CALLED, CHOSEN & SEPARATED UNTO GOD

Pastor Anita Clark

Grace Chapel, Carbondale, Kasnsas

Throughout the Old Testament God chose men and woman to serve Him in special ways. In the Old Testament God chose Abraham, Jacob, Moses, the Prophets and King David and many others. Many of them were chosen before their births and called by God and then separated to the work God called them to perform. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose.”

In New testament times God chose Apostle Paul. In Romans 1:1 we read, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an Apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God.” In Galatians 1:15-16 - we read that Apostle Paul was “a delegate, ambassador or sent one,” “separated from his mother’s womb” or from his birth, to be the Apostle of the Church.

In Romans 8:29-30, Apostle Paul gives us a list of God’s profound divine work in His people.

(1.) Vs. 29 - “Whom He did foreknow” - Ephesians 1:4 says, “According as he hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Yes, before time, God saw the believers in Christ as ones who would be called and chosen. That’s because He is the Almighty God.
(2.) Vs.29 - “He did predestinate.” This means He determined before time and ordained that there would be a group of people of God who would come to Him and experience salvation through believing in Jesus Christ, and become a New Race - a New Creation in Christ Jesus. Those who would believe the message of salvation would “be conformed to the image of His Son.” The word, “conformed” in the Greek means, “fashioned like unto, or profile, a likeness of resemblance.” This is not speaking of our physical appearance, but the inward work God would perform in our lives and hearts. The work of God is going on in our lives today changing us to be like Jesus Christ. He does not work against our will, but as we submit to Him, our lives will become more and more like Jesus.

(3.) Vs. 30 - “Them He also called” - Often in the Gospel Records, we read Jesus telling His disciples, “Come, Follow me.” He speaks to our hearts - He calls us, first to salvation and then to ministry. Each person who comes to salvation has heard His call and has heeded it. This begins a marvelous process. After initial salvation He gives us other important calls, to ministry and other important things He wants us to do, but then we hear a special call to follow Him completely, letting Him work submission in our hearts to be in the company that will make up His bride. (Read II Cor. 11:1-3; Rev. 19:7-9).

(4.) Vs. 30 - “Them He also called, He justified.” “Justified” means “to make righteous.” The Scripture tells us in Romans 3:10, “There is none righteous, no not one.” Jesus provided salvation for us and gave us His righteousness. The word “righteousness” means “just, innocent or righteous.” We have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and made innocent and clean because of what he did on Calvary.

(5.) Vs. 30. - “Them He justified, He glorified.” This statement concludes five profound steps demonstrating God’s marvelous work in the believer in Christ. This fifth step is yet to come. We are looking for His appearing at anytime. The work that He has done in the lives of His called and chosen will come to a divine conclusion. We must recognize that we belong to the Lord God. Jesus said in Mark 9:41, “Ye belong to Christ.”

This brings us to the last part of this message - that is - Separation unto God. Since we belong to the Lord, He desires us to be separated unto Him. The word “separation” in the Greek. means, “to set off by boundaries, divide or exclude.” II Corinthians 6:17 Apostle Paul states. “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you.” Verses 14-16 lists several things mentioned by Paul that will entangle the believer keeping them from the separation God wants. Vs. 16 speaks of “the temple of God” - We are “the temple of the living God.” Many religions worship literal idols made with hands. God has objected to that from Old Testament times, proclaiming to the Israelites, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” However, many people in our day worship many other things besides literal idols, Any thing that takes God’s first place in our lives can be an idol. Idols are anything in the world that we love more than God and Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Do you feel this? Are you separated from the world enough so that People can tell you are a Christian and different from the majority? Romans 12:2 says, “Be not conformed to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The word “conformed” means to be “fashioned like, in our minds, the way we act and etc. patterned after the world and what it does.” Paul says, “ but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds.” The word “transformed” is the Greek. Word “metamorphose.” There’s a song that goes, “There’s been a change.” Every Christian should have changes going on in their lives continually with spiritual work of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 7:31 says “They that use this world, as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away.” The Amplified Version says, “And those who deal with the world overusing the enjoyment of this life, let them live as though they were not absorbed by it, and as if they had no dealings with it. For the outward form of this world - the present world order is passing away.”

Philippians 3:20 says, “For our citizenship is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” As the song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through, My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”