Called, Chosen, Faithful

Ever read through a Scripture passage, wonder what it meant, but never take the
time to check it out? I’m guilty of that from time to time. Thankfully, I do eventually
get around to doing the biblical research. In this lesson there are two particular
Scriptures that have arrested my attention. They refer to being called and chosen.
One verse takes it the extra step and includes being faithful.

Here are the two verses:

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is
Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen,
and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).

“For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).

Those that are with Jesus Christ, in the Book of Revelation, are identified as:

• Called

• Chosen

• Faithful

This is the first—and only—time that these three words appear together. In a
nutshell, these three simple words highlight the three phases of our spiritual
journey. They are three stages of Christian maturity.

Called:

In general, the entire world is called. It is the call, extended to all of us, to leave the
kingdom of darkness and turn to the kingdom of light; to be born again; to initiate a
personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the call to obey the plan of
salvation.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39).

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar

people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

When we obey the plan of salvation we become part of the body of Christ; the
church of the living God. The church is the ekklesia; the called-out ones. Vine’s
Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words tells us it was
used among the Greeks to identify a body of citizens that have gathered to discuss
affairs. We get together to talk about the business of the king.

When Christ walked on the earth, He personally called His disciples (Mark 1:17, 20).
Today, He calls lost souls through preaching: “Whereunto he called you by our
gospel” (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall
they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without
a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).

Jesus used the expression, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
These words are used in the context of a wedding banquet. The story explains the
process by which the called are actually chosen. Everyone was invited to the
wedding. The invitation went out two times to two separate types of people.
Although those in the original group refused to come and made worthless excuses,
many in the second group did come. One that came did not have on the customary
wedding garment. He was thrown out. Those called are expected to be clothed in
righteous acts; possessing a changed way of thinking that led them to a changed
way of living

Some refuse the invitation and, as a consequence, are not chosen. They are too
busy pursuing the pleasures of this world. They are choked by the cares of the world
and the deceitfulness of riches (Matthew 13:22). Others outright reject Christianity.

God provides a royal feast for the perishing, hungry souls. He issues the invitation.
He calls all to be saved:

• “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the
truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

• “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

• “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save
yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40).

• “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

• “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:
and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).

• “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in
order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17, ESV).
God called through the Old Testament prophets. Few responded. God continued to
call through John the Baptist. Still only a handful responded. Jesus called, saying
“The kingdom is at hand.” People still ignored Him. No wonder Stephen said, “You
do always resist the Holy Ghost” (Acts 7:51). The call went forth to the Jews. They
resisted. The call persisted to the Samaritans in Acts 8; and to the Gentiles
beginning in Acts 10.

Chosen:

Being called doesn’t necessarily mean you are chosen. One must still respond, in
faith, and be obedient to the plan of salvation. Everyone has the power to respond.
God wants all to come to repentance. It is not His desire that any be lost.

God chooses a person to receive eternal life when such a person accepts the truth,
repents, is baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sin, and receives the baptism
of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).

Roger Foster said, “They are called to surrender their wills to God—to repent and
receive God’s holy Spirit. Because they choose to allow God’s Spirit to guide both
their hearts and their conduct they are chosen for salvation—to have a part in His
eternal kingdom. They prove their faithfulness by enduring trials and obstacles as
evidence of their continued commitment to obey God.”

Many are called or invited, but few respond. Responders show by their lives that
they were chosen to salvation. The choice is left up to us. We are freewill moral
agents. The Gospel is preached throughout the world, in nation after nation, and in
city after city. Yet, few make the necessary steps toward God, giving their lives to
Him, yielding to Him, submitting to His desires for us, and obeying His Word. They
reject the mercy of God and rather chose, for themselves, the judgment of God.

Those that respond to God’s call are chosen by God to be His disciples and to work
with Him in the Church. They are steadfast and unmovable. They adhere to—and
keep—the truth. The chosen are “in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1) and have “put on
the Lord Jesus” (Romans 13:14). Such a person puts God first in his life. He puts
God’s Word into daily practice. He abides in Jesus and Jesus abides in him (John
15:4-6). He does not become entangled in the affairs of this life.

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that
warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who
hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the
Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our
gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren,
stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or
our epistle” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-15, Emphasis mine).

Faithful:

The called and chosen in Revelation stood faithfully in the Lord despite trials,
tribulations, sufferings, adversities, afflictions, persecutions, and conflicts. They
were trustworthy. They continued in the faith. They were grounded and settled.
They refused to move away from the hope of the gospel (Colossians 1:23). They
would not give a foothold to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). They must resist the danger
of being swept back into the clutches of the devil. They were over-comers
(Revelation 12:11), more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), and triumphant. They
proved they were faithful (trustworthy) to Him (1 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Timothy 1:12; 2
Timothy 2:2). They could be relied upon. They were fit for spiritual battle. They are
the doers of God’s Word (James 1:22). They made their calling and election sure (2
Peter 1:10). Today, we carry on their example and follow in their footsteps. It is only
those that endure until the end that will be saved (Matthew 24:13). The choice is
ours. It is not a one time thing. It is a decision made day after day. We commit to
the choice and persevere to the end. As we remain loyal to God we become the true
“called, chosen, and faithful.”

According to Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible victory is assigned

to us because of:

1. The character of the Lamb: Jesus is the King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15), Lord of
lords (Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalms 136:3; 1 Timothy 6:15), and God of gods
(Psalms 136:2; Joshua 22:22; Deuteronomy 10:17). All power in heaven and
earth is given to him (Matthew 28:18).

2. The character of His followers: They are called, and chosen, and faithful. They
are called out by commission to this warfare; they are chosen and fitted for it,
and they will be faithful in it. Such an army, under such a commander, will be
victorious.

Clarence Jordan earned two doctorate degrees but felt called to poor people. His
farm was burned down and many of his friends and followers ran away. The next
day, a reporter came to report on the closing of the farm. He asked, “After fourteen
years of hard work, all is now gone. How successful have you been?”

Clarence replied ’I think you misunderstand, sir. We are not about success. We are
about faithfulness.”

Mark Hatfield tells of visiting Calcutta with Mother Teresa and touring the so-called
"House of Dying," where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the
dispensary, where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention.
Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by
others to die, Hatfield asked, "How can you bear the load without being crushed by
it?" he asked. Mother Teresa replied, "I am not called to be successful, I am called to
be faithful."

Clarence Jordan, and Mother Teresa, understood something that hopefully all of us
comprehend. It isn’t enough to be called and chosen, we must be faithful.

David Fraser said, “To rule with Christ in his kingdom, we must hear God’s calling,
respond to the calling with a changed life and be faithful to that calling until the end
of life.”

It is only then that we will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew
25:23).