For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 NLTAs for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! Galatians 5:12For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. Galatians 5:13akαλέω kaléō = call, name, direct, summon, invite, appointWhat does it mean to “be called?” Calling is the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to his summons and service. -Os Guinness, The Callקָרָא qara = call, shout, summon, to name, announce, appointBut now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1God’s call changes everything! The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3“At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’” Luke 14:1718 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel. Galatians 1:616 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.” 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. Luke 14:16, 23He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Galatians 3:143 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
