CALLED OF CHRIST - PART 2

SATURDAY 30 DECEMBER 2023

It is a wonderful thing to be called of Christ because it gives us the freedom and opportunity to function by the ruling of God's Word and tread in the steps of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. More below!

Reference: Romans 1:6 New King James Version (NKJV)

"among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ."

If a man really believes in his heart that God had raised Jesus from the dead, and has truly confessed faith in Christ Jesus, thereby accepting Him as Saviour and Lord, indeed, that man belongs to the Lord. He has accepted Christ's atonement and, as well, His righteousness has been imputed to him through faith.

1st Corinthians 3:23 reads, "And you are of Christ, and Christ is of God" (NIV). Moreover, it's not enough to belong to Christ Jesus, you must stand fast in the profession of your faith and abide in Him. In other words, you must be sure to mind this: That your conversations and dispositional make up or effects are worthy of the gospel of Christ.

What did God do with those He called? The Bible says, "Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" (Romans 8:30 NKJV). Those He called, He justified. So he declared or made righteous in His sight, those He called. In Thayer's Greek lexicon, it means "dikaioō", which is to free, render or regard as just or innocent, and that is, to pronounce them as the righteous. Additionally, Galatians 3:29 reads, "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise" (NIV).

Attentive hearing of the Word of God is a good sign that you belong to Christ, and it helps you to increase daily in knowledge of the Word and in the perfections of the Spirit. To that effect, Pauline epistolary expression stated: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16 NKJV). As a further matter, this Scripture is not just about experiencing the hearing of Christ's words with your own ears, it is also about being epitomised by what it conveys or reveals.

Having been called of Christ and created anew in Him, we increase in grace by means of the ministry of the Word, which denotes that there is a dynamic power embedded in the Word. As we do so on a regularly basis, we put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness, under the influence of grace (Ephesians 4:24 NLT).

That is the way to live soberly, righteously and godly, bearing in mind that whoever claims to belong to Christ and live in Him must live as Jesus did (see 1 John 2:6 NIV). Therefore, my prayer is that you'll not just belong in Christ, but also, continue to be empowered and directed by the Spirit to walk as Christ Himself did. Shalom! 

Scripture Reading - John 17:10; Acts 27:23; Romans 14:8; 1 Corinthians 3:23.

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, your Word is the glorious means by which I've been called into fellowship with the Godhead. The beauty of the treasures of the Spirit shines brightly in me unto a full and perfect day because I belong to Christ Jesus. The influence of your Spirit is the power by which I express my being in Christ and the attitude of His mind at work in me. The way of Christ in me is divine light and I function accordingly, in Jesus name, Amen!