Are You Embracing the Higher Calling of the New You?

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

The child of God has a high calling from the Lord and it is of the utmost importance that we work to fulfill our calling. What steps must we take to serve our purpose?

Introduction

The child of God has been given a higher purpose, a higher calling to fulfill.  Yet, how to fulfill the higher calling has proven difficult for many who say they believe in God.  This week’s Sunday School commentary will cover Colossians 3:1-17.  Once again, we are going to take a look at moving in God’s grace.

A Heavenly Focus

Colossians 3:1-2 opens with Paul calling on believers to set their minds on things above rather than things on earth.  This teaching echoes the teaching of Christ.  Matthew 6:19-21 shows Jesus teaching that one ought to lay up for themselves treasures in heaven rather than on earth.  Jesus taught that treasures on earth will inevitably pass away with it, but heaven is eternal.

The thought behind setting one’s attention on heaven is to set heaven as the goal, the finish line, or the destination point.  When you set a destination in your map GPS, the hope is that the GPS will lead you directly to that point.  The same thought applies here for the believer.  If heaven is our destination, then we ought to follow the path to get there.

The path to follow to make it to heaven is the path set by Christ.  Jesus said that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no man could come to the Father but by Him (John 14:6).  The Father is in His kingdom, and if we desire to join Him in His kingdom, we must follow the way of Christ.

Paul wrote that one ought to put to death fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (Col. 3:5).  Let’s note that Paul tied these “members” under idolatry.  The idea here is that Paul implies that the sinner worships, or has given their lives over to sin.  

This, again, is also backed up by the teachings of Christ.  Jesus taught that no one can serve two masters because only one master would end up being loved while the other would be despised (Matt. 6:24).  Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and mammon.”  

I define mammon under the bubble of worldly living.  Worldly living has turned many away from the Lord.  For example, the scribes and Pharisees who stood against Jesus were consumed by worldly living.  Jesus called them hypocrites and warned the people not to do as the scribes and Pharisees do (Matt. 23:1-3).

Many are consumed with worldly living, trying to enrich themselves to have heaven on earth.  Heaven can’t be made in a world that is filled with sin and will one day pass away.  This, again, is why Paul told the believers of the Colossian church not to be focused on things of the earth.  We have a higher calling and purpose which is of the kingdom of God.

Out With the Old and in With the New

To live for the kingdom of God, Paul instructed believers to put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy language (Col. 3:8).  This is a teaching that is repeated throughout New Testament scripture.  James wrote that the true believer must be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath while also laying aside all filthiness (Jas. 1:19-21).

The conduct and character of the believer are spoken of a great deal in scripture because the way we conduct ourselves is indicative of the spirit that dwells in us.  To back up their teachings, we can turn to Christ, who taught the same thing. 

Jesus warned that false prophets (teachers) may wear sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous.  Jesus then said that such people will be known by their fruits (their works).  “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit,” is what Jesus taught (Matt. 7:17-18).

On that same note, Jesus also taught that what one puts into their mouth is not what defiles a man.  Jesus said that what comes out of the mouth is what defiles a man (Matt. 15:11).  

The child of God has received the implanted word through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit.  The role of the Holy Spirit is to lead and guide us into all truth (John 16:13).  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, patience (mercy), gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).

The believer are to consider both their conduct and their speech because they indicate what is going on inside of us.  Filthy language ought not come out of our mouths because the Holy Spirit resides within our hearts.  Our conduct ought not betray the Holy Spirit because wrath is not a part of His fruit.

When our conduct and language are unbecoming of us, they do not come from the Spirit.  Filthy language and poor conduct are byproducts of our old sinful selves.  Anyone claiming to be of Christ ought to put forth their best effort of putting those old ways behind them to walk in God’s grace (Col. 3:9-10).

How to Walk with God’s Grace

The true believer has a calling to help, support, and uplift all people.  This calling was given to all believers by Christ.  Christ instructed believers to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; teaching them as Christ taught us (Matt. 28:19-20).

Imitate the patience of Christ

Many call themselves “Christians,” but they set out trying to fulfill the calling of Christ in a manner that opposes His instruction.  Jesus commanded that one should love the Lord with their whole heart by loving their neighbor as they love themselves (Matt. 22:37-39).

Loving others as you love yourself means that one should love others in an uplifting manner.  As Paul wrote to the Philippian church, we are to esteem others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3).  Yet, this kind of love has proven difficult as many are too consumed by selfish ambition.  Selfishness is a nature that stands in complete contrast to the selfless love that is desired of God’s children.  

To truly embrace our higher calling, we are to move in the grace of Christ.  To move with such grace, we are to put on tender mercies, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another (Col. 3:12-13).   We must understand that such love requires much patience.

Consider how patient the Lord is with us in our missteps.  While we are justified sinners, that does not mean that we are perfect!  All of us have our missteps, but God doesn’t condemn us.  The Lord shows us mercy and gives us ample opportunities to improve and grow.

The higher calling of the true believer is to help lift others to salvation.  While we may have already committed ourselves to the salvation of God, such commitment doesn’t come easily to everybody else.  So, as God gives us ample opportunities to grow, we must do the same for others.

One of the troubling things in Christianity is the notion that believers have of trying to force faith on others.  Laws have been created, and still are being created, with the notion of forcing one to live in a holy and righteous manner.  God never forces anyone to live as He hopes for them to live.

Consider the giving of the law to the children of Israel.  The Lord hoped for the children of Israel to be faithful to their promise.  God never forced the children of Israel to be faithful to His law.  We know this to be the case because within forty days after agreeing to the covenant, the children of Israel broke the covenant (Ex. 32).

After the children of Israel broke the covenant, the Lord repeatedly gave them chances to make corrections.  Again, God did not force them to live faithfully to His law.  In present day, God continues to give chances and forces no one to live according to His way.

If God does not force faith, why do some of His children try to do so?  It is not a display of faithfulness to dictate faith upon others.  It is not a display of faithfulness creating laws, through politics, to force a way upon others.  God desires sincere faith, meaning He desires one to choose Him over another way.

Heed the word of Christ

Another big step that is often overlooked is the Word.  When we think of the word of God, many of us consider scripture.  While scripture is great for edification, scripture has also been used to enslave and oppress.  Scripture has been applied in such a manner because many have applied scripture without heeding the Spirit.

John 1:1,14 tells us that the Word of God was around long before a bible verse was ever written.  John made it clear that the Word of God is His only begotten Son.  If you desire to live by the word, you don’t have to try to remember every scripture in the Bible!  To live by the word, all you need to do is follow the Word, that being to follow Christ.

Thankfully, Jesus left with us the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to help with living to fulfill our higher calling.  You see, the word of God already dwells in us, and all we need to do is heed His voice.  To heed His voice, Paul encouraged believers to let the peace of God rule their hearts (Col. 3:15).

What’s most troubling about today is how many are consumed with anger, wrath, lies, and conspiracies.  As James said, the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  We walk with God’s grace in our heart by letting peace have its way, not by being consumed by anger.

So, once again, the key to fulfilling our calling is by following Christ’s example.  Keep your eyes on the kingdom of heaven!  Do not be consumed with trying to enrich yourself through worldly desires and worldly riches.  With our eyes on the kingdom of heaven, we will fulfill our calling.