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The Marriage & The Called, Chosen, and Faithful
“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments…”
(Rev. 3:4) “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Rev. 16:15) |
Many Golden Chains: The Golden Chains Throughout History The PURPOSE & INTENT for Salvation NT Intercessions & NT Repentances Called - Elect - Chosen - Foreknown "Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen" The Marriage & The Called, Chosen, and Faithful The Epistles: A Commentary, Echo, and Practical Application of the Parables of Jesus Christ A Pastor's Sermons to Make Sure Biblical Mercy |
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Gen. 12:1
2 Cor. 6:17 1 Cor. 5:7 1 Cor. 5:13 Gal. 4:30 1 Cor. 5:13 1 John 2:18-19 John 15:1, 6 Matt. 22:13 1 Cor. 9:27 2 Cor. 13:5 Matt 15:13-14 |
Matthew 22:1-14
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen. |
Revelation 17:14 says that those that stay with Christ (the Bridegroom) for eternity are those who are "called, and chosen, and faithful." This is the burden of Christ. Initial salvation is one thing, but Christ’s burden is final salvation. Therefore, we must not only be of the many called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, merely, but we must persevere to the final END to be the called, chosen, and faithful - for many are called but few are chosen. Revelation 19:7-9 portrays a parallel picture to compare Matthew 22:1-14. With both of these in view, there are those who are of the blessed company that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and yet, while abiding at the dinner and waiting for the meal, before the supper of the final marriage, Christ goeth about the company and finds one unworthy. It is a man attending this marriage dinner (which can only be attended by the initial calling) who does not have white raiment. The burden of Christ is that they would be in white raiment WHEN HE COMES to investigate and look upon His guests – so that the guests (those initially called) would not be fools but wise, not slothful but faithful, not unprofitable and wicked but obedient, in no need of expulsion at the END when Christ separates one from the other, and they all react with utter shock that He does not know multitudes of them anymore. In this case, the man is shocked speechless – “And He saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless” (Matt. 22:12).
Let the reader understand that those who attended the wedding dinner are the called (v. 3) or "bidden." In context, those that refused to come and attend are the Jews, whom, at this time in the 1st century, God was casting away from Himself, so God sought out others (the Gentiles), but of these others not all that are called are chosen. Look at the NT use of the word called, and recognize, at this time the regenerated Christian has entered into the Church, which is, the spiritual arena of the Marriage Dinner where they sup with Christ until His consummated return and final marriage dinner. There is a calling in which we partake of the spiritual reality that makes us a “friend” of God. There is a stature of holiness and obedience which makes us meet to abide in this place of holy communion with the Living God, and that stature of holiness which we had must not be forfeited along the passing of time. We, being those holy persons called into the presence of God, must be worthy of this calling, lest when He comes we will be expelled from His presence, forfeiting our rights in His presence because of the insulting, unacceptable, perverse, un-holiness we are now walking in – profaning our holy calling. Those who are initially called by regeneration must live worthy of their calling, which is to “make sure” your gospel calling presently and progressively, until you are finally found by Christ to be the called and chosen because you are worthy of salvation.
The calling of initial salvation is as exhaustive as the calling of present progressive salvation. By initial salvation, it is meant, not called out from our homes into an assembly…it is another calling out! Today men add to the church them that are unsaved, but in the New Testament, “the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). According to the word of God, only the Lord can add to or build a Church. It is written, “except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Ps 127:1). Is there any question as to Who should build the Church, or what persons are chosen by God to be added to the Church? We have been saved by Him “Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). He “hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). “God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (1 Thess. 4:7). Holiness, glory, virtue, and light are in Christ, and herein is our unity and calling. We are “called in one body” (Col. 3:15), “called in one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:4), and supremely, “in this He has called us unto eternal life (1 Tim. 6:12), a “high calling” of the redemption of our body in an eternal resurrection (Phil. 3:14). We are called out of the world by being born of heaven. We have been “called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9). We are born of another place, but we still abide in this world. Here we walk out our calling, and we await the inheritance of the world to come (1 Cor. 3:22). Therefore, the Christian is “called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance,” and for us, that place is the world (Hebrews 11:8). That is to say, rephrased, we are called out of the world, but we are left waiting in the world for the world to be given to us – but it is not presently ours, nor Christ's, in this sense, even though in a higher sense “all things are yours” in Him (1 Cor. 3).
The constitution of the Church assembly is inherently defined in the meaning of the very word “Church”. God’s calling re-creates, and this does enable us to have a worthy fellowship in a congregation of “the called out ones,” in whose midst is the chief centerpiece of affection in a Person, the Caller and Elector Himself. As our calling is, so we must be in assembly, holy unto the Lord. “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, BE YE HOLY; FOR I AM HOLY” (1 Peter 1:14-16). Today men add to the church, but only God can add to the Church, and that is by an effectual, irresistible calling of salvation. The calling is the work of the Lord, the “assembling of ourselves” is the teaching of scripture, and in physically assembling we become a local Church (Hebrews 10:25). Let us limit the local Church to them that are the Church; let men call to assemble only those certain ones that have already been called of God. God has called for a congregation because of the new creation.
As for the present progressive necessity to be worthy of this calling, as Christ presently and progressively walks about, judges, and has a reactionary relationship to His people in Revelation 2-3, Christ said to the Church of Sardis – “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels” (Rev. 3:4-5). Those that “sup” with Christ presently and progressively (Rev. 3:20-22), will sup with Him finally (Matt. 8:11, Lk. 12:37, 13:29), if He finds us well-abiding in His presence in power. Likewise, those that presently keep their garments, they keep the faith, and ever receive of Christ the “white raiment” that they “mayest be clothed, and that the shame of [their] nakedness do not appear” (Rev. 3:18). Do you remember the hope of Paul when he said that God “would count [you] worthy of this calling” (2 Thess. 1:11)? These are those who will be called “His saints” (2 Thess. 1:10), those that have rightly been unregretful and perseverant in faithfulness, and in this way they have desired God’s “heavenly” banquet – “wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them” such a supper (Heb. 11:16).
Let the reader understand that those who attended the wedding dinner are the called (v. 3) or "bidden." In context, those that refused to come and attend are the Jews, whom, at this time in the 1st century, God was casting away from Himself, so God sought out others (the Gentiles), but of these others not all that are called are chosen. Look at the NT use of the word called, and recognize, at this time the regenerated Christian has entered into the Church, which is, the spiritual arena of the Marriage Dinner where they sup with Christ until His consummated return and final marriage dinner. There is a calling in which we partake of the spiritual reality that makes us a “friend” of God. There is a stature of holiness and obedience which makes us meet to abide in this place of holy communion with the Living God, and that stature of holiness which we had must not be forfeited along the passing of time. We, being those holy persons called into the presence of God, must be worthy of this calling, lest when He comes we will be expelled from His presence, forfeiting our rights in His presence because of the insulting, unacceptable, perverse, un-holiness we are now walking in – profaning our holy calling. Those who are initially called by regeneration must live worthy of their calling, which is to “make sure” your gospel calling presently and progressively, until you are finally found by Christ to be the called and chosen because you are worthy of salvation.
The calling of initial salvation is as exhaustive as the calling of present progressive salvation. By initial salvation, it is meant, not called out from our homes into an assembly…it is another calling out! Today men add to the church them that are unsaved, but in the New Testament, “the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). According to the word of God, only the Lord can add to or build a Church. It is written, “except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Ps 127:1). Is there any question as to Who should build the Church, or what persons are chosen by God to be added to the Church? We have been saved by Him “Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). He “hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). “God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (1 Thess. 4:7). Holiness, glory, virtue, and light are in Christ, and herein is our unity and calling. We are “called in one body” (Col. 3:15), “called in one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:4), and supremely, “in this He has called us unto eternal life (1 Tim. 6:12), a “high calling” of the redemption of our body in an eternal resurrection (Phil. 3:14). We are called out of the world by being born of heaven. We have been “called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9). We are born of another place, but we still abide in this world. Here we walk out our calling, and we await the inheritance of the world to come (1 Cor. 3:22). Therefore, the Christian is “called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance,” and for us, that place is the world (Hebrews 11:8). That is to say, rephrased, we are called out of the world, but we are left waiting in the world for the world to be given to us – but it is not presently ours, nor Christ's, in this sense, even though in a higher sense “all things are yours” in Him (1 Cor. 3).
The constitution of the Church assembly is inherently defined in the meaning of the very word “Church”. God’s calling re-creates, and this does enable us to have a worthy fellowship in a congregation of “the called out ones,” in whose midst is the chief centerpiece of affection in a Person, the Caller and Elector Himself. As our calling is, so we must be in assembly, holy unto the Lord. “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, BE YE HOLY; FOR I AM HOLY” (1 Peter 1:14-16). Today men add to the church, but only God can add to the Church, and that is by an effectual, irresistible calling of salvation. The calling is the work of the Lord, the “assembling of ourselves” is the teaching of scripture, and in physically assembling we become a local Church (Hebrews 10:25). Let us limit the local Church to them that are the Church; let men call to assemble only those certain ones that have already been called of God. God has called for a congregation because of the new creation.
As for the present progressive necessity to be worthy of this calling, as Christ presently and progressively walks about, judges, and has a reactionary relationship to His people in Revelation 2-3, Christ said to the Church of Sardis – “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels” (Rev. 3:4-5). Those that “sup” with Christ presently and progressively (Rev. 3:20-22), will sup with Him finally (Matt. 8:11, Lk. 12:37, 13:29), if He finds us well-abiding in His presence in power. Likewise, those that presently keep their garments, they keep the faith, and ever receive of Christ the “white raiment” that they “mayest be clothed, and that the shame of [their] nakedness do not appear” (Rev. 3:18). Do you remember the hope of Paul when he said that God “would count [you] worthy of this calling” (2 Thess. 1:11)? These are those who will be called “His saints” (2 Thess. 1:10), those that have rightly been unregretful and perseverant in faithfulness, and in this way they have desired God’s “heavenly” banquet – “wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them” such a supper (Heb. 11:16).
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“I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me.” (John 13:18)
“Yea, Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up his heel against Me” (Ps. 41:9) |
There is a perseverant end whereby we must obtain the confirmation of God’s oaths (Heb. 6:15-16), by avoiding the conditional threat of breaches (Heb. 4:1), and thus our friendship with God (Jas. 2:23) is not discontinued. As a saint must keep His garments “white”, “worthy”, and wedding-honorable, so a saint must keep “the righteousness of the saints” – as holy ones (Rev. 19:8). If you do not, your life and works misrepresent your name, and God, Who is infinitely holy, will not accept your person, nor justify your nakedness, just as God, of necessity, required Abraham to justify His friendship through “works” (James 2:21-26). All this, likewise, can be understood through when the King Christ did cast away His onetime “friend” (Matt. 22:12), Judas. Do you see how the scripture is explicitly stating that he was a friend of Christ? Even so, we can become a typological-traitor like Jesus’ “friend” Judas (Psalm 41:9, John 13:18, Matt. 26:50, John 6:36-40, 7:16-17, 17:11-12). Likewise as with these angles in which salvation is explained, it is just a different picture of the same object. Salvation is explained in different metaphors with the same rules. There is a plethora of parabolic expressions of the initial, present progressive, and final salvation at hand for Christians, which follows the same thrust of rhetoric and burden – God being called your God (Heb. 11:16), and you, being called His sons and daughters (1 John 3:1, Heb. 11:24, 2 Cor. 6:17-7:1), “walking worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Eph. 4:1, Lk. 19:13, Matt. 25:14), following in the Spirit and deeds of Christ’s Person as a fulfillment of your calling (1 Peter 2:21, 1:15, 3:9, 2 Pet. 1:3, 1 Thess. 4:7), representing deeds worthy of the regenerating and unifying powers of His corporate Person (Col. 3:15, Eph. 4:1-4), abiding in the principles where Christ will not leave you but stay with you in Presence. These citations represent but a few of which we have already covered. In this way, Christians have been “called unto the fellowship of His Son”, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Cor. 1:9, 1 John 1:5-11, 2:1-7, Eph. 5:1-15). Verily, the entirety of the NT echoes the same burden as the parables of Jesus Christ.