We are not alone, but there are not very many of us.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14)
The called who are not chosen are the hypocrites, they are those who have willingly been deceived by false religious organizations, those who profess the Lord with their lips only, who have a form of godliness. They are among us, but not of us. They are the Demases, the Judas Iscariots, the Korahs, and every one of them are deceived.
“And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” (Gen. 3:13)
You must always remember when you see that word beguiled, “deceived”, deceived but still suffering the consequences for her actions. Being deceived my friends is never an excuse that is viable in the eyes of the Almighty.
I am going to venture a guess here that every single person that has a form of religion that they adhere to has available to them a copy of the Word of God, therefore His truths are before their eyes. We who have been born-again go astray at times, walking by our own free will away from the will of our Father in heaven, these spoken of here are being led astray, and not one of them by a chain around their neck.
Not all are called, many are, and I will not delve into the Doctrine of Election here, but speak specifically of those who are called, yet not chosen. The decision to call is the Most High’s to make, the decision to heed the call is our responsibility.
“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.” (Heb. 11:6)
The call must be offered first, for Romans 3:11 is a truth.
“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”
Once the call is given, it is up to us, to put it in a modern vernacular, to pick up the phone. Curiosity may be the first response, for in all truthfulness, that initial calling of the Lord is the very first time in our lives that our spirit has been spoken to. Call it what you will, a feeling, a hunch, a prodding of your heart, at that moment the Living God calls us is the initial moment of our free will to make an eternal decision.
Not always, but many times, that call arrives when we are in a pit of despair, when all hope seems lost, when there is nowhere else to turn. Here God speaks to our soul. And here, in this moment, our adversary will offer an alternative, one that will allow you to keep back a part of yourself, to partially serve, and then only for a short time, until everything becomes better, back to normal.
“For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2nd Cor. 6:2)
For those that feel a need, for lack of a better terminology, to serve in form Him who first called them without having to die to self, without needing to leave the world, without any true repentance, there are innumerable religious organizations they can join themselves to. The form of godliness keeps them deceived, and the truths of the Scripture become nothing more to them than words they should attempt to live by.
They were called, but not chosen.
I want you to understand why I am led so many times to place Philippians 1:21 in these letters to you, I want you to judge yourself, to look at your life. Not all the faults, not concentrating on how you could serve Him greater or be more profitable, as much as any of us can. But to look in the mirror of your soul and ask yourself who you see there, you or Christ?
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”