CONNECTED WITH THIS passage on bearing fruit is this important one: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed [“ordained,” KJV ] you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” (John 15:16).
This raises an important question: Are there specially chosen people, who are ordained to bring forth fruit and who have limitless possibilities of answered prayer? If so, who are these ordained people? How are they ordained? This goes to the very root of our conception of Christian calling.
The usual conception is that this refers to people ordained by the laying on of hands—hands that are often supposed to convey special grace through a long line of succession reaching back to the apostles.
Contrary to this, I am persuaded that being in Christ in itself confers an ordination—an ordination that makes us fruitful and opens unlimited possibilities through prayer. Ordination is not something imposed; it is inherent in the very nature of the Christian faith and in the discipleship within that faith. Every person, male or female, who is in Christ, is ordained. The ordination spoken of here is an ordination, not by the laying on of hands, for there is no mention of the laying on of hands, but an ordination by choice: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you” ( KJV ). The choice that set them apart was the ordination. It was vertical—from above, from the Divine, and not horizontal—from men. That is the only ordination the apostles ever received, so far as we have any record. Jesus never laid His hands on them to ordain them.
O Master, I thank Thee that Thou hast included all who are in Thee in Thy ordination. Being in Thee makes me partake of Thy call. Thy call becomes my call—I partake of Thy life and of Thy life work. I thank Thee. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I am a “chosen one,” therefore ordained—let me act as a man of destiny.
