“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me . . . .” “And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” Acts 13:48. “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ . . . .” 1 Pet. 1:2. “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6. These are informative words. We see that not everyone is of God. The chosen ones who belong to God have been chosen to be obedient, which means they have been chosen to be disciples. This was the task the apostles received from Jesus: They were to make disciples of all of them, teaching them to observe everything Jesus had commanded them. Throughout the years most of them have failed in this task in order to gather many people. They only want to lead them to believe in Jesus who died on Calvary for the forgiveness of their sins. Most people like to hear that, but only a few go through the narrow gate—forsaking everything to follow Jesus. This is why preachers and religious groups are preoccupied with organization, meeting techniques, as it is called in order to gather large crowds. Thus the seriousness of being converted to God is erased, the spirit of the world gains power, and people are conformed to the world. Rom. 12:2. “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47. This is a work of God. He had done a work in the ones who had come to faith. “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” God really had a church so that those who wanted to be saved could be added to it and be helped. Since these religious groups have been organized by man, and consequently are not a work of God, He cannot add to them. This is why they engage in all these entertainment meetings to gather people. “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him . . . .” John 6:44. “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood . . . .” Gal. 1:15-16. Here we can plainly see that if God is to draw anyone to me—give me one of those whom He has chosen to obey—He must first of all have done a work in me—have revealed His Son in me. This was the case with the apostles who could say, “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us.” There was no wavering with them; and they continue: “By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” They are not boasting about themselves; this was a work of God. The others might feel that the apostle was judging them, but that was not the case. He wanted to enlighten them so that they would not be deceived. Being a disciple of Jesus is so precious that it cannot be expressed in words, which is why it also costs everything. “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” Matt. 10:42. Then we gain “the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thess. 2:13-14. Then we can also proclaim His glory—His virtues. 1 Pet. 2:9. We see how in his second letter, and especially in the first chapter, Peter worked to bring out this glory. God foreknew us, and so He has chosen those who want to be disciples to obedience. Eph. 1:4-6. He gives them to those who are disciples—those who can help them. What a glorious work this is! Those who do not want to be disciples do not like that kind of influence. They prefer entertainment; they cannot see the glory of the virtues because they are apprehended by what is great in the eyes of man; however, that is abominable in the sight of God. Luke 16:15. We are living in the last days of the dispensation of grace. That is the time when people turn their ears away from the truth and unto fables. 2 Tim. 4:4. Think to be a disciple now—a work of God—one to whom the Father can draw others. Such a person can help those whom God chooses to obedience so that they can know the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error, and can obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.Sigurd Bratlie