Many people are called by God for special ministry assignments. Many people are presented with a special invitation from God to partner with Him to accomplish great things.
But that’s only the first step. That is only an invitation. That invitation does not guarantee that you will fully enter into the special ministry assignment that God has for you. That calling is of very high value, but to fully enter into that calling, you must be chosen. The calling—or the invitation—comes first. Being chosen by God comes later.
Just before He went to the cross, Jesus said this privately to His 12 disciples who were called to become the first apostles of the Church:
*“You did not choose me. I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit—fruit that will last.”— John 15:16 (ERV) *
“I’m not talking about all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: ‘The one who ate bread with me has turned against me.’”— John 13:18 (ISV)
Jesus knew that not all of those He had called would be chosen to continue as apostles. Jesus tells us that many are called, but only a few are chosen after they receive the call.
Why is that? Why is it that so many people never fully enter into the high calling that God has for their lives?
It is because of failure to meet the conditions to be chosen. It is because of failure to pass the tests that follow the call. The call is not guaranteed. It is conditional. Finally receiving God’s approval and being chosen to partner with God in His great work is contingent on you passing the tests that He will give you along the way to being chosen and receiving your commission for ministry.
One of the great tragedies of history was the failure of the children of Israel to enter into the land that God had promised them after He had delivered them from the slavery of Egypt. They were called, but because of unbelief that led to disobedience, they never entered into the fullness of all that God had for them. They died without ever seeing all that God wanted for them.
They did not meet the conditions to obtain what God had promised them. They did not pass the tests that were necessary to enter into their calling.
“In the part of Scripture I talked about earlier God spoke. He said, ‘They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.’ (Psalm 95:11) It is still true that some people will enjoy this rest. But those who had the good news announced to them earlier didn’t go in. That’s because they didn’t obey.”— Hebrews 4:5-6 (NIRV)
On the other hand, when Jesus was tested, He responded in faith and obedience. His responses always pleased His Father. After passing each test, Jesus was finally commissioned by God to fully enter into the calling that God had for His life when He was 30 years old.
Jesus’ life is a model for us. His responses to the tests that He experienced serve as examples for us as we seek to enter into God’s callings for our lives.
