Walking in Your Calling: Know Who You Are

If you ask a person to tell you who they are, you can get a variety of answers. It could be “an American” or some other nationality. It could be a teacher or lawyer or homemaker or some other employment. It could be a mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, son, daughter, friend or some other relation. It can even be the name of a church group like Catholic, Baptist, Protestant, Buddhist, Muslim, or other religious denomination. But what is our real identity? Jesus told his disciples that he would call them by name because he is a good shepherd.

John 10:3-5:
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Eastern shepherds actually have specific calls that get the attention of their sheep. Each sheep is endeared to the shepherd and has a “pet” name. It can often be descriptive of what that sheep will do with the rest of the flock.

God has given us each a unique name and calling. We are to walk “balanced” in that calling.

Ephesians 4:1:
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy [Greek axiōs, balanced] of the vocation wherewith ye are called.

If we are going to walk in a balanced, appropriate way for the Father, we need to know our name. Jesus is the good shepherd that leads us out to where we need to be and serve. He is also the vine that gives us the sustenance we need to bear good fruit that pleases our Father.

The New Testament tells us who we are many times as a body, a team, a living spiritual organism in Christ. We have many blessings and responsibilities. Let’s look at some of the things we are, then we’ll talk about our individual names.

Matthew 5:13,14:
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Salt brings wholeness and healing and represents truth. We bring God’s truth that heals others [Psalms 107:20] and bring salvation [Romans 10:9]. We are also lights that shine in this dark world [Philippians 2:15,16].

Matthew 10:31:
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many [of much more value than] sparrows.

God so cares for His creation that He knows when even the tiniest sparrow falls to the ground. We are much more valuable and important to Him. Even the hairs of our heads are numbered.

John 13:35:
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

God’s love is “shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which is given unto us,” according to Romans 5:5. That’s how people recognize us as true disciples of Christ.

John 15:3,5,14,19:
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

As we remember and obey the words that Jesus spoke, we are clean in our actions and our hearts are filled with joy. He is the vine and we are the branches that need his sustenance from the Father. In Christ we have access to the Father [Ephesians 2:18; 3:12].

Without God’s help through Christ, we can do nothing that is really worthwhile. As we obey our Lord and master, then “what a friend we have in Jesus.” Jesus is my risen Lord and Savior, and he is also my loving brother and friend. Sadly, the adversary and his worldly powers will get people to hate us because of our love for and service to Jesus Christ. But it is worth the price to serve the Living God through His Son.

Romans 6:14:
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Now, we are not under any religious rule or mandate. We have total spiritual freedom in Christ because of God’s grace that he brings to us. We are to “stand fast” in that freedom wherewith Christ makes us free [Galatians 5:1].

Romans 8:9:
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

We can walk by God’s indwelling spirit and follow the “law of spiritual life” that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We aren’t living in the flesh, but in the spirit that dwells in us. That is a more than abundant life that Jesus promised [John 10:10].

1 Corinthians 3:9,16,17,23:
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

When we hear and believe the gospel, we receive the foundation of Christ in us. We become God’s husbandry, his field, where we can grow and be “rooted” in Christ’s love [Ephesians 3:17]. We are also God’s building, His temple [Ephesians 2:21,22], and can be “grounded” or founded on a solid foundation in that same love of Christ [Ephesians 3:17].

1 Corinthians 5:7
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.

The children of Israel left Egypt with no impurities or “self-rising” ingredients in their bread. They trusted God to supply their physical and spiritual needs. We, likewise, don’t carry any of the world’s evil with us as we journey in this life. Today, in Jesus Christ, we have a true Passover that brings spiritual cleansing and physical deliverance and healing.

1 Corinthians 6:11,19,20:
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Look at God’s amazing emphasis here! We are washed, sanctified, justified in the name of Jesus Christ when we are born again of God’s spirit [Romans 10:9,10; 1 Peter 1:23]. We have been bought with the price of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for us and now belong to him. He is God’s plan for salvation, rescuing us from this present evil world [Colossians 1:13; Galatians 1:4]. This truth of our being bought bears repeating!

1 Corinthians 7:23:
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Since we belong to Christ, we serve him, not other men or women.

1 Corinthians 10:13:
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

We all face challenges in life that seem hard to bear. God knows what we can handle, and even when the Devil tries his “darndest” to hurt us, God rescues us through Jesus Christ to a place of safety and victory. Jesus provides the “way to escape” from every snare the Devil lays in our paths [2 Timothy 2:26].

1 Corinthians 12:27:
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

We are all part of each other in this body of Christ. We each have our own calling to fulfill, just as each part of the human body has a necessary function.

1 Corinthians 14:12:
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

We desire with zeal to use what God has given us. So we do our best to build up others in the church.

1 Corinthians 15:2:
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

We have been saved, made whole, by the blood of Christ. We should keep that in memory!

2 Corinthians 6:16:
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

God dwells in us by His Spirit. We are a “temple” where God can be worshipped and praised. He is our God and we are His people.

Galatians 3:28:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Past religion, citizenship, sex, or any other “division” doesn’t matter. We are all one in Christ Jesus, our Lord!

Galatians 4:6:
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Why are we God’s sons? Because he has sent forth the spirit of Christ, His Son, into our hearts. Now we too, like Jesus, can call him “Daddy” and be children in whom God is well pleased.

Galatians 5:18:
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

When we walk by God’s spirit within us, we don’t have to worry about keeping laws that prohibit actions. Instead, we walk in love and take positive action on the scriptures.

Ephesians 2:5,19:
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.

We are saved by God’s grace and we are now fellow citizens with other sanctified believers in God’s household. That’s something to shout about!

Ephesians 4:1,4,30:
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

We are called and sealed with the Father’s spirit. It is proof, a “token,” that we will someday have a new spiritual body like Christ’s glorious body. That is the hope of our calling.

Colossians 2:10-12:
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

When Christ died, rose, and was seated at the Father’s right hand, he “took us” with him! We are complete in Christ spiritually and have the scriptures to show us how to live that way. When Christ was circumcised, he fulfilled the law. Now we are “circumcised” in our hearts to put off anything that separates us [sin] from the Father. That is walking in love.

Colossians 3:3,15:
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

We have died with Christ to sin and are now alive through his blood. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption and salvation! And we are called in one body. I am very thankful for that!

1 Thessalonians 2:20:
For ye are our glory and joy.

At Christ’s return we will joy and glory in those we have helped find the Lord and serve him.

1 Thessalonians 5:5:
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

We are “sons” and daughters of God, Who is Light. We are shining forth in “the day” even in this dark and twisted world.

1 John 4:4:
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

What a great reminder to close with. We are the children of God and have overcome those against His Son in this world. Greater is God dwelling in us through Christ than Satan and any of his forces. We are saved, renewed, washed, and spiritually clean in Christ. He is our light and life and salvation. Amen!