We saints need to get a firmer grasp on the calling of God. The royal priesthood is not a randomly chosen group. The members were called of God when the world was created. Each one is a "saint," that is, someone who has been called by the Lord to be set apart for His special purposes.

The term church literally means "called out from."

We hear people say "I was called to be a mechanic; I was called to be a salesman; I was called to be a housewife."

No you weren't. You may have abilities in some areas. God might lead you to be a mechanic or salesman or housewife. But your calling is to be a member of the royal priesthood.

There are a variety of gifts and ministries mentioned in the New Testament but none of them has to do with being a mechanic, a salesman, or a housewife. Rather they are Divinely endowed abilities with which we are to build up the Body of Christ so that each member may be perfect as measured by the full stature of Christ.

God has tremendous needs. He is calling out of the world a royal priesthood. He needs a wife for the Lamb. He needs living stones for His temple. He needs brothers for His Son. He needs rulers and judges to govern His creation. He needs people who will be expressions of His Person, His will, His way, and His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus.

It is only as we begin to grow to maturity in Christ that we can serve satisfactorily as a royal priest, a member of the Wife of the Lamb, a living stone in God's eternal temple, a brother of God's Son, an expression of God's Person, will, way, and eternal purpose.

If you are a Christian, you have but one calling. Your calling is to be a saint, a holy one, a king, a priest of God. Take your calling seriously. Come out of the spirit of the age, its lusts, its malice, its violence, its covetousness. Ask God to help you purify yourself. You will be a better mechanic, salesman, or housewife if you do.

You are God's eternal servant, His witness to His creation. You are being formed now. Although you have a definite purpose in the present world, your fullest witness and service will be given throughout the endless ages to come. This is why it is more critical that you live and minister in integrity now, playing by the rules of the game, than it is that you accomplish some great thing in the church world. How terrible to have a worldwide ministry and then to have the Lord say, "I never knew you"!

God has called you to be a royal priest. It is His will that you not disqualify yourself but reach the mark set before you. This you can and shall do because Christ will help you at every point along the way.

Go for it!