Our Calling and Election

In my previous post on angels, I discussed how God now speaks to us through his son, Yeshua, whom he has appointed heir of all things. The scriptures make it clear that he was the creator of all things in the beginning, that it was he who dealt with the partriarchs of the Old Testament and led their offspring through the wilderness into the promised land. It was he who delivered the commandments to Moses at Sinai, the one who made a covenant with the children of Israel. He is our savior, the one who sacrificed himself for our sins.

Hebrews 2:1 begins with a warning. “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.”

In the past, angels ministered the word to those whom God called to be his children. Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Angels were dispatched to Sodom to save Lot and his family from destruction. The Lord oftentimes sent angels to speak to the heirs of salvation; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was the angel Gabriel who spoke with Daniel, who appeared unto Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, and who visited the young virgin chosen as the mother of our Lord. We are told in Galatians 3:19 that the law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator (Moses).

Now that our salvation has appeared bodily in the form of a man and has chosen to tabernacle among us in the flesh, we are warned to listen all the more diligently to his teaching and keep his words, lest we fall short of our calling and election into his family, “lest at any time we should let them slip(run out as leaking vessels)”.

Remember Yeshua’s words, Matthew 9:16-17 “No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.”

Yeshua came preaching repentance and the coming of the kingdom of God. Yes, we are saved by grace through faith. Yes, he alone is our salvation. However, Philippians 2:12 admonishes believers to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. After accepting the glorious gift of our savior, we are to continue unto good works. Our obedience to his word is to be the testimony of our faith. We are to leave our old way of life behind and become new creatures in Christ, that we may bring glory to his name.

Hebrews 10:26-29 “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

Indeed, how shall we escape if we neglect (be careless of, make light of) so great salvation? Let us seek to follow his teaching and his example, that we may stand in that day. May we hear those words, well done my good and faithful servant.