“For many are called but few chosen.”
Matthew 22:14 records this expression Jesus made as he spoke of the parable of the Wedding Feast, wherein a guest attending the feast was not wearing a fitting wedding garment for the occasion.
This person heeded the calling alright, without receiving God’s spiritual garment (the baptism of the Spirit in one’s heart) suited for his Son. All garments folks wore had to be accepted by the Father first, as it was for the spiritual and holy reunion feast of marriage of the body of Christ, his Son. The presence of God, his spirit in our hearts, to truly receive and accept this calling, to come, is mandatory. There is no other way. This is the path of Salvation that is very specific and narrow. This specificity does not just refer to our belief in Christ, it is more.
The ‘way’ or method we receive and believe in Christ is paramount.
This person in this parable decided to bring carnal and corrupt spiritual clothing to the wedding feast of God’s holiness and purity. Yes, this person believed in the ruler and his position, although on his or her own terms. This person believed it was appropriate to bypass the Father’s loving presence and greeting at the door (of the heart) and accepted his Son’s invitation by avoiding the door completely. This person's heart was not cultivated and prepared by the Father to accept this calling in humility and genuine repentance. We know what happened to this person. He or she was quickly rejected and ejected from the feast. Jesus never knew him. His Father never had the opportunity to clothe him correctly for the feast of life, of his Son. This person just clothed himself with what suited him/her– decided to just use his/her own free-will in this critical decision of holy spiritual acceptance.
How many Christians have accepted the gospel without wearing or being baptized in God’s holy spirit within their hearts, first?! We truly cannot wear the wedding garments for the Son’s feast without his permission, his acceptance and intervention. The Father and Son know the legitimate attendees in advance of the feast.
The last part of the expression says, ‘few are chosen.’ Not to sound redundant, but who again chooses? He who chooses us will not return an ‘empty hand.’ Well it is not us, or the person deciding to accept the calling. Some say, well I believed after I was called by hearing the gospel message, so I must be chosen. This is what the person in this parable thought, and he/she was thrown to the roadside, if you will.
God chooses those that are called. How does he do this?
1. First, he already knows the hearts that will turn to him, before they were born. He therefore chose that person he knew as he knew they would also be touched by the call before they were born.
2. Second, the person seeks/sought God’s presence at some time or over many times, to know him and to accept the calling about his Son. They are humble and sincere in their quest. They show their heart to God with all its imperfections and corruption. Nothing is hidden. They truly want to change or repent, and they do.
3. Third, God touches that heart of the one called by spiritual rebirth.
4. Fourth, that person senses God’s presence as the spirit is now already in the heart.
5. Fifth, he provides the faith to believe in the moment of human decision.
6. Sixth, the person is swayed to accept the terms of God and salvation from the heart and not from the mind. It is not a mental exercise as the carnal mind is ill-equipped to understand and respond to the call of God and his gospel.
Now I say, can we truthfully say we chose to accept the calling of God to salvation by the belief in his Son, with our own free will and nothing/or no one else? Did God have anything to do with it? I hope so. No one wants to be rejected by Christ.
If we say we alone chose salvation by the calling of the gospel, without the presence of God, then we mock him and his plan of salvation through Christ. We cannot just believe in Jesus from the emptiness and carnality of our minds or out of our natural carnal hearts.
The spark comes for God himself after we call to him in our own way…and he already knew this anyway…not a riddle to those that understand God is beyond time and space…
What say ye?
Matthew 22:14 records this expression Jesus made as he spoke of the parable of the Wedding Feast, wherein a guest attending the feast was not wearing a fitting wedding garment for the occasion.
This person heeded the calling alright, without receiving God’s spiritual garment (the baptism of the Spirit in one’s heart) suited for his Son. All garments folks wore had to be accepted by the Father first, as it was for the spiritual and holy reunion feast of marriage of the body of Christ, his Son. The presence of God, his spirit in our hearts, to truly receive and accept this calling, to come, is mandatory. There is no other way. This is the path of Salvation that is very specific and narrow. This specificity does not just refer to our belief in Christ, it is more.
The ‘way’ or method we receive and believe in Christ is paramount.
This person in this parable decided to bring carnal and corrupt spiritual clothing to the wedding feast of God’s holiness and purity. Yes, this person believed in the ruler and his position, although on his or her own terms. This person believed it was appropriate to bypass the Father’s loving presence and greeting at the door (of the heart) and accepted his Son’s invitation by avoiding the door completely. This person's heart was not cultivated and prepared by the Father to accept this calling in humility and genuine repentance. We know what happened to this person. He or she was quickly rejected and ejected from the feast. Jesus never knew him. His Father never had the opportunity to clothe him correctly for the feast of life, of his Son. This person just clothed himself with what suited him/her– decided to just use his/her own free-will in this critical decision of holy spiritual acceptance.
How many Christians have accepted the gospel without wearing or being baptized in God’s holy spirit within their hearts, first?! We truly cannot wear the wedding garments for the Son’s feast without his permission, his acceptance and intervention. The Father and Son know the legitimate attendees in advance of the feast.
The last part of the expression says, ‘few are chosen.’ Not to sound redundant, but who again chooses? He who chooses us will not return an ‘empty hand.’ Well it is not us, or the person deciding to accept the calling. Some say, well I believed after I was called by hearing the gospel message, so I must be chosen. This is what the person in this parable thought, and he/she was thrown to the roadside, if you will.
God chooses those that are called. How does he do this?
1. First, he already knows the hearts that will turn to him, before they were born. He therefore chose that person he knew as he knew they would also be touched by the call before they were born.
2. Second, the person seeks/sought God’s presence at some time or over many times, to know him and to accept the calling about his Son. They are humble and sincere in their quest. They show their heart to God with all its imperfections and corruption. Nothing is hidden. They truly want to change or repent, and they do.
3. Third, God touches that heart of the one called by spiritual rebirth.
4. Fourth, that person senses God’s presence as the spirit is now already in the heart.
5. Fifth, he provides the faith to believe in the moment of human decision.
6. Sixth, the person is swayed to accept the terms of God and salvation from the heart and not from the mind. It is not a mental exercise as the carnal mind is ill-equipped to understand and respond to the call of God and his gospel.
Now I say, can we truthfully say we chose to accept the calling of God to salvation by the belief in his Son, with our own free will and nothing/or no one else? Did God have anything to do with it? I hope so. No one wants to be rejected by Christ.
If we say we alone chose salvation by the calling of the gospel, without the presence of God, then we mock him and his plan of salvation through Christ. We cannot just believe in Jesus from the emptiness and carnality of our minds or out of our natural carnal hearts.
The spark comes for God himself after we call to him in our own way…and he already knew this anyway…not a riddle to those that understand God is beyond time and space…
What say ye?
