THE BIBLE AND THE CALL OF GOD

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

 

THE BIBLE AND THE CALL OF GOD

Devotional Texts: Heb.5:1-5; Acts 13:1-3

Introduction:

Biblically speaking, there are two dimensions of the call of God, namely; the call to repentance (Mark 2:17) and the call to the ministry, (Acts 13:1-3). The call to repentance is also referred to as the general call, in which every believer is called to be saint, (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2), whereas, the call to the ministry is, as well known as the specific call, wherein certain believers or saints are called into specific ministerial offices, and gifted as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, (Eph. 4:11-12). In God’s order of call, the sinner must first be called to repentance before the call to a specific ministry. So, there is nothing like one being called from one’s mother’s womb, as some have wrongly inferred from the call of Jeremiah (Jer. 1:4-5), which only speaks of God’s foreknowledge of Jeremiah, and every other person He called, becoming His prophets before they were  born. And, the biblical expression, “the call of God is without repentance” (Rom. 11:29) only indicates that God does not change His mind when He calls, since He does not make mistakes, and not that He calls the unrepentant sinner into the ministry.

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)     The sinner, in God’s order of call, must first be called to repentance

(Matt. 9:13), before being called to the ministry, (Acts 13:1-3).

(2)     There is nothing like, “God called me, as a sinner, from my mother’s womb”, which

 is a misinterpretation of the book of Jeremiah (1:4-5)

(3)     Nobody is permitted to take the honour as being called be God, if he is not called (Heb. 5:4)

(4)     Those who are self-called, church-called, community-called or called by certain persons in the ministry are misfits and impostors  in the ministry, who take the honour of God’s call upon themselves, and so, should quit, (vs. 4).

THE CALL OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT RELIGION

The call of God in the Old Testament was direct, verbal and visible. The call of Moses (Ex. 3:4-12), Aaron (Ex. 4:14; 27-31) and Samuel (1 Sam. 3:5-6) are good examples. Also, God called His prophets in the Old Testament era by asking some other prophets to anoint them. In this case, Elisha is cited, (1 Kings 19:16), etc. Scripturally, it is on record that all those called by God in the period under review, had Divine Signature of the approval of their calls, as God confirmed their words and prophecies without fail, which revealed much contrast between the divinely called and the self-called. To this end, the Scripture says, “when a prophet speaks in the Name of the LORD, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken: the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him”, (Deut. 18:22). The citation above depict Specific Calls into specific Old Testament ministries, and so, every other Israelite fitted into the General Call, which was the call into the Abrahamic Religion or Judaism, (Ex. 3:6; 15-16). Therefore, in the Old Testament, there was;

(i)       The General call into the Abrahamic Religion or Judaism, (vs. 15-16).

(ii)     The Specific Call into various Old Testament ministries, (Ex. 3:4-12; 1 Sam. 3:5-6) etc.

(iii)    The self-called, who the people were asked to spot out by presumptuous prophecies (Deut. 18:22)

Also, “the prophet who shall speak a word presumptuously in my Name, which I have not commanded him to speak or in the name of other gods (or familiar spirit), that same prophet shall die” (vs.20).

THE CALL OF GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

The call of God in the New Testament Church was equally direct, verbal and visible. In this connection, Jesus called His disciples, personally, (Luke 6:13-16), as He called the Apostle Paul on his way to Damascus, (Acts 9:4-6).  Also, there was the verbal re-confirmation of the call of the Apostles Paul, by the Holy Spirit, where the call of Barnabas was, as well mentioned, (Acts 13:2). In the New Testament, too, all those called into the ministry had the seal of  Divine Approval, as the Lord worked with them, and confirmed His word with signs and wonders that followed, (Mark 16:20). And, by way of contrast, in the same era,…”false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers were spotted, who secretly brought into focus destructive heresies, denying even the Master, who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1). In line with the foregoing, the Apostle John says,…believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world, (1 John 4:1). This, therefore, means that in the New Testament church, also;

(i)                   People were genuinely called by God, (Matt. 10:1-4; Acts 13:2)

(ii)                 False prophets and teachers also showed up, (2 Peter 2:1)

(iii)                People were equally asked to find out who was who, (1 John 4:1)

So, “beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, (Matt. 7:15).

In conclusion, the Scriptures cited in this lesson have really given evidences of false prophets and apostles in both Old and New Testaments, as it proves that only those called by God can receive His backing in the ministry. This, also demonstrate the biblical truth that certain prophecies by certain individuals which gather no fulfillment show that they are not called by the Lord. For by their fruits, we shall know them, (Matt. 7:20). BE CAREFUL!