We’re nearing the end of our Wednesday night study of Revelation. By my estimation we’ll be done at the end of March, and I’ll be sorry to see it go. It’s been a fun and rewarding study for me; hopefully it has for you as well. As for the remainder of the year, returning to the New Converts/Fundamentals class I had only just started teaching last year (when the pandemic put a halt to everything). Look for that in the summer quarter (June-August). In the back-half of the year I hope to teach Daniel (September-November). And immediately after Revelation I will be taking a couple months (April-May) and answering your Bible Questions. There’s a box in the foyer so if you have any kind of a Bible Question, no matter how odd or silly you may think it is, please put it in the box. If you want you can also email, text, or message me your questions on social media; I’m not hard to find.
Back to Revelation: There’s a wonderful verse in chapter seventeen that deserves special attention…
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings:
and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.(Revelation 17:14)
The context is of the ultimate victory Christ will win over the enemies of His church. Those evil-doers will make war with the lamb but will be defeated, and those who will stand victorious with Jesus are described in three ways “called, and chosen, and faithful.” These words are not synonymous, however. In fact, in order to be a victorious Christian you must be all three of these things. You can’t just be called, without also being chosen and faithful, and you can’t just be called and chosen without also being faithful. You must be “called, and chosen, and faithful.”
The word “called” describes the invitation of the Gospel of Christ. The word “chosen” describes the saving power of the blood of Christ. The word “faithful” describes the Divine protection of the light of Christ. A victorious Christian is someone who has been invited by Christ, saved through Christ, and is faithful to Christ.
Many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Who have been called? The whole population of the world has been called (John 3:16). Everyone is invited to enjoy the riches of Christ’s salvation. How many will actually obey and be saved by Jesus, however? That number is far smaller. Only those who believe and are baptized into Christ will be saved by Christ (Mark 16:16). And even among those, who have been invited and who have been saved, there is only a portion who will actually be victorious; only the faithful from among the obedient, from among the invited, will ultimately and finally be victorious (Revelation 2:10).
The question is often asked, in different ways and with different agendas: Who is going to Heaven? Who are the saved? Who are God’s people?
The answer, according to Revelation 17:14 is simple and clear: The “called, chosen, faithful” ones are the ones who are going to Heaven. Who is that? It’s only a few, out of the some, out of everyone. Fortunately, God doesn’t put a limit on the number; it’s just a sad fact of life that only a few will be saved (Matthew 7:14); it’s not God’s fault but man’s. The invitation is for all; everyone has been called, anyone can be chosen, and those who strive to be faithful (Luke 13:24) will be victorious forevermore.
~ Matthew