What has God called you to do, to be? Some feel that the Lord has led them to be doctors, nurses, teachers, or any number of noble professions. Some Christians, though, might be puzzled and unsure of what they believe the Lord has called them to do with their lives. We can’t just open up the Bible and look at any specific chapter and verse, and read where God says, “John, I want you to become a …..” or “Mary, I want you to do …..”. However, in the Scriptures there are several passages where we can read where God has called all of His children to something specific. We find one such passage in our Scripture for today.
Today’s Scripture is the opening verses of the first chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. Right away in Paul’s greeting, the Apostle says that the Corinthian believers were “called to be saints” (vs. 2). The word “saints” in the Greek is “agios”, which means “holy one”, “sacred”, “consecrated”, and “saint”. The word “saint” comes from the Latin word “sanctus” or "sanctum", from which we also get the word “sanctified”. When something or someone is sanctified it has been set apart from everything else for God’s purpose and use. So Paul was saying that the members of the church in Corinth were called to be set apart for God.
Who were the people in the church of Corinth? There were some members of the church there who were involved in some rather serious sins, including sexual sins, fighting among each other, and lawsuits between each other. That is hardly the behavior we would associate with saints! However, God’s Word here says that these folks were each “called to be saints”, to be sanctified and set apart for God’s use.
That wasn’t a calling specifically just for the Corinthians. Paul says in that same sentence that all, that everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord Jesus, are called to be saints. That includes each one of us today. This is a calling that everyone of us have. We might not all be called to be pastors, or missionaries, doctors, or lawyers, but we each are called to be saints, to be holy and set apart for God’s use.
How can we be saints? That seems like a very tall order. However, as we continue on in this passage, we read that God has equipped us with all that we need to fulfill His calling in our life. First, He has given us His grace and peace (vs. 3). Grace is the beginning of all blessings that we have through Him. They all come to us through His grace. Peace is the end result of all of the blessings we have through Him. God the Father is the source of every good gift and every perfect gift through Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross (James 1:17). Paul told the Corinthian church that they were enriched in everything through the Lord Jesus (vs. 5-7). They had godly knowledge, and every spiritual gift that was available. The Corinthian believers were no more blessed or special than any other believers, either then or today. When we are called by the Lord to do what He wants, He will equip us to fulfill that calling. And since we all have been called to be saints, to be sanctified and set apart for Him, we are able.
Sometimes some Christians feel ill-equipped to witness or speak up for the Lord. We read here in this passage that God has blessed or enriched each of us “in all utterance” (vs. 5). This word refers to speech or speaking, doctrine, or teaching. We might not all be called to be teachers. Not all of us have that gift. However, each of us can depend upon the Lord to give us the right words to say when the need arises for us to give a witness to someone. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will give us the right words to say when we need them (Luke 12:11-12). Believers who trust and rely on the Lord will be able to speak when God wants them to, because of His enablement. He provides us with all the knowledge we need in order to speak effectively for Him.
As Paul closes this passage, he reminds us that God is faithful (vs. 9). He is faithful to equip us to be sanctified and set apart for Him. He is faithful to provide us with all that we need to carry out His purpose in our lives. God does not lie. What He says He will do, He always does it. He keeps every single one of His promises. The God who leads us is ever faithful. Turn each fear and worry over to Him, and discover His strength to be sufficient for us. The Lord is sovereign and unchanging, and we can be assured of all of His graces and promises to us.
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