How have we come to the
situation like location, work, community, people, school, relationship, families,
friends, and so forth? Have they happened accidentally and randomly? By no means!
Or have they happened by our choice? No, they haven’t although we reason and
make the choices. It’s all happened by the hand of God in His great wisdom and
foreknowledge. Humans unlike robots have will power to choose. We can exercise
our own will power to the degree of 100%. No one can deny the power to choose
by any degree, not even God. Even if we exercise it freely it is still in the
perimeter of God’s foreknowledge. Listen to what Apostle Paul says.
“Nevertheless, each person
should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them,
just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.”
(1 Corinthians 7:17)
Paul just said that both
marriage and celibacy are permissible and holy in the sight of God. There were
some in the church of Corinth who were living with unbelievers. Paul gave the
treatment that as long as an unbeliever was willing to live with a believer
they must not divorce. No matter what situation it may be, the Lord has
assigned to them. The divine hand of God is behind for every believer in any
situation. The divine calling of God works exactly the same as putting the
believers into the proper situation. That’s called sanctification, God’s
strategic placement. It is impossible for humans to choose God. Instead, God
choose with His eternal wisdom and foreknowledge. This doctrine applies to all
the churches in the first century and twenty first century.
“You did not choose me, but I
chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will
last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John
15:16)
“For those God foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also
called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also
glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)
“For he chose us in him before
the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he
predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with
his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely
given us in the One he loves.” (Ephesians 1:4-6)
The world complaints that some
are more favored than others in terms of race, wealth, proximity, community,
family, and blood. It’s not so. There are so many testimonials even in the
world to say that is not true. The Scripture says that God is just and faithful
and in Him no favoritism can stand. The reason God chose Israel was not based
on favoritism as Moses said, “The LORD did not set his affection on you and
choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the
fewest of all peoples.” (Deuteronomy 7:7)
There is no value in man to
Holy God. “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.
He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each
person.” (John 2:24-25) In terms of having difficulties and troubles, stresses
and pressures in life all is equal regardless of race, wealth, profession,
education, experience, and family and blood. “No temptation has overtaken you
except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be
tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also
provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) All is born
in Adam who is the pattern of mankind.
“Was a man already circumcised
when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised
when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and
uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person
should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.” (1
Corinthians 7:18-20)
If someone was circumcised when
he was called he should not become uncircumcised and vice versa. The Jews are
circumcised on the eighth day of birth whereas the Gentiles aren’t. Of course,
these days many a babies among non-Jews are circumcised for health reason. The
first circumcision in the Scripture appears in the life of Abraham. It was
happened after he was called righteous (Genesis 17:24). The order is so
significant that he didn’t earn the righteousness of God through the
circumcision. It was the faith in the promise of God that he was made
righteous. It is the symbol for the death of human pride, crucifixion. Circumcision
itself is nothing and nor is uncircumcision. The obedience of God’s command
matters all. It is useless to attend the Sunday services and to give offerings
if they do not love one another. External activities do not count at all. Jesus
says in the parable of the sheep and the goats what it truly counts before the
judgement seat of God.
“Then the King will say to those
on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance,
the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry
and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed
me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit
me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a
stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see
you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell
you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of
mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:34-40)
So, each person should remain
in the situation they were in when God called them. Race, wealth, education,
heredity, and proximity shall remain the same in Christ Jesus. Blacks don’t
need to be whites and whites don’t need to be blacks. Soldiers don’t need to be
civilians and civilians don’t need to be soldiers. Those who have tattoos don’t
need to remove them. What really matters is transformation and change in heart
and mind in handling the lives for they have been liberated and set freed from
the bondage of darkness and confusion and become the children of the kingdom of
light.
“Were you a slave when you were
called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.
For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s
freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Brothers and
sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation
they were in when God called them.” (1 Corinthians 7:21-24)
In the first century, one out
of two was a slave. So, in the churches many slaves mixed with freemen.
Although they remained in slavery physically they were indeed the Lord’s freed
people spiritually. In the same way, those who were free physically when called
is Christ’s slave spiritually. All the called in Christ Jesus were bought at a
price, so they are not their own and nor slaves of human beings. “And by that
will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all.” (Hebrews 10:14) All the called in God’s grace are the captives
of Christ. “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned
it. This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and
gave gifts to his people.’” (Ephesians 4:7-8)
We are not living any longer
our own life but Christ’s life because we died to sin with Him. We no more run and
drive our lives but the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. We go when told to
go, we stay when told to stay. It’s an exchanged life we live now and
forevermore. The life we live now in Christ is eternal since we belong to
Christ Jesus the Lord who has freed us from the bondage of the devil. “I have
been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The
life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
Just as no one can deny our
will to choose, so also no one can exercise authority over others on God’s
divine strategic placement. Each one is responsible to God whether accepting
and obeying Him or not. Apostle Paul prays for all the saints to understand the
depth and the height and the width and the length of the love of Christ, to be strengthened
with power through the Spirit out of God’s incomparable and glorious riches,
and to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
“For this reason I kneel before
the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I
pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through
his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through
faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have
power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and
high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses
knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now
to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
(Ephesians 3:14-21)
Prayer: Our loving Father in
heaven, thank you for your infinite wisdom and foreknowledge that we have been
called and placed in the situation to advance your divine program. We don’t
understand at times and can’t see all but thank you for the blessings and
promises through which we can perfectly trust in Awesome God who did not fail
to send His Son Christ Jesus to purge out our sins and transgressions at all. In
Christ’s name. Amen.
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