“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…” (2 Peter 1:3).
When a person becomes a Christian he receives a calling that is higher than anything else in this world. Our calling is the Gospel message (2 Thess. 2:14) which is more excellent than anything we have ever seen, heard, or set our hearts on (1 Cor. 2:9).
God’s calling is for each of us. For while the calling is for all (Acts 2:39), it was prepared by God specifically for you (Rom. 8:28-30). Before God made this world he had you in mind (Eph. 1:4-6). Before God ever said “Let there be light,” He had a plan for you. He planned to call you.
God’s calling is to moral excellence. We are called to live on a higher moral plane—to live like godly people. Second Peter 1:3 says we were called to God’s glory and excellence. Our new life as Christians is devoted to living in God’s moral virtue, God’s perfection (Mat. 5:48).
God’s calling is to an excellent life. The life of a Christian is not the life of a person in the world. We live by a different standard; we live a life dedicated to whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, whatever things that are excellent (Php. 4:8). A Christian’s life should not include those things that include—or even encourage—things like sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity, hatred, discord, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and the like (Gal. 5:19-21). Part of being a Christian is abandoning the things that characterize our old life and behaving in a manner that is appropriate for our new life.
Christians have been given a most excellent calling. I encourage you with Paul’s words in Eph. 4:1, “I…urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”
Bobby Price
Valley View church of Christ
Jonesboro, AR