Chosen for a Purpose

Many are called but few are chosen

Chosen for His purpose

Childhood memories of being called out to recess to play baseball, you may also recall that you were not chosen. I got to be the scorekeeper. I was not chosen to be on the field of players. The definition of called and chosen is essential. Identify if you are on the playing field or just keeping score.

Calling is defined as an invitation to come to participate. Chosen is defined as selected, requiring a decision to respond. Matthew 22:1–14 explains predestination, free will, paradox, and the goodness of God loving all of us.

The parable of the wedding feast

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

Again, he sent out other servants, saying, “Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.’”

But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.”

So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’”

And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Predestination

Predestination is a term that is off-putting to some. Pre means “before” and destin is the root word for direction with the suffix of ation meaning “the act of.” Before you were born, God saw you in the womb (Psalm 139).

Before you were conceived God knew you. Scripture confirms and verifies that God is omniscient. He sees you. He knows you. He knows before you make decisions what you will do.

Free will

Yet, at the same time, God did not make you a puppet on a string. God created human beings in His own image (Genesis 1–3) and gave you choices to obey or disobey His perfect will.

By creating you with free will, you can choose to respond or reject His love that He initiates. You can choose to believe what He says or intentionally believe lies that God is mean and unfair.

Paradox

God is a God who is unfathomable. You cannot understand His omniscience (all-knowing nature), His omnipresence (all-present Personhood in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit presence), and His omnipotence (all-powerful existence to rule the Universe and yet respond to your needs).

Simultaneously, He knows what you will do next in giving you free will. He knew when He created Satan, the fallen angel Lucifer, who tempted Adam and Eve. He knew when He created Judas who would betray His innocent Son, Jesus Christ. God tests. But He never tempts.

God knows you inside and out, before you were born and after, and on into eternity. Eternity Past, Eternity Present, Eternity Future is in His hands to see all you desire, think, feel, and do — before you do or say “it” and the consequences in the present, with future ramifications for the next generation. You are in His mind. He does not forget who you are.

Goodness of God

In light of that reality, that obvious truth, God is good. You are called. Many are called. Many are invited.

Few are chosen. Few respond to His free invitation to be clothed with the righteousness (+R) of Jesus Christ. Few are accepted because the focus of the wedding feast is devotion to responding in love to God’s love, being restored into the relationship that was lost in the Garden of Eden.

Prepare now in your heart, mind, soul, and strength

God is a God of justice AND mercy. Both/and. Not either/or.

Prepare now on earth to be judged by your righteous Judge. You will ultimately be separated from Christians in name only because you are chosen, surrendering to respond and receive God’s free gift of salvation (saving grace, undeserved favor) given to you by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

Others who want to be accepted into heaven by means of their works will also be rejected. They may have the image of looking good, upright citizens, righteous in their cause, but are not clothed in the supernatural garment of saving faith.

Many reject the call to put on the free garment of the power of Christ. They want to earn it as wages instead of letting go within by surrendering to God’s will.

Some even think that there are second chances after death. The Bible says that the end is the end of that option. Reincarnation is a lie. Deception is confronted.

In the end, you will be at The Great White Throne Judgment (as an unbeliever in Jesus) because your name was blotted out of the Book of Life,

or

you will be at the Judgment Seat of Christ (as a believer from the core of your being, reflected by your actions).

The three most important words reported by researchers

The three most important words reported by researchers in raising children are

It’s your choice.

Are you called or chosen?