Complete the Calling: From Being Called to Becoming Callers
A short story opens this teaching to illustrate how language can be used to mask reality—and why truth matters when defining righteousness. Two brothers are described as terrorizing their small town for decades through immoral, abusive, and dishonest behavior. When the younger brother dies unexpectedly, the older brother approaches a local preacher and requests that the funeral sermon include one public statement: that the deceased was a “saint.” The preacher refuses on the grounds that the claim would contradict what the community knows. The older brother then offers a $100,000 donation to the church in exchange for that one line. During the funeral, the preacher names the younger brother’s sins plainly—calling him wicked, dishonest, abusive, and morally corrupt—before concluding with the ironic twist: compared to the older brother, the deceased appears a saint. The story is used to frame the episode’s central theme: the difference between a label and a life, and the danger of redefining moral categories for convenience.
From that opening, the teaching moves to a biblical pattern: God calls specific people to specific tasks. The prophets are presented as examples of individuals honored by being invited into God’s work. Abraham’s descendants are described as being chosen to become a distinct people conformed to God’s will so that surrounding nations would notice and be drawn toward the Lord. Deuteronomy 4:6–8 is cited to show that careful obedience was meant to be publicly visible. In that passage, Israel’s statutes are described as wisdom in the sight of the nations. Other peoples would hear God’s standards and recognize a wise and understanding nation, and they would see that Israel had God near to them—able to be called upon and able to answer.
The same expectation is applied to Christians: the calling is not presented as private spirituality but as a life lived for God in a way that exalts Jesus. A statement from Jesus is used to support this emphasis: when He is lifted up, He draws all peoples to Himself. In this teaching, the cross and the proclamation of the gospel are described as the means by which Christ is lifted up so that others can know Him. God’s people are therefore described as being invited to declare the gospel and to call others to eternal life.
Second Thessalonians 2:14 is cited to explain the mechanism of that call: believers are “called by our gospel” toward the glory of Jesus Christ. This establishes a movement from receiving to transmitting. The teaching summarizes that movement as a cycle: the call is incomplete until those who have been called become callers by expressing the gospel. The calling is therefore described as involving more than intellectual agreement or emotional response. It includes action.
This action is grounded in what the gospel accomplishes. Christ’s work and a person’s faith in Him are described as setting believers apart from the world. The terms “holy” and “saints” are used to describe that distinction, not as moral bragging rights but as evidence of being marked off for God. As a result, life changes. Former patterns of behavior are not treated as harmless habits but as a former way of life that no longer fits a person who has been set apart.
First Peter 4:4 is cited to describe how outsiders often respond to that change. People who once participated in the same sinful patterns may “think it strange” when believers no longer run with them, and that reaction can include hostility and slander. In the teaching, behavior change is presented as a clear mark of God’s presence in a person’s life. That change is described as flowing from relationship with the Lord and moving beyond self-interest in personal salvation toward serving others. Sharing the Word of God is presented as a central expression of that service because it gives others the same opportunity to hear the gospel’s life-changing call.
The teaching also notes that Christians around the world face persecution and discrimination. In that context, the relationship between believers and civil authority is addressed. Romans 13:1–7 is cited to affirm obedience to righteous laws. At the same time, a boundary is stated: when human laws conflict with God’s laws, obedience to God must take priority. This stance is described as resistance to evil that ultimately blesses a nation, even when corrupt systems cannot recognize the blessing.
Proverbs 14:34 is cited to state the broader principle behind that claim: righteousness exalts a nation, while sin brings reproach, shame, or disgrace to any people. In this framework, righteousness is not treated as a purely private virtue; it is described as having public consequences.
From there, the teaching applies these ideas to early American history, describing a connection between conscience, worship, and liberty. Many early settlers are described as coming not merely for wealth or adventure but in response to what they understood as God’s call to build a land where worship could be practiced freely and where life could be shaped by God’s moral law. The pilgrims are compared to Abraham in Hebrews 11:8—leaving familiar ground “not knowing where” they were going, trusting God’s guidance to a place described as a land of promise.
William Bradford, identified as the pilgrims’ governor, is presented as viewing their journey as more than migration. It is described as a mission. A quotation attributed to Bradford is included to emphasize God’s pattern of producing great things from small beginnings and to compare their work to a single candle that lights a thousand.
Roger Williams is then presented as an example of liberty of conscience. He is described as being banished from Massachusetts in 1636 because of his conviction that no earthly authority has the right to control a person’s conscience before God. He is described as founding Rhode Island and protecting religious liberty even for those who disagreed with him. His position is connected to Galatians 5:1, which calls believers to stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made them free and not return to bondage.
The teaching then moves to the Revolutionary period, stating that by the time of the American Revolution, the vision of liberty understood as divinely grounded had become deeply rooted in American hearts. Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and John Witherspoon are named as leaders who viewed independence not only as a political act but as a spiritual duty. A quotation attributed to Adams is used to argue that liberty can only be truly enjoyed by a virtuous people. Patrick Henry’s statement, “Give me liberty or give me death,” is described not as rebellion but as conviction. That conviction is connected to 2 Corinthians 3:17: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. The teaching summarizes the viewpoint as follows: freedom is not merely man’s invention but God’s intention.
The concluding emphasis returns to personal responsibility: calling should not be taken lightly. The mission is contrasted with ego-driven goals such as building larger churches for personal status or financial gain. The stated aim is completing the mission by living in a way that makes people curious about Christ and drawn toward Him, keeping the “light” of fulfilling that calling burning.
Application
Clarify the call in concrete terms: prepare a simple, accurate explanation of the gospel that can be shared without exaggeration or pressure.
Identify visible areas of change: note specific behaviors that no longer align with a life set apart, and prioritize repentance and consistent obedience.
Move from self-interest to service: choose one practical act of service that creates a natural opportunity for Scripture and the gospel to be discussed.
Practice faithful civic engagement: obey righteous laws while maintaining the principle that God’s commands take priority when a direct conflict arises.
Expect social friction: anticipate that some will view a changed life as “strange,” and respond with steadiness rather than retaliation or compromise.
Pray for persecuted believers: incorporate regular prayer for Christians facing discrimination and hostility, asking for endurance, wisdom, and faithful witness.
TL;DR
The opening story contrasts public labels with private reality to emphasize the importance of truth.
Scripture shows that God calls specific people to specific tasks and uses their obedience as a witness to others.
Deuteronomy 4:6–8 presents obedience as wisdom visible to the nations and evidence of God’s nearness.
Christians are called to exalt Jesus so others can be drawn to Him through the cross and the gospel proclamation.
Second Thessalonians 2:14 is used to describe believers being called through the gospel, with the cycle completed as the called become callers.
Holiness is presented as being set apart, producing observable behavior change.
First Peter 4:4 describes outsiders reacting to that change with surprise and sometimes hostility.
Romans 13:1–7 is cited to affirm obedience to righteous laws, with obedience to God prioritized when laws conflict.
Proverbs 14:34 is cited to connect righteousness with national blessing and sin with reproach.
Early American examples are used to connect conscience, worship, and liberty, concluding with a call to faithful mission rather than ego.
Devotional Questions
What does the opening story reveal about how people may try to use words to change how others see reality?
Deuteronomy 4:6–8 describes nations noticing God’s people. What kinds of everyday choices make faith visible without turning it into performance?
Second Thessalonians 2:14 describes being called by the gospel. What are practical ways a person can move from being called to becoming a caller?
First Peter 4:4 says others may think changed behavior is “strange.” What kinds of pressure does that create, and what helps a believer remain steady?
Romans 13 calls for obedience to righteous laws, but the teaching also states that God must be chosen when there is a conflict. What is a wise, faithful response when that conflict occurs?
Apply it this week (choose 1–3):
Write a short, accurate gospel explanation (3–5 sentences) and practice saying it clearly.
Choose one “former pattern” to leave behind and one Scripture-shaped habit to replace it.
Do one act of service as a family and pray for an opportunity to speak about Christ naturally.
Pray daily for persecuted believers, asking God to strengthen their witness and protect their faithfulness.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, thank You for calling people through the gospel. Grant clarity, courage, and integrity so that the calling is lived visibly and faithfully. Strengthen obedience, deepen love for others, and keep the light of Christ-centered mission burning. Amen.