Brethren, from the parable, two questions stand out to qualify servants’ ‘faithfulness to mission’ to gain God’s trust: First, should a labourer judge the nature and purpose of their calling and service in comparison or in contempt of the call or service of others? Second, do you consider the task as though it were your own, needing own strength and resources to accomplish it or do you rely on God’s Power?
3.1 Faithfulness to God’s Discretion
In terms of faithfulness to God’s discretion, Moses the great Law-giver could not judge God’s choice of Joshua to take the people to the promised land and divide their inheritance although he laboured with them in the wilderness. Likewise, the ‘children of Israel’ (the lineage of Jesus) cannot judge why the inheritance of God (His salvation) is left by GRACE for those who would believe in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to whom, and in whose name alone, God so commissioned it. (John 14:16 ; Acts 4:12).
Ministers should therefore endeavour to identify their calling or mission and seek to walk in it in all faithfulness. For instance, certain men in Judea taught that except the brethren be circumcised and keep the law of Moses they cannot be saved. But notwithstanding their Jewish heritage, Apostles Peter and Paul defended the mission to save the non-Jewish brethren by the faith of GRACE in Jesus Christ. (Acts 15:1-5).
Relying on God’s discretion and power over the fear of the Pharisee sect, Peter explained that: “God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WE SHALL BE SAVED, EVEN AS THEY”. (Acts 15:7-11-emphasis).
3.2 Faithfulness to God’s Power
In terms of faithfulness to God’s power, Moses makes an interesting example: After God had narrated to Moses His plan and strategy for delivering the people from bondage, rather than to believe in the power of God, he focused on his own ability, and or what his brethren might think. Even when God revealed his power by turning Moses’ staff into a serpent and making his hand leprous, he still complained that he was “not eloquent” and is “slow of speech “and “slow of tongue”. (Exodus 4:1-10).
God reminded him that He had made man’s mouth and promised that He will be with Moses’ mouth and teach him what to say. Yet still Moses will not believe but requested that God send help, and the “anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses”. So God commissioned Aaron his brother, a Levite as his mouth piece (Exodus 4:13-16). Inability to believe in the strength of God also caused Moses to request for the seventy elders to be anointed to help him.
Brethren, the point to establish here is the importance of belief in God’s word and power which evidently, Moses found difficult to do without signs and human assistance causing God to be angry. Note that this scenario is symbolic of the Law of Moses which required doings and human assistance of Priests and Levites. It is exactly the opposite of what is required for salvation by GRACE – conditioned solely on belief in God’s word and his power wrought through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Consider also that this lack of belief in God’s power by faith, than signs and human endeavour caused Moses to boast at the waters of Meribah; where he struck the rock for water, rather than speak to it as God directed. He lost the trust of God and was denied entry into the promise land. (Numbers 20:8-12; Deuteronomy 4:21; 32:51-52).
On the other hand, Queen Esther did not rely on her beauty to approach the king’s chamber to persuade him to defeat the enemies who sought to exterminate the Jews; despite the great weight which her uncle Mordecai placed on her shoulders, and the risk of death. (Esther 4:7-14). Instead, she believed in the power of God and declared three days of fasting and prayer among her brethren, and was victorious. (Esther 4:16; 7:3-10). Servants of God must therefore be faithful to desire and to believe God’s means and methods for accomplishing His purpose even if it does not make sense.
4. Election is By Privilege and GRACE
