God makes the call, then He qualifies the called!
Paul (the 1st Century apostle) note I did not use apostle as his title as many like to do:) knew his qualification for ministry was not his own. Paul was called by God that his life might manifest Christ (Gal. 1:15-16). But God not only called Paul; He also qualified Paul for what proved to be Paul’s life work.
Listen to Paul’s words in 2 Cor. 3:5; “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.”
Every since I can remember when someone said; “I feel God has called me in to ministry” they would be told by their pastor or some elder to go to Bible College and be trained. I wonder how that would set with Paul or the other 1st Century apostolic fathers? Would they agree? I think not; their training was in the crucible of life whether it be actually walking with Christ in His earthly ministry or in the really fiery crucible of life and relationships in a valid New Testament Church. The whole idea of be trained for professional ministry came long time after the 1st Century Church; we begin hearing of such schools 180 AD or so; schools that in their day would be the equivalent of a theological college or university of today.
Check out this quote from B.H. Streeter a 20th Century English Theologian and bible Scholar: “The Primitive Church had no Testament, no thought out theology, no stereotyped traditions. The men who took Christianity to the Gentile world had no special training, only a great experience…in which all maxims and philosophies were reduced to the simple task of walking in the Light since the Light had come.”
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