonderful promises and they turned out like a disobedient and a very un-thankful child. He likened them to Sodom. And so they had to be chastised.

We have gone so far that I think that we should continue with this thought, that there are callings that differ. And I am going to take an example. I have met some very fine Christian people, whom are convinced that they are a royal priesthood and a holy nation. And you say, where did you get that from? Well ah, it is in the new testament. Yes. Alright, I find those words, in the first epistle from Peter chapter 2. But supposing I have a look at this envelope as I have said about James. First words of Peter's epistle  verse 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered ... Now if you were looking at the original you will see that, that was the dispersion again. The dispersion, the same that James was writing to. The only thing is James was more specific and he says to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. Peter simple says the scattered ones. It is rather suggestive isn't it, that James apparently never had his letter returned not known because some would like to tell me that the ten tribes were lost. And James wrote to twelve of them. And the Apostle Paul, he stood up and said "unto which our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come". But Paul don't you know that ten of the are lost? Is that so, he said. I wonder who is right, giggles? Because we can't find them, we might say they are lost, but God says I know where they are. And I am going to redeem them and bring them back from the countries in which I scattered them. He says so. So, while we might say that they are lost, it doesn't take the work of God on our shoulders to say that He knew where they were. Paul knew where they were. Peter knew where they were and addressed his letters to them. Once we say, Oh I see, I'll have to watch my step, because Peter. I do know this, that in Paul's epistle to the Galatians, Paul went up to Jerusalem to lay before them that gospel which he preached among the heathen. And he had a long conversation with those whom seem to be some what, Peter and James were two of them, and when Peter, James, and John saw that just as Peter had the Apostleship to the circumcision so Paul had the Apostleship to the un-circumcision and one had the Gospel to the Jew, and the one had the gospel to the gentile, they gave on to Barnabas and Saul the right hand to fellowship that they would remember their respective administrations and not crowd one on to the other.

When Paul wrote the epistle to the Hebrews, which certainly can be another full topic, he respected the fact that he was the Apostle to the Gentiles and never called himself an Apostle to the Hebrews. He just asked them to except a word of exhortation. He wasn't an Apostle to the Hebrews. Peter was the Apostle to the Hebrews, and they respected one another's callings. So shall we do the same thing. We say, we can read with great profit much that is in Peter, but when it comes to saying in chapter 2   verse 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. We might say we are night quite sure about that holy priesthood. Now here we are on delicate ground. Nothing that is said in any sense must tracked from the full glory of our beloved Savior. You understand that don't you. But when we come to face this fact, I find that the Apostle Paul has written 13 epistles and the epistle to the Hebrews. We have 13 epistles which are un-questioned and we have the epistle to the Hebrews to make 14 all together. When we go through the epistle to the Hebrews we find that we have the high priest mentioned 17 times. And we read the word priest 12 times. 29 occurrences in one epistle to the priesthood. Now, do you know what I am going to say next? We go through 13 epistles, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Thessalonians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and not one has one single reference any where to the priesthood. Are we going to charge Paul with a slip of memory? Or are we going to say the priest hood belongs to Hebrews. But you say to me, your robbing me! Why? Don't you see if you go back to the old testament the priesthood comes in with the tabernacle erected in the wilderness. But Job offered sacrifices and he wasn't a priest. Abraham offered sacrifices and he wasn't a priest. Noah offered sacrifices and he wasn't a priest. And if Christ is my Head, He has all the powers of king and priest and prophet and much, much more besides plus nothing. So, I keep to the word of God and say the priesthood belongs to the people of Israel. And I have got all the blessings that they have because I belong to Christ the head, and I am members of His body plus nothing. I am not going to blemish my calling or spoil theirs by mixing them up. Speaking personally because I don't dictate to you, you search and see if it is so. And if you find priesthood is in Ephesians then I am wrong, and you stick to it. But I am morally certain that you won't find it. I say there is a superintendence by the Holy Spirit in the choice of the words that are used. And we should respect that. So, while I respect these folks, and I agree with them in many things, I can not stand with them and say, yes brother or sister, I belong to that holy priesthood, I belong to that royal nation, because I don't. I belong to something else which is wonderful and I leave that to those.

There is another little feature that we should look at while we do this study, and I am sure, and promise you there will be many more before we end this study. That is to come to something that belongs to all callings. So far we have looked at some of the distinctions, some of the differences, but now we will look at something which is basic. I refer to a passage in Romans chapter 11 verse 29 which some of our good friends jump on. But lets see the context of it  verse 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29: For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  That has to do with in the first place the people of Israel. And sometimes it has been objected by some teachers that the people of Israel, by the very fact of them crucifying their Messiah and rejecting the testimony of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, put themselves out of court so completely, that all the promises that God made in the old testament and some of them in the New, concerning the restoration of Israel and giving them a Kingdom have all got to be now re-translated to the church. You could go to a very fine chapel and here a very fine preacher who believes that is true. But there is no fulfillment, no prophecy concerning Israel's restoration now to take place. It's all been re-translated to fit the terms of the church. Lets look at a passage, Jeremiah chapter 31   verse 31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, ... So God excepts the fact that they broke one covenant, but He doesn't say if you broken that then that is the end of it. He is talking about a new one. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people... Well if you say, oh no, that is all to do with the church, well I read on in this chapter  verse 35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:... Now READ closely  If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.... Now we are at the parting of the ways. God is challenging us. He says, these ordinances are going to be there until the end of time. Until I pass them away. If they cease, Israel will cease from being a nation forever. Or again verse 37 Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD. That is a challenge isn't it. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.... Now if this is the church I wonder which is the tower of Hananeel. And which is the gate of the corner in the church. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.  And so on. If this isn't literal, what are you going to do with the scriptures that speak so literal.

So we come back to Romans chapter 11. It even says verse 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies ... But instead of saying that God will set them aside, No no, as touching the election they are beloved. There are two sides to this. God has a purpose, and that purpose will not be frustrated. And if in His mercy He is pleased to forgive them of their sins and call them back to Himself and make them a kingdom of priests and become a blessing in the earth who is going to say Him nay. So He says but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29: For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  And there of course the word repentance means more than our word repentance. Not sorrow but a change of mind. Without a change of mind. God goes straight on and keeps His purpose and performs His will.

We need to look at three words with regard to the calling of God. That is to say any calling. Whether it is Jew or Gentile, church or kingdom. It is immutable. There is an impossibility of it failing. And it is un-changeable. So lets add to its ending, the immutability, the impossibility, and un-changeability of that purpose. So shall we get them confirmed by three passages. Hebrews chapter 6 verse 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto ... not casually show it but abundantly show it unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:... Now the last person on earth who any need to swear was God. God has no need to swear by anything. What He says is true. But He stooped, in order to make it sure, That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie,... Isn't it wonderful that you can get a scripture that says something's are impossible with God. Some people have magnified the power of God beyond the right of God. They make a monster of Him. God is limited by right. His own right. One thing He can not do is He can not lie. He can not deny Himself. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, ... not merely consolation, but strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: ... Immutability. This is partly referred to in Titus in the first chapter verse 1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2: In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; ... The promise of eternal life stands immutable. There is nothing more sure than he that beleiveths on the Son hath ever lasting life and shall not come into condemnation. God can not lie.

And then the Un-changeability we go back to the old testament to Malachi chapter 3. He had a lot to say because of the way they had turned and twisted, and He said  verse 6 For I am the LORD, ... that is referring to His name, Jehovah. The name Jehovah is a composite name that is built up of parts of the verb "to become". And it is very difficult to try to explain it. But it seems to be or indicate that what ever we will demand of God He will meet it. It is expanded by the Epistle to the Hebrews when He said, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Or by the Apostle John, in the book of the Revelation, He was and is and is to come, for He said this is my name for the ages and this is my memorial unto the generations. It is the time name of God. That He will always keep His word. So He says I am the LORD, I change not; ... We could go another way with that and say well if there is one thing out of the old testament that we can take to our selves is this fact. That God's word is true from the beginning and He will never go back upon His word for He changes not I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed...  We can also rejoice in the immutability, the impossibility, and the un changeability of the promises of God that have been made to us, for we the gentiles who were aliens and who were with out Christ and without hope and with out God were now called into close fellowship that we can hardly get some of today's people to believe that what is written is true. If you see your calling my friend, thank God, for it..