The Heavenly Calling

The Heavenly Calling

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus . . . .”

The fact that we are exhorted to consider the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess, means that we are to follow Him in His steps—He who did not commit sin. 1 Pet. 2:21-25. That is our heavenly calling, and Jesus has become a guarantor of this salvation. Heb. 7:14-25. Jesus consecrated a new and living way for us into the Holiest. He did that so we could follow Him. Heb. 10:19-23. Jesus walked on this way to the very end. This was proved when God raised Him from the dead on the third day. This way went through His flesh. On this way through the flesh God did what the law could not do—He condemned sin in the flesh. Jesus hated and put to death what God had condemned. He offered up Himself in the power of an eternal Spirit.

When we read this, we can see that He did what the law could not do, so it could also be done in us. Rom. 8:3-4. Therefore we are to consider Him. He is our Apostle and High Priest. As Apostle He was sent out by God into our situation so that we can follow Him in His steps. He was not only sent out for the purpose of denying Himself, but also to put sin to death. He had to suffer in the flesh in order to put sin to death. That is why it is called “Jesus’ sufferings,” and “the dying of Jesus.” Phil. 3:10-11.

We are urgently exhorted to confess our hope so we can be conformed to Jesus’ image by following in His steps. This is our heavenly calling. We cannot do that by relying on our own strength, but on the grace in whose fullness Jesus came. “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” John 1:14-17. It was grace for the forgiveness of all our sins—irrespective of how great a sinner we were. “For grace” means that Jesus can also give us grace to fulfill the truth with which He came. When we are to begin on this new and living way through the flesh and have fellowship in His sufferings by being conformed to His death, we place our confidence in our High Priest who was perfected on this way in the days of His flesh. Heb. 5:7-14. There we can plainly see that we cannot make any headway without being obedient, but through obedience we are set free from sin. Rom. 6:17-18, 22.

Now we can see that we are without excuse, whoever we are. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was tried in all points as we are; therefore we can come boldly before the throne of grace and receive this “grace for grace” so that we also do not need to sin in the trials. Heb. 4:14-16. For this very same reason we can boldly confess our hope. Heb. 10:23-25. We can hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering—for He who promised is faithful.

We read that Jesus has become a guarantor of a better covenant. You are not fully assured in your faith if you do not dare to confess your hope. That means that you are not sure whether you want to have fellowship in Jesus’ sufferings and become a partaker of His death. 2 Cor. 4:10-11. If you are willing you will come to it through faith in the grace which our High Priest will give you from the throne of grace.

This is impossible without obedience. When Paul was chosen to proclaim this salvation, he also received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations to the glory of God’s name. Rom. 1:1-5.