Chapter 3: Calling and Character Formation

God’s call changes the direction of our lives and continues to renew us as we follow Him.

When we think about calling, we readily ask, “What does God want me to do? Where should I go? What mission do I need to undertake?” Scripture does record specific commissions: Abraham left his country, his relatives, and his father’s house; Moses went to Pharaoh; Isaiah proclaimed God’s word to the people; and the disciples were sent to bear witness to Christ.

Those entrusted with responsibilities need to keep learning how to trust God, treat others, and use the abilities they have received. Abraham concealed his marriage to Sarah out of fear. Moses needed help from others as he led the people, and he was also rebuked for his unbelief and failure to honour God as holy. Peter denied the Lord three times, yet later continued to follow Him through Christ’s grace. After being called, they still needed to keep growing as they followed God.

Responding to God’s call and being shaped by Him often happen together. As we take responsibility, we discover our limitations, fears, and sins. Through God’s grace, the correction of His truth, and practical obedience, we gradually learn how to remain faithful to Him.

Chapter 2 explored how God’s call changes the ways we understand life, assess value, and order our daily lives. This chapter asks a further question: How are we shaped when we put that understanding into practice in real relationships, costly choices, and long periods of waiting?

Following the experiences of biblical figures as they responded to God and undertook what He entrusted to them, this chapter focuses on six interrelated qualities: the fear of the Lord, trust, humility, obedience, faithfulness, and perseverance. These are the chapter’s particular focus, rather than a complete biblical classification of character. Love, holiness, justice, honesty, mercy, and self-control are equally essential and run through all six.

Love runs through these qualities. If we neglect love, we may insist on doing things our own way and refuse to listen to others, mistakenly calling this faithfulness. We may demand that others follow our arrangements without listening to their views or difficulties, mistakenly thinking that we are teaching obedience. Or we may simply tell those who suffer to keep enduring without offering care or help. Learning faithfulness, obedience, and perseverance therefore requires attention to our relationships with both God and others, and a willingness to let God’s word examine our understanding and conduct.

Such growth is founded on salvation. Through Christ’s redemption, God accepts those who trust in Him. He renews our lives so that we become conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Today, through the Holy Spirit, He continues to shape our lives so that we become more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). We cannot earn salvation by reaching a certain standard of character, yet we need to repent sincerely and learn obedience within the grace we have received.

Through His word, prayer, mutual encouragement among believers, and practice in carrying out specific responsibilities, God helps us understand ourselves, accept correction, and learn to love others. We need to respond personally, and we also need the support of other members of Christ’s body. These six qualities are interwoven in our everyday responsibilities and shared life as we follow Christ throughout our lives.