Transcript Of An Interview with Reverend PC Akubueze (2nd Publication, 2021)
ACP: Good evening everyone! The question still lingers: WHAT IS DIVINE CALLING? Divine calling has been our point of discussion recently. And with the many unanswered questions, today I believe, would bring some answers, if not all the answers, you’ve been waiting for.
Welcome to the talk show. I am Verra and with me here is our known guest Dr. P. C. Akubueze, who will be answering some of our questions on divine calling.
Welcome Pastor, it’s so wonderful to have you with us again. We thank God for your teachings and the sincerity in sharing them with our viewers, listeners and readers have always been a blessing to us. Thank you so much for coming.
P.C.: Thanks for having me, Verra. I’m glad to be amongst God’s people.
ACP: Pastor, in the last interview, you somewhat talked extensively about the hindrances to divine calling. But there were some questions that our viewers and readers would have loved you to answer concerning divine calling if it weren’t for the time factor. Maybe, we should just start from there right away.
People seem not to have a clear view about Divine calling, the Christian calling, and the Ministry calling. What can you tell us about these terminologies?
P.C.: Well, it depends on what the user means by the terminology used. The application may or may not be the same, since we are not on the speaker’s mind. But to be precise, Divine calling is divided into two main categories. The Christian Ministry calling and the general Believers calling. Both of which are different in nature and at the same time similar in origin.
ACP: How are they similar? Are they the same, you mean?
P.C.: Not really! They are similar in that they both are of or from the same Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who does both callings. Both are called divine callings as well because the divine is involved in the callings. And both are callings, geared to serve the Lord. The Bible says we are all called to serve. The ministers are serving and the Church is to be trained for service (Ephesians 4v12).
ACP: What is the difference between the two: the Christian Ministry calling and the general Believers calling?
P.C.: The difference between the two lies in the nature and not on the source or origin.
On the one hand, the general Believer’s calling occurs during salvation, where one is called to surrender to Christ. At this level, all Christians of all ages experience it because that is what makes one a born-again Christian. The Bible tells us that we are called out of the world, from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of God or light or the kingdom of Christ (1 Peter 2:9). This is talking about salvation. The Church is made up of those who are called of God through the saving power of Jesus Christ. That is what I mean by the Believer’s calling.
On the other hand, the ministry calling I mentioned above is the specific calling of Christ of those whom He wants to use to help build the Church in Him. These people are already saved or have experienced the Believers calling and are made up of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers as spoken of in Ephesians 4v11. You may call it the five-fold ministry and that would be okay too.
So, we are all called to serve and we all experience the Believers’ calling, but we do not all experience the five-fold ministry calling. These are for some select few who are not more important than the others, anyway!
ACP: How I wish we all experience both callings!
P.C.: Well, that would make no sense then. I think we are not smarter than the Lord. If all were ministers, to whom shall we minister to then? He made it that way and let it be so.
ACP: Reverend, you’ve drawn a line between both callings. Now, What is divine calling? If somebody may ask you, really, how would you define it?
P.C.: Well! The phrase “Divine Calling” is quite a broad one, very broad indeed. There’s more to it than we can talk about now. However, it’s good to point out that the word “Divine,” basically speaking, is employed to mean something celestial, heavenly, or pertaining to God or proceeding from God the Supreme Being. Then the word “Calling” also brings the idea of someone communicating; someone trying to cause the other to come closer by means of words, gestures or otherwise.
If we put the two words together, we can make three conclusions. First, we see that heaven (God) is trying to communicate. God becomes the first communicator. Second, considering the fact that communication is never one-sided, we come to conclude that God is communicating to or with somebody other than Himself. Third, the person God is trying to communicate with is on the earth level and not in the heavens.
Therefore, “Divine Calling” refers to the act of God calling someone on earth into a vocation, a special service, or a “Profession,” if I may use that word. Please, I used the word “Profession” with strong reservations.
Divine calling could also refer to the strong inner impulse or inclination that is motivated by God within someone, leading to His will and plans for that person.
“Divine calling” is God calling the human. The mighty calling the weak. The immortal calling the mortal to service.
“Divine calling” may also include the communicated directions in life that God wants a person to take.
“Divine calling” is a heavenly commission passed down to an earthly person by God.
“Divine calling” is a revelation of God’s will on earth unto a person.
“Divine calling” is still the appeal of God to someone out of His service to enter into His service on the earth using the abilities He provides.
“Divine calling” is a divine invitation beckoning to a person to come closer to God for a change of mind, purpose, and direction.
The things that are important to note, as far as divine calling is concerned, are these: It involves heaven and the earth together. It involves the communication of the divine to, between, or with the human. It involves the divine initially calling a person to come closer or nearer God first so as to hear from God better in order to serve Him effectively.
ACP: Should we take the use of the phrases “Divine calling” and “Your calling” to mean the same thing?
P.C.: Of course, yes. These phrases are joint words interchangeably used sometimes. One can use the two words “Divine calling” to mean “Your calling,” “Your divine calling,” “the Christian service calling,” “the Ministry calling,” “the Christian Ministry calling,” etc. Even one could be more precise in saying “Pastoral calling,” “Apostolic calling,” “Prophetic calling,” etc. All basically applying to Divine callings. So yes, it could be interchanged without a great change in its meaning. The most important element is that there must be a communication involving the divine and the earthly vessel or person. Not heaven to heaven nor earth to earth communication. However, I would rather prefer the use of “Divine calling” for clarity’s sake, for no human takes that honor upon himself.
ACP: You said you would prefer “Divine calling” for clarity’s sake. Why would you?
P.C.: I mean, no one takes that honor upon himself. No one calls himself into service. No one meaning, no humans. Hebrews 5v4 says a man must be called by God for such services. Ephesians 4v11 rightly says it is the Lord who gave some to be prophets, apostles, etc. Thus, I prefer using the joint words “Divine calling” which clearly connotes divine involvement.
ACP: You also said, “Not heaven to heaven nor earth to earth communication”. How do you mean?
P.C.: When I said, “Not heaven to heaven nor earth to earth communication,” I mean it cannot be divine calling if the communication remains heavenly. Say, God, talking to or calling an angel, which He usually does. The Bible tells us more about what John heard and saw. John heard the Lord talking to angels, calling them and assigning them certain duties in judging the earth. You can find that in the book of Revelation. These are all divine communications but not divine calling as we know it because it’s all heaven to heaven communications.
Also, It can’t be a divine calling if the communication remains earthly. Say, a Pastor or a person calling somebody into ministry rather than God Himself. And I have seen some people who are in ministry because somebody told them so. Others, because they could preach, they decided to go into ministry without the call of God upon their lives.
Do you see what I mean? Such calling has a communication that is solely earthy and nothing divine. For a call to be divine, there should be a communication between the heavenly and the earthly. It has to proceed from heaven toward the earth. From God to man. Again, Hebrews 5v4, reminds us that no man takes this honor to serve God upon himself, he must be called by God. And where is God? God is in the heavens. It is truly heaven-to-earth communications.
ACP: Man of God, I understand we might be running against time, but we thank you so much for sharing with us again. We do appreciate it and believe that your contributions have certainly brought clarity on this subject to most of our viewers, listeners, and readers. Once again, thanks for coming to the show.
P.C.: The pleasure is mine.
ACP: And thank you everyone for your shared attention. We hope it’s been a blessing to you all. Please, do tune in again for our next episode. Good evening.
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