By His Blood – Many are Called, but few are Chosen?

“The chosen is anyone who answers the call.” – Curry Blake.

God is no respecter of persons, what one man can do in Christ another can do.  In every congregation, there are apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers amongst the crowd, each waiting to be trained and equipped to go out and do the work of the Ministry.  Unfortunately, the way most churches are structures, very little equipping goes on.

Ephesians 4:11 – 12 (King James Version) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Firstly, the purposes of the fivefold ministry are directed at the saints in the church, not at the world.  The Apostles are there to set doctrine and foundation. The Prophets are there to direct and to teach believers to discern the Lord’s voice in their own life and to prophesy in ministry.  The Evangelist is there to teach the body how to use the tools of the Spirit, such as healing, prophesy to effectively take a community for Christ.  Lastly, pastors and teachers are there to constantly remind and ground believers in the finished work of the Cross and the power of our Inheritance.  Unfortunately, we don’t see this model being implemented.

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Secondly, the only way to equip and train believers to see them mature, is to give them something to do.  How else is a young Prophet going to mature, if he is never given the training and more specifically the opportunity to prophesy?  If that young prophet only comes to service on Sunday to listen to another preach, how is he going to grow?  How is an evangelist going to learn to teach others if he never goes out and interacts with the Lost and deal with the real challenges to the Gospel that believers will face in the real world?  The only answer is to actually do the work of the ministry, and exercise the calling that is there through use.

My point is, everything about maturing as a believer in the New Covenant is about Doing.  While most of the church is trying to mature by studying the Milk of the Word, the real growth happens when they start doing the word.  For instance, if you want to train a worship leader, nothing grows them faster than putting them in front of a home group where no one knows the words to the songs, and the leader is challenged to create an atmosphere of worship by drawing on the Christ in them.  Or as I say at our seminars, nothing matures you faster than the first time you encounter a Demonic Being manifesting before you and you are the only person who has to clean up the mess.

Hebrews 5:14 (King James Version) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

When Jesus picked his disciples, including Judas, they were in full time ministry from the beginning.  Jesus was not bothered about if they would mess up, which they did; nor was he concerned about what people will say about his ministry when Judas betrayed him.  The goal of Christ was to reproduce himself quickly.  He worked with anyone, from the seventy to even Judas, to get the job done!  For those who fall by the wayside, there will be others to take up the work, and at least some work got done during their ministry.

Paul had a similar work ethic; he was less than concerned with the motives of people who preached the Gospel, as long as the Gospel Got preached!

Philippians 1:15 – 18  Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:  The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:  But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.  What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

As leaders, we need to address the Spiritual needs of those in our congregation, and trust the Christ in them from the go, rather than protect our reputations and image.  At every meeting, we must be empowering either by laying foundations of Grace, training in healing the sick, prophesy, evangelism, and encouraging each other into participation unto maturity and growth.   The fellowship of believers is where we have permission to learn, make mistakes and remain safe, so that when we go out to do the work, we don’t mess up.

Is Today’s Church Leadership backwards?

1 thought on “By His Blood – Many are Called, but few are Chosen?”

  1. UNLESS THE FATHER DRAWS HIM

    John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

    What is the meaning of John 6:44?

    1. Does it mean only a few, who have been selected by the Father, will be saved? No, it does not.
    2. Does it mean that men only respond to the gospel because of irresistible grace? No, it does not.

    WHO ARE THOSE THAT THE FATHER DRAWS?

    John 6:45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.

    The Father draws all who hear and learn. The Father does not force anyone to hear or learn. Men have free-will. God does not impute faith into a few so they will believe and be saved. Faith does not come by injection.

    HOW DO MEN HEAR AND LEARN?

    Romans 10:13-14 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

    Men need to hear the gospel before they can learn and believe. The Father draws men by the gospel.

    Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

    Faith comes from hearing the gospel. Faith does not come because the Father selected a chosen few, before the world began, to be saved. All who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior are the chosen and that includes whoever accepts God’s terms for pardon. Faith does not come because of irresistible grace.

    God the Father draws men to Jesus with the gospel.

    Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,

    IT IS THE GOSPEL THAT DRAWS MEN TO JESUS!

    IRRESISTIBLE GRACE IS NOT THE METHOD THAT THE FATHER USES TO DRAW MEN TO JESUS.

    Romans 10:21 But as for Israel He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

    Israel as a nation reject the gospel. How would that be possible if irresistible grace were in play? Israel turned away from God.

    Matthew 23:37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

    Jerusalem was unwilling to be drawn to Jesus by believing the gospel. They had a choice.

    John 5:39-40 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

    The Jews had the opportunity to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, but they were unwilling. There was no irresistible grace in play. The Father draws all who are willing to believe the gospel.

    John 6:40 This is the will of My Father, thateveryone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

    IF YOU ARE READING THIS BLOG YOU ARE ONE OF THE “EVERYONE” WHO HAS A CHANCE TO BE BELIEVE THE GOSPEL AND BE SAVED.

    MEN REJECT GOD.

    GOD DOES NOT REJECT MEN DUE TO NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.

    THE FATHER DRAWS MEN TO JESUS THROUGH THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL. MEN ARE NOT DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE THEY WERE PRESELECTED FOR SALVATION!

    YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY CHRISTIAN BLOG. http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com

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