House Church Talk - Called & chosen?

[Colin Thompson]

 Hi friends,
I have been exercised about making our calling and election sure.
This is an excerpt from a letter to some friends, which I hope lays it out.:
 
I am optimistic for the saints in Thessaloniki, that like us in the West
they are being sifted, sorted and separated out.
It isn't 'nice' but it is essential.
For generations the chosen ones have been mixed in with the called ones and
the un-called ones.
It is a bit like your vision of the 3 rooms.
The largest is those who have not been drawn by the Father to Jesus.
The medium size room is those who have been called. They have heard the
Spirit say - come!
Sadly the majority of those who are called do not come all the way.
We may stop at religion, or at meetings, or at membership, or at 'private
devotions' - a thousand things.
I would not be surprised if most of these do not believe that being called
out is the same as being 'chosen'.
They heard, they believed. Surely that's it.
But we are to make our calling and election sure.
We only make our election sure as we die daily, taking up our cross,
forsaking everything and everyone and our own, independent, free lives also.
So we enter the smallest room, where Jesus is.
Yes, with man this is impossible.
But with God all things are possible.
Jesus is not a subject for a hobby, religion, life-style or philosophy.
He is the One who has the words of eternal life, who bought us with His own
blood.
He gave everything for us. Heaven, equality with God, immortality (He did
die.), dignity.
See how He loved us.
Shall we not also love Him?
He will not build His Temple with half finished stones.
Only living stones. That have first died.
Many have a name to live yet are dead in trespasses and sins.
The time is past for messing about playing 'church' games.
It's time to decide who we will serve, not what.
I don't have any advice on the politics of those who are concerned with
licenses, venues, 'doctrinal purity' and 'correct procedure' .
Thank God we have a new and living way into the very presence of the Living,
Holy God through our Great High Priest, Jesus.
Let's go to Him.
My love to brother Ilias and the Albanian saints.
 
end of excerpt
All the best,
  Colin Thompson, Gateshead, England.
http://www.cthompson.org.uk/colin.html