WORTHY OF THE HIGH CALLING
(week 36)
Olubi Johnson
What is the High Calling?
There is a high calling of God in Christ Jesus to which every Christian is called. This high calling is to be conformed to the image of Christ: the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
Philippians 3:14 KJV: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:29 KJV: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Ephesians 4:13 KJV: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
The Parable of all Parables
Jesus, also refers to this high calling of God in the parable of the sower, as being the hundred fold measure of fruit bearing in Christ:
Mark 4:13-20 KJV: And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
In this parable, Jesus reveals to us in verse 13 that if we know this parable then we can know all parables, or all of the principles of the Kingdom of God.
In particular, we see that there are four kinds of ground, which represent the condition of the human heart: the wayside heart, the stony heart, the thorny heart and finally the good heart. Furthermore the good heart is in 3 categories: the 30, 60 and 100 –fold.
Since this parable contains all of the principles of the Kingdom we see that only 1/4 of the hearts of men are in a condition of being good hearts. Furthermore only 1/3 of this 1/4 or 1/12 of the hearts of men are in the condition of bringing forth the 100-fold fruit or the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. This truth is further confirmed by what happened at Gethsemane where Jesus was with his 11 Apostles (Judas the 12th was not there). Jesus praying alone represents the 1/12 or 8.3% that have a 100fold heart, Peter, James and John represent the ¼ or 3/12 that have a 60fold heart and the other 8 Apostles represent the 2/3 or 8/12 that have a 30fold heart.
Changes in the Heart
It is important here to see that the conditions of men’s hearts are not fixed but can change with time. For instance, my heart has been at different times of my life,
A wayside heart: when as a young boy I heard the gospel but didn’t understand it (Matt. 13:19);
A stony heart: when I as a teenager in the University I accepted Christ only to later get offended and drop my decision because of the persecutions that would arise because of my commitment.
A thorny heart: when as a baby carnal Christian I let the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things enter into my heart to choke the Word.
A good heart: when I finally got serious with my Christianity and added determination, discipline and diligence to my decision for Christ and started bearing fruit.
Furthermore it is necessary to see that because people are constantly being born and dying our position in the number of the hearts of men on the face of the earth is constantly changing.
Getting a Perfect Heart
Now because only 1/12 or 8.3% of the hearts of men are in the 100fold fruit bearing condition at any point in time God is constantly searching the earth for those whose hearts are perfect towards Him.
2Chronicles 16:9 KJV: For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
So it is necessary for us to know what we have to do to get our hearts into this 100fold condition that we may be accounted worthy of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
This was why Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that they may be accounted worthy of this high calling:
2Thessalonians 1:11-12 KJV: Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Observe that it takes the grace of God through prayer to be counted worthy of this high calling. It is God’s will that all men be saved and attain this high calling, but because of the Satanic nature in our hearts and flesh it takes time to progress from one condition of heart to another, and so we all cannot attain it at the same time. Nevertheless it is available to all men.
1Timothy 2:3-4 KJV: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
There are 4 things that we must exercise and develop to have 100fold heart:
Decision
Determination
Discipline
Diligence
The wayside heart made no decision to receive or believe the Word.
The stony heart made the decision to receive the Word but did not add determination to that decision to overcome the persecution and affliction that would arise for the Word’s sake.
The thorny heart had decision and determination and the Word sown in his heart began to produce results and bring blessings. However he did not add discipline to his decision and determination so he began love the gifts and blessings more than God the giver, so the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things entered in to choke the Word.
The good heart added diligence, which is making a consistent, concentrated and well-directed effort to keeping and doing the Word. The greater the diligence the more fruit that is borne: 30, 60 or 100fold:
Hebrews 11:6 KJV: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The scripture reveals that more diligent we are, the greater the grace or favour of God, that will made available to us:
Proverbs 11:27 KJV: He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
