By Bishop Oscar Oscar Pimentel, , General Overseer of The Churh of God
“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12-14). And so it is that this message is not written from the standpoint of myself having attained perfection already. No, I have a long way to go. However, I am pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God. We are grateful that Christ Jesus apprehended us and in this spirit of gratitude, we also are striving to apprehend that for which we were apprehended by our Saviour.
Oh, what an exceptional calling! But just what does calling mean? It is defined as a strong urge toward a particular way of life or career. It is a vocation, a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation: a person’s employment or main occupation, especially regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication. This is a calling like no other in the world. It is a divine calling. God, Himself places this strong inward urge or feeling in hearts. Yes, it’s on the inside, but it does not stay there; it spills over to the outside. It is often compared to a burning fire shut up in the bones that does not allow one to stay still (Jer. 20:9) and leads one toward a particular way of life, a profession that requires great dedication, and is considered by those interested to be worthy of whatever cost is necessary. Whatever cost is necessary?! Oh yes! When the calling of God comes and is heard, felt, and answered, those who have everything to lose and those who have nothing to lose respond in the same manner.
In the Bible, we find that God called a variety of individuals from many different walks of life, from military leaders to peasants, philosophers to fishermen, tax collectors to poets, musicians to statesmen, and scholars to shepherds. Today, He continues to call many different people, the poor, rich, learned, and unlearned. He is no respecter of persons. He calls without regard to culture, color, kindred, or tongue. And of the billions of people that walk the earth, He’s chosen to call The Church of God ministers to do His bidding, to be His ambassadors, to preach His Word, and to minister to the needy. Our brother, the apostle Paul, admonishes all who are called to “walk worthy of [their] vocation” (Eph. 4:1). He also pointed out the sort of people God has called to be His own when he said, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence” (1 Cor. 1:26-29).
Let’s ponder this for just a moment and consider the inscrutable ways of God. The Highest found us occupied and busy with life and its cares and summoned us to come work for Him. We’re not the only ones this has happened to. Walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Peter and Andrew busy casting their nets and He called them by saying, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). He called James and John, finding them busy mending their nets. He called Matthew who was busy at the receipt of customs. Saul of Tarsus, for all he was at the time and all the trouble he was causing, was called by Christ (Acts 9:1-6). The psalmist David said, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens… When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained… What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?… O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth” (Psa. 8:1, 3, 4, 9). “The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth” (Psa. 113:4-6).
Dear fellow minister, we didn’t choose the ministry; it is God who has summoned us, God who has called us! We are blessed, privileged, and responsible! Paul thanked Christ who enabled him, counted him faithful, and put him into the ministry (1 Tim. 1:12). For us to not forget who-is-who in the whole scope of things, Christ said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…” (John 15:16). It isn’t the President of the United States or the United Nations calling. It’s not been the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or our “dream job” knocking on our door and calling us. It wasn’t our momma or daddy calling. It wasn’t our pastor who called, not the General Overseer, not even the Church! We have been called to a particular duty and way of life by none other than God Himself! Therefore, one’s first allegiance should be to God (I will come back to this thought). This calling is a divine commission to preach God’s Word and to perform all the duties that accompany this call. I have no doubt, even today, that Jesus Christ is still calling “unto him whom he would” (Mark 3:13).
No matter who we were in our pre-Christ life or what our function, position, occupation, pursuit, trade, craft, or line of work was (before we were wondrously redeemed by His blood), none of it compares in importance to God’s matchless calling that rests upon us. No matter how long one has had Christ living inside or what position or license is held, to be called of God will always be and has always been the finest and greatest calling. The acknowledgment and understanding of God’s calling are the most important moments in the minister’s life that must never be forgotten. Why? Because, as some have already experienced, there will be never-imagined adversities to test each one’s resolve and determination to stay the course, and God’s revelation will be an anchor to remain steady when the storm is raging.
When David faced the oppression, terrors, wrath, disappointments, and hate of the enemy that came upon him through different avenues, he was overwhelmed and began to feel like some of us occasionally do when we encounter tough times. We see it in his words: “…Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness… I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest” (Psa. 55:6-8). At times, some will feel overwhelmed. Others will experience the crushing weight of responsibility that seems almost too much to bear. Some will even feel that they really don’t know what to do. What shall we do then? We will take the route that David took! For us, it is the only answer, and we search for no other. Oh yes, “As for me, I will call upon God” (Psa. 55:16)! This means we will pray and the Lord will save us! We will exercise faith even before we see the things hoped for! “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Psa. 55:17). We will pray with the knowledge that God hears us and we will pray as long as we must until His answer is given! “He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me…” (Psa. 55:18). This can and will be our outcome if we stay on the path He’s called us to; we will have the peace that passes all understanding!
We who are divinely selected should remember that “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Rom. 11:29), and that the call is a sobering one and must be entered into with deep reverence and sincerity toward God. When a man or a woman takes this vocation seriously, their time, talent, and concern will be consumed by the call. Nothing else will be of greater consideration than to live up to and excel in God’s call. No sacrifice is too great, and no effort or price is too much to fulfill their ministry. If we desire to be successful in Christ, we must not take our calling lightly. We must be possessed by it, breathe it, sleep it, and live it. It must be our life; it must be our lifestyle. In his desire for God, the psalmist David said, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Psa. 42:1), and “My soul followeth hard after thee…” (Psa. 63:8). It is with a similar intensity that godly men and women pursue God’s occupation for their lives. With this strong desire for God burning in their souls, they are able to surpass every obstruction of this world and make every sacrifice in order to work out their holy calling.
This is not just a “calling” but a profession. The ministry is
not a hobby; it is a lifestyle. As such, we should take it very
seriously—especially when we consider the ONE who has
called us to this vocation. The God-called minister, who is
properly abiding in his calling and not disobedient to the
heavenly vision, is convinced that any other occupation,
employment, profession, job, pursuit, or purpose pales in
comparison to the gifts and calling of God in his life. Accomplishing
what God wants is his life’s blood. If he is not doing
this, he feels that he will simply die. He is like a fish out of
water if he’s not busy listening and obeying the voice of God
and doing what he knows to be his responsibility and duty.
The indifferent minister, who never or rarely is concerned
about whether he’s accomplishing God’s will or striving to
do his utmost in his service to God and man, offers enough
reason to make one wonder if he really is God-called.
Jonah elected to go in the opposite direction of his calling
to the extent that the people who were around him had
no idea who he was, what he stood for, where he was going,
what his purpose was, or who his God was, and eventually
asked him, “What is thine occupation?” (Jonah 1:8). And
that’s just how it is with any minister who neglects to make
his “calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10).
However, when God’s minister has been apprehended by this calling and is observed by those around him, he is seen as a “flame of fire.” People can see his “face as it had been the face of an angel” because he is living in his calling. Nobody needs to wonder much about him—people either love him or despise him but nobody needs to wonder what his occupation is. Isaiah said, “And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed” (Isa. 61:9). His relationships with friends, acquaintances, and family are eclipsed by this calling. Those things that previously were his life’s goals, desires, and even ambitions along with his present thoughts, feelings, opinions, and ideas are overshadowed by the acknowledgment and acceptance of God’s calling in his life. His constant appeals to God go along the lines of “what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6), “not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39), “Here am I; send me” (Isa. 6:8), and “neither count I my life dear unto myself” (Acts 20:24). His number one goal is to finish his course with joy and the ministry he has received of the Lord Jesus “to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
He understands that he is an ambassador for Christ and that he is God’s personal representative on this earth to lead men to the Lord. He knows that preaching is only one of the major responsibilities of the minister of God. He must be busy preaching, but he also has the responsibility of ministering to folks in times of need—sickness, sorrow, and distress.
May the Lord grant us all to understand with deep sincerity that to be called and chosen of God is to have been entrusted with the most important commission ever recorded in history—winning the lost and caring for His sheep, and may we feel in our hearts and demonstrate with our lives that there is nothing more inspiring, interesting, or serious than to make full proof of our ministry, serve others, and please God! We must abolish self-will! “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 . . . do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Tim. 2:4; 4:5).
Stay with me for just another moment as I revert to something I mentioned earlier when I stated that the Church did not call you to the ministry. This is a fact. However, it will do us well to remember that when God calls us into the Church, He expects us to come under the government of the Church. While the Church did not call us, the Church serves as the agent that acknowledges our calling into the ministry. There is no place for an autonomous spirit of selfrule and self-government in The Great Church of God—she is God’s government here on earth!
There is no place for Pimentel’s ministry or so-and-so’s ministry in The Church of God. This is God’s ministry! This is God’s Church! As ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ and authorized by The Church of God, everything we do is to build up and edify the Body of Christ. My efforts are made, and my work is accomplished having in mind the edification of The Great Church of God but never to build my own empire! I don’t want to have my own ministry; I want nothing to do with anything that takes attention away from Christ and His Church! We are subject to Christ, and His Body, the Church.
I will conclude with this. Remember, God called you into the ministry and He will not leave you alone. “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isa. 41:8-10).