50. Many are Called, but Few are Chosen

"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Mt 22:14)

Two nights ago, as I lay in bed, this verse kept playing in my head. Then, I realized how strange it sounded.

Wouldn't it make more sense to say "Many are chosen, but few are called"? In church, we are told that we are God's chosen people (1 Pet 2:9). We've all been chosen. Only some people are called. Only some receive this unique experience from God where He clearly tells them to come out to serve, usually as a pastor or other form of full-time work. Right? Perhaps, it may not even be to that magnitude. God may (indirectly) call you to be an RE teacher, a sermon-speaker, an interpreter, a writer, a youth coordinator, or Bible study facilitator. And yet, not many (relatively speaking) are called to do these things.

So then, what does it mean "For many are called, but few are chosen" in this salvation-crucial passage?

First, "many are called." In the Parable of Wedding Banquet (the verse concludes the parable), many are called (or "invited") to the wedding banquet of a king. They not only don't come, but mistreat and kill the servants who were sent to tell them to come. Then, the king gives an open invite to anyone the servants can find. Of course, this is about preaching the message of the kingdom of God. Before, only the Jews were part of God's kingdom. However, they killed the prophets, including Jesus. Now, salvation has been given to everyone. And indeed, this is what it means to be "called." When people hear about TJC, when we preach the truth to others, they are being "invited" to this spiritual banquet of salvation. They are being "called" "out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet 2:9) - called to be a part of God's church and to live a holy life (1 Tim 1:9, 1 Thess 4:7) that is pleasing to God, blameless in His eyes.

However, "few are chosen." Just because we are called to live a holy life does not mean we automatically do it. It is something we must actively strive for. If we don't, we will not be chosen. We will be like one of the guests the king noticed not wearing wedding clothes. The king said to him, "Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?" (Mt 22:12) The wedding garment is the good deeds and righteous acts that constitute a holy life. In Revelation, the saints wear this garment to the wedding banquet of the Lamb (Rev 19:8-9).

If we end up not living a holy life, a life worthy to this calling (Eph 4:1), the king will say to us, "Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Mt 22:13) Earlier in verse 12, the king called him "Friend" because he was a friend who was invited to the grand banquet. He was a friend, called from the darkness outside to participate in a marvelous feast inside. However, because he did not wear the wedding garment, he was not chosen. Instead, he was thrown back outside into the darkness, a darkness which has become an exponentially scarier darkness than just the dark streets earlier in the parable, a darkness so painful you weep and gnash your teeth.

Now, I want to pay special attention to "Bind him hand and foot." Why didn't Jesus just say "Bind him, take him away..."? What is the point of indicating "hand and foot"? Again, this directly relates to the wedding garment - our deeds. Hands represent what we do. Feet represent where we decide to go. This guest's hands and feet were tied because he went and did unholy things, even though he was called to holiness. Because of his actions, he was not chosen even though he was called.

Friends, haven't we already been called to the banquet? In fact, might we already go church, feasting in the wedding hall filled with guests (Mt 22:10)? However, let's take a look at what we're wearing. Are we wearing the wedding garment of fine clean linen? Are we prepared for the banquet of the Lamb with righteous acts? If not, let us wash our hands from sinful deeds (Ja 4:8). Let us wash our feet from sinful ways. Let us actively strive to live a holy and blameless life, worthy of God's calling. For many are called, but few are chosen.