DAILY DEVOTIONAL ON ROMANS 1:6 (NIV):
“CALLED”
- As shared by Rev. Don Schink © 2010
“AND YOU ALSO ARE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE CALLED TO BELONG TO CHRIST.” (NIV)
The call of Christ is not confined to the Jewish people. Paul wants those who are in Rome, as well as others, to realize that Jesus Christ, as Savior and Lord, offers eternal life to whoever will obey and yield hearts and lives to Him.
By this time many Gentiles had become obedient to the Christian faith. They had chosen to be in line with the divine design of the gospel. The call is to all true believers that have accepted Jesus’ call in their hearts and lives.
Not all will choose to believe. We have freedom of choice. We are free moral agents. No one is going to be forced in to the kingdom of heaven kicking and screaming against their will. If you don’t want to go, then you don’t have to. But in reality, it is either turn or burn. It is either heaven or hell. You can grin to win or choose to lose. Folks, it’s no joke. Once this life has ended, whatever decision you and I have made is final. Today is your day. Tomorrow may be too late. There is one thing that everyone needs to take to heart, and that is… Eternity is too long to be wrong!
One day, there will be what is known as Judgment Day. In Revelation 20:12-15, we read, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. (13) The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. (14) Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. (15) If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
In Psalm 89:48, the Bible says, “What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave?” We are only here for such a brief time in comparison to all eternity.
In Hebrews 9:27, we find, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” which emphasizes the seriousness of the coming judgment. We only get one life. Once it is finished, we will stand before God on that great Judgment Day.
However, if you and I are in Christ, we have nothing to fear. We belong to Christ! In fact, we can look forward to a glorious eternity with Him! We have a lot to look forward to, more than we can ever imagine in this life. It is going to be far more glorious than we can ever realize today. In John 5:25, we read, “ “I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”"
In John 6:40, the Bible says, “For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, we read, “Brothers we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. (14) We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. (15) According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16) For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (18) Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
We who have accepted Christ as our personal Savior and Lord “belong to Christ.” We have a lot to look forward to. Let’s be determined to keep on track, to keep our eyes on Jesus, His Word and His will for each of us.
For comments and questions, please email me at: PastorDonNM@gmail.com.
