Have you ever heard of a man named Onesiphorus?
He is, sadly, a not very well-known Bible character. Although, he was a very well-known and even very well appreciated by the apostle Paul.
So, who was Onesiphorus?
Before I tell you, I’d like to direct your attention to a verse in the book of 2 Timothy.
“A Holy Calling”
( Photo by Lilian Dibbern on Unsplash )
In 2 Timothy 1:9, we read:
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began
(2 timothy 1:9)
What is this “holy calling” Paul is talking about in the above verse?
Could it be Christ’s “great commission” to proclaim the gospel, as recorded in Matthew 28?
Or maybe it’s the calling to spread the Three Angels Messages of Revelation 14?
Or could this “holy calling” possibly be the “true fast” of helping and serving the oppressed, as it is recorded in Isaiah 58?
While it’s true that the 3 things that I just mentioned ARE what God wants us to do, and what He is truly calling us to do.
However, these three things are not the ONLY things that God is calling us to carry out in our day-to-day lives as Christians.
These things aren’t exactly the HEART of God’s holy calling for us.
Not Just Bones
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Just to quickly clarify, I’m not trying to imply that the gospel, the 3 Angels Messages, and service to the poor and needy are unimportant things.
They ARE important!
They are like the foundational bones for the Seventh Day Adventist Christian’s spiritual and religious well-being.
But just having a plain, raw skeleton doesn’t really get you very far.
Especially if there’s no heart in that skeleton to give it life!
So again, what is the HEART of the “holy calling” Paul mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:9?
Well, remember the Onesiphorus guy I mentioned in the beginning of this post? If we just dropped down to verses 16-17, we get a practical idea of what is the heart of the holy calling Paul talked about.
How?
Through Onesiphorus’ own example:
The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me.
(2 timothy 1:16-17)
Three Parts of The Heart
Based on the above verses we just looked at, 2 Timothy 1:16-17, let’s break down what Onesiphorus did to Paul.
- He refreshed Paul
- He was unashamed of Paul’s status as a prisoner
- He looked for and looked after Paul
What does this all mean?
As a whole, Onesiphorus lived out the heart of God’s holy calling on his life as a Christian during Paul’s time. And, it’s still the same holy calling God places on our own lives as modern-day Christians.
So, what is that holy calling? What is the HEART of that holy calling that God wants us as His followers to live out–just like Onesiphorus?
The heart of that holy calling is to LOVE.
Onesiphorus fulfilled the high and holy calling God gave him as a Christian, and lived his life as a tangible medium of God’s love to Paul–who was a prisoner.
Living Up To The Name
If we looked a little deeper, we could say that Onesiphorus–on a spiritual level–lived up to the meaning of his name.
Why?
Because the name, “Onesiphorus,” means “profit-bearer, bringing profit.”
And we too, as Christians, are called to be profit-bearers. We’re called to bring profit.
Not bearing the profits of worldly wealth, however. Instead, we’re given the holy calling to bring the profits of God’s love, grace, peace, salvation, and truth to others! We’re called to bear these spiritual riches to someone who is being held captive in the prison cell of sin.
Quite similar to what Onesiphorus did to Paul when he was in prison!
An Appeal & A Prayer
Dear reader, do you want to fulfill God’s holy calling on your life to be an Onesiphorus–a profit bearer–to someone who is in need of “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8) and His loving salvation and grace?
If so, just pray the following prayer:
I’d like to conclude this post with a song. And as you listen to this song, it’s my hope and prayer that you will feel convicted and inspired by the Holy Spirit to truly go out and follow the holy calling God has given us as Christians to bring the rich profits of God’s love and grace to those who are being imprisoned and held captive by sin and the devil’s lies.
Amen! Maranatha!