That phrase, “the upward call of God” is at the center of this passage of scripture and is at the core of the context of the scripture. In other words, the term “the upward call “ throws light on the surrounding verses and helps to explain the verses before and after its use. The entire passage hinges on the proper understanding of this phrase, the upward call or high calling of God.

Because it is stated, “the upward call ‘of God,’” it is clear the one who is doing the calling is God the Father. And to whom is He calling, and why or for what purpose is He calling? These and other questions need answering. And to answer it we must consider the following three verses which will shed light on these questions.

For other episodes, find us at https://ufsministries.com/podcast

Qualifying for the Race — The single qualification to enter this race is having spiritual life; a man without spiritual life, zoe, has no vitality and is unfit and unable to run this race. For the believer, it is written in 1 Jn. 512 “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Therefore God has chosen us in Christ (Eph. 1.4), He is our sole qualification; and furthermore, it is written in Jud. 1.1 “we are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ;” which may more broadly be interpreted as, “being called we have received an invitation to enter that race, and have been consecrated or set apart by God to be a runner in it, and that He watches over us attentively as we run the race before us, able to preserve us to the finish.” Heb. 12.1-2 continues,

“let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus.”

For other episodes, find us at https://ufsministries.com/podcast

Ps. 122.1-2 “1I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.

2Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!’”

Just who is the “I” in this verse; and why is he “glad” to hear the beckoning call from the passerby? Firstly, many, including myself, can identify as the “I” in this verse, perhaps you may also. The reason being is that I too was once the one standing within your gates of Jerusalem. No, I was not in the city Jerusalem, Israel; there is a physical Jerusalem and a heavenly spiritual Jerusalem. (See Heb. !2.22, Gal.4.26) The first is the abiding place for the natural man, the man of flesh; the latter city is the abiding place for the spiritual man, as it is written, Heb. 12.22 “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,…” It was within this latter case I found my feet were “standing” within the gates of religion, just as the hearer in this verse.

For other episodes, find us at https://ufsministries.com/podcast