Reflection on God's Word

THE CALL, THE IMPARTATION, AND THE ADVENTURE

by Tim Thomas

January 15, 2006

Ephesian 3:7-9

In this passage, Paul explains a little about why his declaration of the Good News, earlier called "the mystery of Christ" (v. 4), could be trusted. The reason he gives here: because he was granted God's grace to do this by God's power, and because he in fact was commanded by God to proclaim it. Elsewhere, Paul explains how God apprehended him on the road to Damascus, and how God later instructed him in the truths about Jesus (Acts 9, 22, and 26; Galatians 1:13-2:21). In the verses from this passage from Ephesians, we only learn that God has given him a mission, and that God's assignment to Him came with an impartation of God's grace to get the job done.

When I was called to be a pastor, I had a very clear calling from the Lord. It occurred at a church, and for a period of close to an hour, God was powerfully speaking to my heart. God speaks to each person differently. What seems to be important is that before one ventures into some type of ministerial service for the Lord, one should receive a personal "call" from God. Remembrance of my call gave me strength in difficult times of ministry. It is meant to. I would not recommend to anyone that they enter into ministry unless they first settled in their hearts whether God was calling them to it, or whether it was simply a personal desire. There is nothing wrong with having a personal desire to serve God in ministry, but in all things -- and certainly in major life decisions -- we as believers need to be led by God. I suspect that many people have a desire before God calls. I suppose it might be true that the desire is even a hint that God is calling, but a desire is different than having the certainty that God has called.

I don't want to make a "call" sound overwhelmingly intimidating. To me, a "call" is simply God telling me to do something. I tend to only use the word "call" when it has the sense of something that is for a lifetime, or at least will take years to fulfill.

I know a lot of people reading this are in denominations with very formalized, perhaps even hierarchical, ministry structures, and immediately reject the notion that a call to ministry would happen to them. But let's think more broadly here. People with a religious title recognized by an organization are not the only ones to whom this applies. God has something for everyone to do, as we saw in Ephesians 2:10. As I write, I'm referring to Christians coming to understand particular roles or functions that God is specifically telling them to fill -- that is, those who are called by God for a mission, task, or purpose which is on His heart.

In verse 7 in this passage, Paul points to more than a call for his ministry. He says that God's grace was given to him through the exercise of God's power. This implies an impartation from God to Paul. I don't recall thinking about whether God imparted anything to me when I felt God called me to ministry. Certainly the hour I spent hearing His call had a profound impact on my life, but even now I am still unclear about whether that constituted an impartation. I feel that God has imparted things to me since the day He called me, but I do wonder whether I should have waited to act upon the call until I had a clear impartation from God -- and also, whether waiting for an impartation from God ought to be part of the process before anyone steps into ministry. In these verses, the Apostle Paul does not suggest that this ought to be the standard for others to follow, but simply that it is what actually happened to him, as he tries to explain why people could trust his ministry and message.

In thinking about the issue of receiving an impartation from God before embarking upon ministry, it comes to mind that when Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs to proclaim the Kingdom of God, He told them, "freely you have received, freely give" (see Matthew 9:35-10:16, especially 10:8). This sounds like God imparting something to them: they received from God, which gave them something that they could give to others. When Jesus said this to his disciples, He also told them to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and proclaim the Good News. Healing the sick and raising the dead involve the power of God being released through those ministering. Are all impartations involving the release of God's power for miracles, signs, and wonders? While I believe that all believers, especially those called to serve, ought to eagerly desire miracles, signs, and wonders in their ministry (1 Corinthians 12:27-31), I think in the context of verse 7, the impartation in Paul's life that he is referring to is an understanding and ability to communicate the Gospel, especially to the Gentiles. This was not simply an intellectual or educated understanding, but a God-given, insight-laden understanding. Just as Paul wrote in verse 10 of chapter 2, this was a work that God planned in advance for Paul to do.

In light of the preceding discussion, perhaps before one embarks in a ministry, one should not only have a call, but also an impartation from God in which a person feels specifically empowered to accomplish the ministry to which he or she is called. It seems clear to me that God sometimes imparts things to us which we have not perceived. Why would this be? Often we simply are not perceptive in the things of God. However, as we spend time seeking God's direction in all things, He makes us aware of His ways, and perhaps helps us understands things in our past which we thought were unimportant were actually God's way of shaping, directing, and empowering us.

In verse 8 of this passage, Paul shows his healthy humility. He didn't consider himself better than any believer -- actually, it's even stronger than that: he considered himself lower than all believers. I honestly am not at the point of thinking of myself lower than all other believers, though I do not think myself above most believers either. Perhaps by the end of my life I will feel about myself the way Paul felt about himself. In general, I try not to compare myself with anyone -- something which is much easier said than done.

What I can identify with is that in my own abilities, I am not up to being able to fulfill the call on my life, and this we see in Paul's amazement of receiving a huge task even though he was unworthy. I have felt a lot of security in the knowledge of my own inability, because it forces me to depend on God. It also allows me to take pressure off of other people who might be seen as necessary (and therefore potential obstacles) to fulfilling my call. If God is in something, then He is ultimately responsible for changing people's hearts and removing physical and man-made obstacles, opening closed doors and clearing the path. This attitude is contrary to many successful ministers who through powerful personalities make things happen. Nevertheless, if a work is not of the Lord, it will have no lasting significance. It might get earthly rewards and look good, but that is not what God is after, and therefore it should not be what we are after.

Paul's task, spelled out in verse 9, is to proclaim the mystery, which is the Good News of reconciliation with God by means of faith in Jesus's payment for our sins. This may sound funny, but as I consider the full meaning of such Good News, I get excited about proclaiming it. It shouldn't still be a mystery even within the Church in this day and age, but somehow the Church in general has seemed to change the Goodness of this mystery into something other than reconciliation and intimacy, and it's almost like the foundations of the faith need to be laid all over again, or at least buttressed. The Church often makes this message of reconcilation with God and His desire for intimate relationship with us as just one of the many things that are important, rather than the foundation of faith that it is.

John Eldredge, the immensely popular author of several best sellers including "Wild at Heart", identifies the need for the Church to have a more complete vision than just getting people to behave properly. It's hard for anybody to get excited about a life focused on what they can't do any more to have fun! I hope this doesn't sound sacreligious, but it's also hard for me to get excited even about the historical fact of the cross in and of itself. Sure Jesus died, and by faith I can go to heaven, but what about the rest of our time on earth? If Christianity is simply about remembering an event of the past or about being good, then it's not such Good News after all.

Eldredge urges everyone, particularly men, to respond to the call of adventure that comes with a relationship with God. Many have gotten excited about this message, because it fills needs that we all have for creativity and significance. I think that what we have discovered in this letter to the Ephesians is this same message and desire, except that Eldredge's exhortation seems to be for people to embrace the adventure God calls them to, while what I feel God is emphasizing is the step before that: embrace the adventure of relationship with God, embrace the Divine Romance! It is only through this intimate relationship that one can truly find God's direction and call, and can truly have the confidence of His presence and companionship in living out that call. Relationship, purpose, adventure, freedom, creativity -- these are things to get excited about, and truly what makes the cross and the Gospel of Christ Good News!

May I challenge each one reading this -- if you haven't already -- to embark on a life-long romance and friendship with God? May I also challenge you to recognize that this is the Good News, and to invite those inside and outside the Church to begin this amazing adventure as well?!