CALLED AND CHOSEN TO SALVATION

TO  BE  A  TRUE  CHRISTIAN,  TO  BE  IN  THE  FIRST  RESURRECTION,  IT  IS  REQUIRED  YOU  BE  BOTH  "CALLED"  AND  "CHOSEN"

Called and Chosen When?

Here is the general process we all go through when God calls and chooses a person to accept salvation

Jesus said: "Many are called but few are chosen." What did He mean? Some teach that if you can just get to pronounce the name of Jesus to anyone they are called and chosen to salvation, if they do not accept Christ then as savior they are doomed to hell fire. Others believe everyone is doomed to burn in hell if they do not hear the name of Jesus in this life. What about those who do have the scriptures, have been taught them, have read them, who hear about God in one way or another, are they all being called and chosen NOW in this life time? This article will only come from one side of this somewhat large question about the salvation issue for EVERYONE. The overall plan of God's salvation for all people that have ever lived is given in full detail in my article called THE WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT. I will cover here the question of WHEN is God calling and choosing a person in this lifetime to accept or reject His mercy, grace, and salvation. Is it AFTER they have the Spirit IN them, after Baptism and the Laying on of hands, or is it BEFORE that time, when God's Spirit is working WITH them, but not yet IN them? There are a number of ways from the word of the Eternal to answer that question, but I have chosen just ONE way in this article. And that is with the LIFE and WORDS of the example of the apostle Paul. Did Paul have the scriptures of the Lord growing up? Was he HEARING about God from his parents? Was he taught in school about the word of the Eternal? Let him answer: "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks he has whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee........I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus......yet brought up in this city(Jerusalem) at the feet of Gamaliel(a famous teacher of one of the Pharisee schools), and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous towards God......." (Phil.3:4-5; Acts 22:3). So Paul heard about God, read the scriptures inspired of that God, was taught about Him, and was in his own Pharisaical way - zealous towards the Eternal. The next question is was Paul understanding with full unblinded knowledge the TRUTH about what he was reading and was he being taught CORRECTLY about this God of his fathers? He answers: " And profited in the Jew's religion above many my equal in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. BUT WHEN IT PLEASED GOD......AND CALLED ME BY HIS GRACE, TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME...... touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. BUT what things were gain to me, those I COUNTED LOSS FOR CHRIST. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS my Lord......and do count them but DUNG, THAT I MAY WIN CHRIST. And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the FAITH OF CHRIST, the RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF GOD BY FAITH: that I MAY KNOW HIM, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made comfortable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.........And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was BEFORE a BLASPHEMER, and a PERSECUTOR, and INJURIOUS: but I OBTAINED MERCY, BECAUSE I DID IT IGNORANTLY IN UNBELIEF. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I AM CHIEF. Howbeit for this cause I OBTAINED MERCY, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to LIFE EVERLASTING......" (Gal. 1:14-16; Phil.3:6-11; 1 Tim.1:12-16). In Ephesians chapter three Paul shows that the MYSTERY of God had been HID from the world in the main, and only revealed to the "church" of God through His Spirit as planned by the Eternal through Christ Jesus and faith in Him. In Romans chapters 9 through 11 Paul clearly shows that GOD HOLDS PEOPLE IN BLINDNESS even when they may HEAR THE WORDS of the Lord being PREACHED AND TAUGHT! It is only the ELECTION OF GRACE that have the BLINDNESS REMOVED. Yes indeed as Jesus said: "many are called but few chosen." Many MAY hear the word of God, hear Jesus being taught, even have the Eternal's word in their homes and even read it, BUT THEY CAN STILL BE IN COMPETE BLINDNESS as to the very TRUTH of God, just as Paul himself was! He served God with a zeal but as he said to many Jews in Rome, "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE. FOR THEY BEING IGNORANT OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND GOING ABOUT TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEMSELVES UNTO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD......." (Romans 10:2-3). Paul knew exactly what this was all about, as he himself had BEEN THERE, having a zeal towards God, but really not knowing WHAT HE WAS DOING! A zeal that was BLINDED and FALSE and going in the WRONG DIRECTION, and actually FIGHTING AGAINST THE TRUTH OF GOD! Oh, yes, Paul had been called to HEAR the word, but he had NOT been CHOSEN to UNDERSTAND IT UNTIL GOD HAD MERCY UPON HIM AND REVEALED CHRIST IN ALL TRUTH TO HIM! Now let's see HOW Paul was CHOSEN to UNDERSTAND and WHEN. THE CHOOSING OF PAUL TO SALVATION Saul or Paul as we know him today was out zealously doing his things against the church of God - breathing out threatenings and slaughter, obtained letters of permission from the High priest to go to Damascus and if he found any of "this way" (Christians serving the Lord Jesus) in the synagogues, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem( Acts 9:1-2). Off he set towards the city of Damascus with fire in his eyes towards the Christians who may be there. We are all familiar with the story of how Jesus appears to him and blinds him as he tells him what to do. Nobody else with Paul could see or hear Christ, ONLY Paul was being spoken to, ONLY Paul was being called and chosen by Christ to be a disciple of all the men at the scene. The POWER of the Spirit of God was working its MIRACLES! Yes, this was a special miracle of REVELATION about THE truth of Jesus, to Paul. Most of those called and chosen by the Lord are not given this exact type of miracle, yet to be called and chosen, to be DRAWN by the Father to KNOW Christ(John 6:44,65) through the Spirit, IS A MIRACLE! Let's get this CLEAR. This was a real and genuine calling and CHOOSING! No MAYBE here, no possible here, no probable but.......Paul was being CHOSEN by the Father through Christ via the Holy Spirit of power, to SALVATION, to have the BLINDNESS REMOVED. He was chosen to SEE (while being physically blinded) the PLAIN TRUTH of Christ, sin, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Spirit and on into a life of sanctification, and being saved by grace through faith in Jesus. This we shall see without DOUBT from other chapters in Acts WAS THE START of Paul's choosing. If it is true, as it is, that all are in blindness as to WHO Jesus really is, what is real SIN, and real REPENTANCE, together with the CORRECT way to salvation and LIVING as a begotten son/daughter of the true God the Father in heaven. Then GOD MUST START AT SOME POINT TO REVEAL HIMSELF AND HIS TRUTH TO YOU VIA HIS SPIRIT OF POWER, IN WHATEVER MIRACULOUS WAY HE DECIDES TO CHOOSE YOU. It is a MIRACLE whichever way the Eternal decides to SHOW you His Son in "spirit and in truth" so you can worship Him in "spirit and in truth." With Paul it was the way we read about in the book of Acts. But it was an absolute, no question about it, CHOSEN to be given his time of salvation in this physical life. It was not going to be a "half" choosing, or "well let's kind of see if Paul will possibly take the bite." This was God saying Paul was going to receive his day of salvation in THIS life time. Jesus in full truth that this was the truth being given to Paul, COMES! Jesus had knocked on the DOOR of Paul's house. Christ STOOD WITHOUT and was KNOCKING, just as He states He will do to those He is choosing(Rev.3:20). Jesus has NOT YET ENTERED THROUGH THE DOOR. The door has NOT YET BEEN OPENED. But when Jesus knocks to choose, He has chosen, it is THE DAY of salvation for that person. If God has chosen as He did with Paul, the Spirit of power is used WITH that person to TAKE AWAY the BLINDNESS and reveal the BASIC REQUIREMENTS of KNOWING JESUS is alive, is SAVIOR, what is SIN, that Christ died to take away sins, what is true REPENTANCE, and what needs to be DONE (baptism for one) to go ON to receive the Spirit IN them, and enter the PROCESS of BEING SAVED through GRACE, sanctification and final INHERITANCE. Jesus knocked on Paul's door. Paul had NO QUESTION in his mind but that it was the REAL Jesus NOW talking to him. That BLINDNESS was removed ALREADY. He knew that he knew. He knew he had been GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION! He knew he had not known the truth. He knew he had been WRONG! He knew he had been IGNORANT - DECEIVED! He now knew he had a zeal for God NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE! That was NOW VERY CLEAR TO HIM! His BLINDNESS in this first step to salvation HAD BEEN REMOVED!! But was Paul NOW A ROBOT? Had he now lost his FREE AGENCY? Was it IMPOSSIBLE for him to have said: " I don't care Christ, I do not want you or your salvation, I'm quite happy the way I was. I'm not going to change my ways, so get out of here and leave me alone. I refuse to open the door and let you in." Paul, and anyone chosen by God when He chooses them, and reveals His Son and Sin and Repentance, to them, when that blindness is removed, CAN STILL KEEP THE DOOR SHUT! They can still at this time REFUSE to walk to FIRST BASE after being thrown no balls. They are still FREE AGENTS that God will NOT FORCE, or turn them into robots. How can it possibly be any other way? The Father wants children who will FREELY because they CHOOSE LIFE and not death(Deut.30:19), to love Him with all their heart, and soul, and mind. He cannot force anyone to MOVE ON to salvation once He chooses them for salvation. He could not force Paul to accept once that part of spiritual blindness had been removed. But if God has set His hand to CHOOSE someone then there is no turning back, their day of salvation is here in this life time, refusing at ANY TIME from when the blindness is being removed AND never repenting WILL LEAD TO THE SECOND DEATH and no resurrection in the White Throne Judgment! Paul COULD HAVE NOT OPENED THE DOOR, BUT TOLD JESUS TO GET LOST! He was FREE to accept the choosing or reject it, RIGHT THERE ON THAT ROAD TO DAMASCUS, BEFORE BAPTISM AND HAVING THE SPIRIT IN HIM! Paul was not baptised on the spot. No one else there was being chosen. He was not baptised when they took him into the city, immediately. He was LEFT FOR THREE DAYS to see, to meditate, to fast with no food or water, to pray, to CRY, to see SIN, that he was a sinner, to understand THROUGH THE POWER of the Spirit working WITH him, what TRUE REPENTANCE was all about. What giving himself to the real God, that had now taken away this blindness and revealed this first step to being saved and salvation, WAS GOING TO ENTAIL. The Father was MOVING, was WORKING WITH him, was LEADING him with His Spirit to these truths. God was SHOWING him certain parts of His WILL, what He wanted him to do, but He was not going to FORCE him to do anything if he did not want to choose life but wanted to choose death. Paul did WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING! His attitude of seeing himself as a sinner, needing the grace of God, wanting to accept Jesus as savior, wanting to, willing to REPENT, was THERE IN HIS MIND. I'm sure he literally CRIED to the Lord to have mercy upon him, to save his deceived and once blinded heart and soul. The Eternal came through the door Paul opened. He walk in to sit and eat with him. Paul was given a vision of one Ananias coming to help him in the name of the Lord(Acts 9:10-12). Turn to Acts 22. Paul is re-iterating the things we have been reading about in chapter nine. Notice what he tells us here about some of the words spoken by Ananias. Let us pick it up in verse 14. " And he said: The God of our fathers has CHOSEN(ah, there's that word) you, that you should KNOW HIS WILL, and SEE the JUST ONE, and should HEAR the voice of HIS MOUTH......." When did Paul SEE and HEAR the JUST ONE? Why on the road to Damascus! When did Paul START TO KNOW HIS WILL, have the blindness removed, see the TRUTH of SIN and REPENTANCE? Why, when Jesus REVEALED Himself to Paul with those truths, on the road to Damascus and for THREE DAYS in the city of Damascus as Paul fasted and prayed. Could Paul have REFUSED the knocking of Jesus on the CHOSEN DOOR? Oh, indeed he could have! He could have told Jesus he was not going to open the door. He could have REMAINED in his sins, could have remained UN-repented, could have turned his back on GRACE and mercy at THIS TIME and he could have REFUSED to ever repent and walk on to receiving the Spirit IN him through baptism. God was working WITH him through the Spirit, but Paul was free to choose DEATH if he wanted. Remaining un-repented and not willing to move on into sanctification by the Spirit, would have meant the SECOND DEATH for Paul, no White throne Judgment resurrection for him in that event ONLY the second death. Paul was CHOSEN even BEFORE his baptism to KNOW THE WILL OF GOD, at least in this part of the will of God, not that he knew everything about the truths and doctrines of the Lord in all its completeness(that was to come later in Arabia - Gal.1:15-17 with 11-12). Yet Ananias was inspired to tell him God had BEFORE BAPTISM taken away blindness and revealed His WILL to him. It is clear that the truth or parts of the truth of God CAN AND IS revealed to people BEFORE they are baptised, before the laying on of hands, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit IN them as a begettal. God does work WITH His Spirit on people's minds. He does REMOVE some blindness, so they clearly see the first BASICS to salvation. The Eternal does CALL and He does CHOOSE a person to be given their day of salvation BEFORE baptism, before the Spirit is IN them. They are BEGINNING TO BE JUDGED for salvation AT THIS POINT in their lives, just as Paul was in his life. Any refusing at this point, and staying in that refusing state of mind, when God has determined to choose them to salvation in this life, means only the second death awaits them. Just as anyone who does accept and moves on to base one, baptism and receiving the Spirit IN them, being sanctified and living the process of salvation, can at any time, because free agency is never taken away, TURN AWAY from that calling and choosing, and end up in the second death. So it is for those who are called and CHOSEN and refuse to move on to the first base. Paul did NOT REFUSE! He did ACCEPT Jesus! Ananias was sent to BAPTIZE him and that he might "be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17). His SINS were washed AWAY and through baptism he had the Holy Spirit IN him. He continued on the pathway and in the process of salvation from the time Jesus spoke and chose him on that road to Damascus. He continued to fight the good fight, to watch himself, lest that after preaching to others he should be a cast away (1 Cor.9:27). He knew Jesus had taught that "he that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved." One more time Paul was to witness about his calling and choosing by Jesus on that road to the city of Damascus. It was to be before King Agrippa. We find it in Acts 26. We are hear given a little more that Jesus said to him, that was not given in the earlier accounts. It is often as the Lord has said, a little here and a little there. We must find all the scriptures on any subject to get the whole picture, and the whole truth. He tells Agrippa what Jesus had said to him. Notice verse 18. "To open their eyes, and to TURN THEM FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, and from the POWER of Satan UNTO GOD, that they may RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, and INHERITANCE AMONG them which ARE SANCTIFIED by FAITH that is IN ME." Do you see the natural PROGRESS in what Jesus states here? Paul was to be used to LEAD people, JUST AS he was led. 1. Blindness removed in basic ways, the first step ways. Eyes OPENED, spiritual eyes opened, from being in DARKNESS to see the LIGHT. To see TRUTH. To bring people out of the power of Satan, not seeing the true God, not seeing what SIN is, not understanding what real REPENTANCE is, to where they DO SEE THESE THINGS IN ALL BASIC TRUTH AND BEGIN TO KNOW THE TRUE GOD! 2. All that is done FIRST. The Spirit working WITH people, but not IN them. It is done so they can MOVE ON from the dug out, to the batter's base. That they may go ON as Paul himself did, to RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS! As Ananias said to Paul: " And now why tarriest you? Arise, and be BAPTISED, and WASH AWAY YOUR SINS, calling on the name of the Lord "(chapt.22:16). Then by so doing God has promised to put His Spirit WITHIN the repentant, newly baptised individual (Acts 2:38). Both the Father and Jesus now come to LIVE within that person via the Holy Spirit (John 14:23). Sins are forgiven through Jesus at baptism(Rom.6) and we come up to walk in newness of life, to live as Jesus now lives. That is our aim and our goal. 3. Then we move ON from the batter's base to the first base of joining those that went before us. We move on into the inheritance among the saints who are NOW BEING SANCTIFIED by FAITH in Christ Jesus. We now are WITHIN the very BEGOTTEN children of the family of God. Those who have the Spirit IN them, united with their mind and heart. Those who through CONTINUED FAITH look to Jesus not only as Savior from past sins, but High Priest on the Father's right hand in heaven, to secure CONTINUAL GRACE AND FORGIVENESS of sins that the sanctified Christian may commit as they walk the salvation road to the Kingdom of God. Those are the THREE basic steps to salvation. I elaborate in great detail those steps in my article called SAVED BY GRACE. I will be happy to send it to anyone who requests it, either regular mail or e-mail. When God has decided that a person is CHOSEN, it is DONE, it has been decided. The Eternal is not DOUBLE MINDED as men are. When someone is CHOSEN to salvation in this life time, he/she is chosen. Jesus will not knock on the door and then run away. He does not play games. Those having been called and CHOSEN to be in the FIRST resurrection at the coming of the Lord, are being given their DAY of salvation in this life time. How shall we escape if we NEGLECT so great salvation (Heb.2:3). From the moment God chooses as when He did with Paul on the road to Damascus, from that moment on it is our day of salvation, and it is the time to make a choice to choose either LIFE or DEATH. We become unblinded, we walk from darkness to light. We become in the eyes of the Eternal different from all others who are still in blindness. We have been CHOSEN to be a part of the very church and body of Christ Jesus at that very time. We are then beginning to be JUDGED to see what we shall do with what God has given us to do with. There is only then in this life time for such individuals, TWO CHOICES. They have come to the cross roads. They are like Paul on the road of life having to acknowledge they see truth and must make a choice either for the first resurrection or for the second death. God is then, at that choosing time crying out to them: " I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have SET BEFORE YOU LIFE and DEATH, blessing and cursing: THEREFORE CHOOSE LIFE....." (Deut.30:19). "Therefor I will JUDGE YOU......everyone according to his ways, says the Lord God. REPENT, and TURN yourselves from all your TRANSGRESSIONS; so INIQUITY shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you ALL your TRANSGRESSIONS, whereby you have transgressed; and MAKE YOU A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT; for WHY will you DIE.......For I have NO PLEASURE in the DEATH of the him that dieth, saith the Eternal God: wherefore TURN yourselves and LIVE " (Ezek.18:30-32). ........................... Written April 1997