THE ELECT AND THE CHOSEN

 

“To be called to be a member of the Church and kingdom of God on earth; it is to be numbered with the saints; it is to accept the gospel and receive the everlasting covenant; it is to have part and lot in the earthly Zion; it is to be born again, to be a son or a daughter of the Lord Jesus Christ; to have membership in the household of faith; it is to be on the path leading to eternal life and to have the hope of eternal glory; it is to have a conditional promise of eternal life, it is to be an inheritor of all the blessings of the gospel, provided there is continued obedience to the laws and ordinances thereof.” (Bruce R. McConkie, “Doctrinal New Testament Commentary”  3:326; see also D&C Student Manual p 298, commentary for 121:34)

I look back on the time I felt driven to join the Church. My motivation back then was very simple but today, after all the knowledge I have gained through the Church, I believe I was called.  I think of only one thing: “My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Being called means to have been elected in pre-mortal life to have the privilege of being a member of Christ’s kingdom on earth.

Both Elder McConkie and President Harold B Lee claimed that the lives we lived in pre-mortal life very much determined the privileges we would have in this life, especially that we would be granted opportunities to accept the truth; that it is “reasonable to believe that what we have received here in this earth life was given to each of us according to the merits of our conduct before we came here” (President Harold B. Lee, in CR October 1973, Ensign January 1974; see also “A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p 512 by Bruce R. McConkie)

We read in Doctrine and Covenants that “many are called but few are chosen” and it is so because their hearts are set on the things of the world (121:34-5). Somehow the glare of this earthly life blinds so many of us and in that glare we sell our birthright for a mass of pottage.

The membership number of the Church for 2025 is a little over 17.5 million. Compare that to the world population of 8.25 billion.  When you put that into perspective, you can see how privileged, valued, and special you are to be in the sheepfold of the Saviour’s flock. If you ever get tempted to leave, just remember: “I am the door of the sheep…..I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:7,11).

How dear to the heart of the Shepherd

Is the flock of His sheep;

With tenderness and love

He watches over those in His keep.

How much do they love their Shepherd!

How closely they stay by His side!

With every footstep they follow,

To forever with Him abide,

In all eternity wide.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Comforter by Yongsung Kim)