Deus nos chamou
Deus nos chamou antes da fundação do mundo. Ele nos conhece pelo nome, nos predestinou para sermos conforme a imagem de Cristo e nos capacita para o chamado.
Chamados por Deus
Os que Deus predestinou, também os chamou. O Seu chamado é irrevogável — fundamentado no propósito eterno e na graça abundante.
Njalo siyakwazi ukuthi ezintweni zonke uNkulunkulu usebenzela okuhle kulabo abamthandayo, ababizwe ngokwenjongo yakhe. Ngoba labo uNkulunkulu abazi ngaphambilini wabamisela ukuba babe lesimo esifana leseNdodana yakhe, ukuze abe lizibulo phakathi kwabazalwane abanengi. Labo abamiselayo, wababiza; labo ababizayo, wabenza balunga; labo abenza balunga, wabanika inkazimulo.
Ngikhulekela njalo lokuthi amehlo ezinhliziyo zenu akhanyiselwe ukuze lilazi ithemba alibizela kulo, inotho yelifa lakhe elimangalisayo kwabangcwele, lamandla akhe amakhulu angelakulinganiswa kithi thina esikholwayo. Amandla lawo afana lokusebenza kwamandla akhe amakhulu
Ngakho-ke, ungabi lenhloni ukufakaza ngeNkosi yethu loba ube lenhloni ngami isibotshwa sayo. Kodwa hlanganyela lami ekuhluphekeleni ivangeli ngamandla kaNkulunkulu owasisindisayo, wasibizela ekuphileni okungcwele kungayisikho kuthi kukhona esakwenzayo kodwa ngenxa yenjongo yakhe langomusa wakhe. Umusa lo sawunikwa ngoKhristu uJesu ngaphambi kokuqala kwesikhathi kodwa khathesi usubonakaliswe ngokubonakala koMsindisi wethu uKhristu Jesu, osechithe ukufa waletha ekukhanyeni ukuphila lokungafi ngevangeli.
Njalo uNkulunkulu womusa wonke, yena owalibizela enkazimulweni kaKhristu engulaphakade, emva kokuba lihlupheke okwesikhatshana, yena uqobo uzalivuselela alenze libe lamandla, liqine njalo lithembeke.
"Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi,
ungakazalwa ngakukhetha
ngakubeka ukuba ngumphrofethi ezizweni."
A resposta ao chamado
Ninguém pode vir a mim se o Pai não o atrair. Deus escolheu os fracos para confundir os fortes — e nos chamou para a luz.
Kakho ongeza kimi ngaphandle kokuthi uBaba ongithumileyo amsondeze, mina-ke ngizamvusa ngosuku lokucina.
Bazalwane, khumbulani ngalokho elaliyikho ekubizweni kwenu. Kababanengi phakathi kwenu ababehlakaniphile ngesilinganiso sabantu; kababanengi ababelamandla; kababanengi ababezalwa yizikhulu. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wakhetha izinto zasemhlabeni eziyizithutha ukuba ayangise izihlakaniphi; uNkulunkulu wakhetha izinto zasemhlabeni ezibuthakathaka ukuba ayangise abalamandla.
Lalelani, bazalwane bami abathandekayo: Kanti uNkulunkulu kabakhethanga yini labo abangabayanga emehlweni omhlaba ukuba babengabanothileyo ekukholweni kanye lokudla ilifa lombuso awuthembisa labo abamthandayo na?
Ngoba wasihlenga embusweni wobumnyama wasiletha embusweni weNdodana yakhe ayithandayo, okukuyo ukuhlengwa kwethu lokuthethelelwa kwezono.
UPhethro waphendula wathi, "Phendukani libhaphathizwe lonke, ebizweni likaJesu Khristu ukuze lithethelelwe izono zenu. Njalo lizakwamukela isipho soMoya oNgcwele. Isithembiso ngesenu labantwabenu labo bonke abakude, lesabo bonke iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu ezababiza."
Confirmando o chamado
Procurai tornar cada vez mais firme a vossa vocação. Deus começou a boa obra e a completará até o dia de Cristo.
Ngakho-ke, bazalwane bami, tshisekelani kakhulu ukwenza ukubizwa lokukhethwa kwenu kuqiniseke. Ngoba nxa lisenza lezizinto kalizukuwa, njalo lizakwamukelwa ngokupheleleyo embusweni olaphakade weNkosi loMsindisi wethu uJesu Khristu.
ngilethemba lokuthi lowo owaqalisa umsebenzi omuhle kini uzawuqhubekisela phambili kuze kube lusuku lukaKhristu uJesu.
Ngoba banengi ababiziweyo kodwa balutshwana abakhethiweyo."