Raphael Oye Taiwo

Unity Christ Evangelical Ministry (UCEM)

www.ucevam.com

 Lesson One

 Introduction 

     All the people of the world are called of God into God’s kingdom. But only a few of the called will enjoy the eternal kingdom of Christ (Mat. 7:13). Many are called by God to occupy a special position and perform a special role in His kingdom. But only a few ever prove themselves worthy of God’s approval. We will concern ourselves, in this study, with the latter group of the called.

                                    Many are called

Matt 22:14, ‘For many are called, but few are chosen.’  Many are they who have been called by God to a specific position, ministry or role, but, for several reasons, are later rejected by God. Some of them in the Bible are:

Cain. Gen 4:1. Cain, the firstborn of Adam, could have used his unique position - as the first man ever to be born into the world - to teach and influence his brothers and sisters, their children and his children, to serve God. If he had, he would have pleased God, like Noah did (Gen. 8:20-22; Gen. 9:1). The result would have been that only a minimum effect of the original curse would be felt. If he had been a godly, God-loving heir of the human administrator of the world, the history of the world might have been different. But he chose the devil’s way, and God rejected him (Gen. 4:11-14).

Balaam. He was called into an office that’s rare in his days and area, he being a non-Jew (Num. 22:5-6). His reputation as a great man of God, a mighty prophet and a man with divine authority, was well known and respected, even by the king of his country (Num. 24:2-9). But Balaam’s disobedience and covetousness caused God to reject him (Num. 22:12, 15-19, 21-22; 2 Peter 2:15-16). The Spirit of God left him and the devil’s spirit of sorcery came in. He was destroyed with the unrighteous (Num. 31:8; Jos. 13:22).

 Gehazi. God’s purpose was for Gehazi to take the place of Elisha like Elisha took the place of Elijah, after a period of following Elijah. But Gehazi was not approved of God because of his covetousness (2 Kings 5:20-27). Rather than receive prophetic anointing, he received leprosy.

King Saul. He was chosen of God among millions of Israelites to be the king of God’s people (1 Sam 9:17; 1 Sam 10:1). He received the Spirit of God (1 Sam 10:10-11). But he displeased God and the Lord rejected him (1 Sam 15:23). As a result and evidence of his rejection by God the Spirit of God left him and an evil spirit took over his life (1 Sam 16:14).

Judas. He was called personally by Jesus to be one of the original twelve apostles (Matt 10:2-4). This is a position to which no man in the world had ever been called. Though the Lord still calls people into the office of an apostle today, no man can ever be an apostle in the way these twelve people were. Judas was favored with divine power (Luke 9:1-6, Luke 10:1, 9, 17). But he lost his position because of his pride and covetousness (Acts 1:15-20).