Jude 1:1-2

Before we leave this opening passage, let us think a little more about this calling of God and try to see something of what it means.

(i) Paul speaks about being called to be an apostle ( Romans 1:1 ; 1 Corinthians 1:1 ). In Greek the word is apostolos ( Greek #652 ); it comes from the verb apostellein ( Greek #649 ), to send out, and an apostle is therefore, one who is sent out. That is to say, the Christian is the ambassador of Christ. He is sent out into the world to speak for Christ, to act for Christ, to live for Christ. By his life he commends, or fails to commend, Christ to others.

(ii) Paul speaks about being called to be saints ( Romans 1:7 ; 1 Corinthians 1:2 ). The word for saint is hagios ( Greek #40 ), which is also very commonly translated holy. Its root idea is difference. The Sabbath is holy because it is different from other days; God is supremely holy because he's different from men. To be called to be a saint is to be called to be different. The world has its own standards and its own scale of values. The difference for the Christian is that Christ is the only standard and loyalty to Christ the only value.

(iii) The Christian is called according to the purpose of God ( Romans 8:28 ). God's call goes out to every man, although every man does not accept it; and this means that for every man God has a purpose. The Christian is the man who submits himself to the purpose God has for him.

Paul has much to say about this calling of God, and we can set it down only very summarily. It sets before a man a great hope ( Ephesians 1:18 ; Ephesians 4:4 ). It should be a unifying influence binding men together by the conviction that they all have a part in the purpose of God ( Ephesians 4:4 ). It is an upward calling ( Philippians 3:14 ), setting a man's feet on the way to the stars. It is a heavenly calling ( Hebrews 3:1 ), making a man think of the things which are invisible and eternal. It is a holy calling, a call to consecration to God. It is a calling which covers a man's ordinary every-day task ( 1 Corinthians 7:20 ). It is a calling which does not alter because God does not change his mind ( Romans 11:29 ). It knows no human distinctions and cuts across the world's classifications and scale of importances ( 1 Corinthians 1:26 ). It is something of which the Christian must be worthy ( Ephesians 4:1 ; 2 Thessalonians 1:11 ); and all life must be one long effort to make it secure ( 2 Peter 1:10 ).

The calling of God is the privilege, the challenge and the inspiration of the Christian life.