Matthew 22:14 For many are called but few are chosen
Many of God’s children are called to be obedient; called to live righteously, but few are actually chosen. In order to properly understand what Jesus meant, we must allow scripture to interpret scripture. We can do this by studying Paul’s teaching on the election of grace.
Romans 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Having studied the election of grace, it should now be easier to understand this passage from Matthew. Not all of God’s regenerate children will be blessed to hear the gospel preached. As a result, not all will be called to obedience, but many nonetheless will. Not all those who hear the gospel preached will accept it as being the truth. As a result, not all those who hear the gospel will know how to please God as set forth under the New Covenant. An example of this can be found in Acts 10. In this story Cornelius continues to worship in accordance with the Old Testament teachings. Instead of his prayers and alms being received of God as an offering, they are received as a memorial. Cornelius was not able to worship the Father outside of Jesus Christ. Cornelius was blessed to have been sent a messenger that guided him to Peter for proper direction, but this will not be the case for all His elect.
Thank you for taking the time to read this study. I hope you found this study to be a blessing, and that it has in some way increased your knowledge of our Lord and Savior. If you have questions, or would like to leave a comment, please do not hesitate to do so.
You may also email questions to barry@baptistcommentary.com
Grace to you,
Barry Laminack
Topical References: Belief, Children of God, Conversion, Matthew, New Testament, Pauline Theology, Prayer, Promises of God, Scripture Comment | 6 Comments »
6 Responses to “Matthew 22:14 For many are called but few are chosen”
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October 30th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
“Not all of God’s regenerate children will be blessed to hear the gospel preached.”
I hope you wrote this wrong! Becuase it is a very wrong statement!
November 18th, 2008 at 7:37 am
When the Bible speaks of obedience, it is speaking of the same obedience it always has. The same obedience to what? The same obedience to God’s Word which simply and clearly expressed His instructions to us for Life. It is usually translated as “the Law”, but Torah simply means “instruction”. Jesus followed the good parts of His law, which were ALL parts. The disciples and the 1st and 2nd generation believers also did so under the pure guidance of the apostles. It was only much later, starting in the 4th century, that law-obedience became outlawed and replaced by the weak false doctrine we have now. There is NOTHING wrong or unbiblical about following God’s Law in the Spirit and Truth. God set forth His way for us, Jesus exemplified it, the apostles continued it, but the modern church system we have today has abandoned it almost entirely. Read your Bible from start to finish, and you’ll see references to the Law being “good” and kept by all believers who truly are called and want to please Him. Law-abiding (or following His instructions) is not a substitute for Jesus’ gift of salvation and grace/mercy. Firstly, grace and mercy have always existed–read the Torah and you’ll see that clearly spoken. Jesus restraightened a crooked path and set the example clearly–we should follow it and be in His Spirit also. peace to you, Chris
November 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Chris,
Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
I do not disagree with you. However, in being obedient to the law, one can only rightly obey the law out of love. When the law is observed in an attempt to gain, then the law can never be obeyed. Such was the case in Acts 10.
Word picture: A man in need of a job, goes to a nearby place of business one morning and begins working like everyone else. The owner eventually comes by and asks why he is there. The man replies, “I need a paycheck”. The owner states that he has not hired the man and no matter how much work he does, he does not have to pay him. A few weeks later this same man is hired by another place of business. When this man gets to work he rests secure in the fact that he now has a job and can look forward to a paycheck. As a result, this man sits around all day and does nothing. Eventually the owner comes by and tells this man that if he does not perform his duties to a satisfactory level he will loose his job and his paycheck.
Likewise, no matter how much work we do, it is not what we must do to enter in. Thus was Paul’s teaching against works. But once we have entered in by faith, we cannot sit around and expect to receive the reward having done nothing to deserve it, thus was James teaching that faith without works is dead.
However, in light of your response to my post, no man can be obedient outside of Jesus Christ.
Grace to you,
Barry
November 18th, 2008 at 10:25 am
J Varin,
No, it was not written incorrectly. It is the truth as is revealed through scripture. My advise to you is to put away the those things which men have taught you and search the scriptures. Topical studies prove to be the most revealing, as they make manifest the Holy Spirit’s teaching concerning particular doctrines. As Peter teaches in the first chapter of his second epistle, all scripture has a single author, the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all scripture teaches the same thing and is always in agreement. For example, all the following passages teach the same thing. Be careful though, none of the following teach concerning the baptism of men for membership into the church.
Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
In Romans 6, Paul teaches concerning a baptism by which we are buried with Christ into death. He makes mention of this same baptism in Colossians, Corinthians, and Galatians. When looking at these passages together, as in a topical study, we find that one must first be baptized into death, in the likeness of Christ’s death, before he can be raised to life in the likeness of Christ’s resurrection. We also find that those who “baptized for the dead” must be raised to life. We also find that these dead “should walk in newness of life”. Further more, those of the church, those who have professed faith, are those who “have risen with Him” and “have put on Christ”.
For other scripture studies which also confirm this truth, see my study of John 6 where Jesus teaches that those who eat the bread will “live forever”, and those who eat the bread and drink the blood, “have” life within.
Grace to you, and may you be filled with the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding that is of God.
Barry
November 24th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Actually, Barry, the Word clearly says that Jesus won’t return until the message is preached to the ends of the earth.
Even if it is not done with the hands and feet of man, God’s angels can reach anyone God wants them to just as they did before Christ.
Everyone will be given an opportunity to accept salvation through Christ.
Isaiah 5:26
He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily!
Mark 13:27
And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 13:47
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ” ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
Romans 10:18
But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
December 1st, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Bridgette,
>> Actually, Barry, the Word clearly says that Jesus won’t return until the message is preached to the ends of the earth.
To attempt to explain, what appears to be a misunderstanding concerning several passages, would require a very lengthy reply and has absolutely nothing to do with Matthew 22:14. However, I will make a few short comments. I am currently involved in a study which covers many things that I would like to say in this reply. But instead, I will refrain due to the length that it would require. I do hope that you will return in the coming months and look for a series that I hope to begin posting soon entitled “The lost witness of 70 A.D.†I expect that there will be several posts in this series, since it will require much in order to cover all the different aspects of this study.
I am a bit confused. I agree that scripture teaches that Christ would not return until the gospel had been preached “unto all the worldâ€, but when you say this, it is as if this has not yet been fulfilled. Then you use Romans 10:18, as if it is to support this argument, when in fact it clearly declares that this prophecy was fulfilled. It is but one of ten different times that Paul confirms that the gospel was preached “unto all the worldâ€. The scriptures clearly teach that an end was to come. And that end was to come upon Judea and not the whole world (See 1 Corinthians 10:11). Luke’s view on the same teaching of Jesus, from which I assume you have taken your passage above (Matthew 24), provides us with insight as to what the desolation would be (See Luke 21). The warnings to flee the coming wrath were given to those of Judea (See Luke 21:21, Matthew 24:16, Mark 13:14), not to every nation on earth. Every account of this end which was soon to come records that it would be accomplished at such a time that the present generation would witness it. Most accounts even detail it more clearly (See Luke 21:32, Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30) by saying that there would be members of the audience, to which the words were originally spoken, that would not taste of death before it came. And Paul refers to this event as the coming in of the fullness of the Gentiles. Now if this has not yet occurred, then your faith is as worthless as that of the Gentiles of the Old Testament.
But if we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in these matters, and not allow ourselves to be guided by blind men who proclaim to have the truth, myself to be included, then we can find the truth. And then we find that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was more significant than what most would have us to believe.
>> Even if it is not done with the hands and feet of man, God’s angels can reach anyone God wants them to just as they did before Christ.
Again, I agree with what you have said, but as recorded in the Old Testament, there were but a few, select, chosen men to whom God wanted His angel to reach. It was God’s desire that all the nation of Israel follow Him in obedience, having been chosen and adopted as His children, for the time then present. For even then there were three kinds of people, just as there are today, the priesthood, the children of Israel, and the strangers who were not allowed to enter into the tabernacle.
>> Everyone will be given an opportunity to accept salvation through Christ.
I am sorry but I must disagree with you, because this not supported by scripture. In fact, scripture itself denies this, for they “were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asiaâ€. And then you must also consider the people of Australia, North America, South America, South Africa, Greenland, Canada, etc… can you even comprehend how many people have died without the privilege of hearing the gospel preached? How many fetuses’ have never even been born so that they might hear the gospel preached? I am sure you made this comment purely out of a quick speculation, because it is not at all supported in scripture.
>> Mark 13:27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
Yes, again I am able agree. This also was fully accomplished in 70 A.D. with the coming in of the fullness of the Gentiles. The two folds have become one. The middle wall of partition has been removed. Amen!
John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, [and] one shepherd.
Grace to you,
Barry