An Authentic Calling: Representing Christ and His Kingdom through the Church

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An Authent i c Ca l l i ng: Represent i ng Chr i s t and Hi s Ki ngdom through the Chur ch

I. Understanding an Authentic Call as a Call to Holiness

A. Definition of the call to holiness in the story of Exodus

1. The consecration of the people to God himself

a. Lev. 11.44 (ESV) – For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am

holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.

b. Lev. 19.2 (ESV) – Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”

c. Lev. 20.7 (ESV) – Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.

2. The consecration of the firstborn (along with the observance of the Passover), Exod. 13.11-16 (ESV) – When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, [12] you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord’s. [13] Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. [14] And when in time to come your son asks you, “What does this mean?” you shall say to him, “By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. [15] For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.” [16] It shall be as a mark