Called and chosen: invitation, grace, and a life of response

The great mass of humanity does not exercise real love and fellowship. The elect of humanity are those who live together in love and unity.

For faith, which is life eternal, is a token of grace and not the result of justice. The flame of the fire of love, in this world of earth and water, burns by the power of attraction and not through human effort and striving, although through the latter one may indeed acquire knowledge, learning, and other perfections. It is the light of the divine Beauty, then, that must stir up and move the spirit through its attractive power. Wherefore is it said: "many are called, but few are chosen".

O ye who are attracted to the Beauty of Truth! Christ - may my soul be a sacrifice unto Him - hath said in the Gospel: "Many are called but few are chosen." This meaneth that while many are invited to the Faith, few are those who attain to the grace of guidance and the succour of divine favour, for the gift of guidance is purely an outpouring of grace and bounty, not dependent on capacity and worthiness. "He singles out for His mercy whomsoever He pleaseth."

The gift of faith is a bestowal emanating from absolute mercy on the part of God, and as God specializes for the bestowals which emanate from faith, thus His Holiness Christ says "Verily, many are called but few are chosen."

Jesus said, " Many are called"--this is justice--"but few are chosen"--this is favor. The chosen ones are the appearances of Favor--others are the appearances of Justice. Otherwise the Name of justice would never be realized and God is independent. He does as He wills.

And for this reason Jesus said, "Many are called, but few are chosen." By justice all are called, but by Mercy a few are especially chosen.

He appropriateth by His mercy those whom He liketh and chooseth for His love those of whom He approveth. This is in accordance with what Christ said: "Many are called, but few chosen."

Undoubtedly the friends of God have been endowed with ability and capacity, on which account they became of the "chosen" and not of the "called."

He said: "There will always be some. Only a special number will have this attainment. As Christ said, 'Many are called, but few are chosen.' It will always be so. The transformation depends upon divine bounty. The mineral progresses in its own world. But from the mineral to the vegetable it progressed only by divine bounty. Also transformation from the vegetable to the animal is God's plan. Of itself the transformation cannot take place. In the realm of men transformation is possible only through another person."

God's eternal Mercy is immeasurable. He has always chosen certain souls upon whom He has shed the Divine Bounty of His heart, whose minds He has illumined with celestial light, to whom He has revealed the sacred mysteries, and kept clear before their sight the Mirror of Truth. These are the disciples of God, and His goodness has no bounds. You who are servants of the Most High may be disciples also. The treasuries of God are limitless.

Ye have fed on the honeydew of loyalty from the hands of Him Who is the one alone Beloved, ye have feasted on immortal dishes at the bounteous banquet table of the Lord. This plenty is a special favor bestowed by a loving God, these are blessings and rare gifts deriving from His grace. In the Gospel He saith: "For many are called, but few are chosen." That is, to many is it offered, but rare is the soul who is singled out to receive the great bestowal of guidance. "Such is the bounty of God: to whom He will He giveth it, and of immense bounty is God."

O thou rose of the Rose-Garden of the Love of God! His Holiness Christ-may my spirit be His sacrifice!--saith in the Gospel, "Many are called, but few chosen." That is, many have been invited to faith, but few chosen for guidance.

O son of the Kingdom! The divine table, which consists of heavenly knowledge, hath been sent down from the Kingdom of God and spread throughout all regions. Yet those who were invited did not respond to the call, due to their ignorance, heedlessness, pride and vainglory. Praise be to God that we have answered the call and attended the table, partaking of those delectable spiritual foods and enjoying this bounty through which souls are quickened.

17. O COMRADES! The gates that open on the Placeless stand wide and the habitation of the loved one is adorned with the lovers' blood, yet all but a few remain bereft of this celestial city, and even of these few, none but the smallest handful hath been found with a pure heart and sanctified spirit.

The Celestial Youth hath, in this Day, raised above the heads of men the glorious Chalice of Immortality, and is standing expectant upon His seat, wondering what eye will recognize His glory, and what arm will, unhesitatingly, be stretched forth to seize the Cup from His snow-white Hand and drain it. Only a few have as yet quaffed from this peerless, this soft-flowing grace of the Ancient King.

O ye steadfast loved ones! The grace of God is beating down upon mankind, even as the rains in spring, and the rays of the manifest Light have made this earth to be the envy of heaven. But alas, the blind are deprived of this bounty, the heedless are closed off from it, the withered despair of it, the faded are dying away -- so that even as flooding waters, this endless stream of grace passeth back into its primal source in a hidden sea. Only a few receive this grace and take their share of it.

He raised a call from the Supreme Concourse which created commotion and resurrection among the flock of birds. Some, through the power of that call, flew to the Kingdom of the All-Powerful Lord. Others spread their wings and took flight but were afflicted with weariness and lassitude. And some completely submerged their wings in the clay of error.

The Most Exalted Pen calleth out at every moment, yet how few are the ears that are ready to hearken. The diverse colors of the world have occupied them that dwell in the realm of names, although every possessor of sight and hearing hath testified and doth testify to its evanescence.

The Light hath dawned, the Hidden hath become manifest, the Treasured hath appeared resplendent, the verses have been sent down, the river is flowing, and the heavenly table is visible. Nevertheless, few indeed are those perceptive souls who can comprehend the stations of God's favors. The abundance of bounty and blessing hath become the cause of heedlessness.

But as for cognizant faith, which is the recognition of God and understanding of God's verses, in every age "many are called but few are chosen." This is the truth.

Faith is mentioned in the Scriptures as the 'Second Birth' or 'Everlasting Life.' In this day it is the Spirit of God, the real true belief. Many claim to possess the true Faith, but it is rare and when it exists it cannot be destroyed. 'Many are called but few are chosen.' Many believe themselves to be courageous, but the battlefield of tests and trials will prove whether they have the real strength to stand firm.

That holy man, Sadiq, in his eulogy of the Cherubim, saith: "There stand a company of our fellow-Shi'ihs behind the Throne." Divers and manifold are the interpretations of the words "behind the Throne." In one sense, they indicate that no true Shi'ihs exist. Even as he hath said in another passage: "A true believer is likened unto the philosopher's stone." Addressing subsequently his listener, he saith: "Hast thou ever seen the philosopher's stone?" Reflect, how this symbolic language, more eloquent than any speech, however direct, testifieth to the nonexistence of a true believer.

Know, moreover, that all that We have mentioned concerning these journeys is intended for none but the elect amongst the righteous. And shouldst thou spur on the charger of the spirit and traverse the meads of heaven, thou wouldst complete all these journeys and discover every mystery in less than the twinkling of an eye.

All the people are sleep but you are awake. They are all engaged with the affairs of this world but ye are occupied with the thoughts of God. This is a most important Bestowal! It is not made possible for every soul. In this connection Christ says:- Many are called bur few are chosen.

Many of the people are heedless of this Great Day. We are the blessed ones who Know and are acquainted with its wonderful significances. Why are they sleeping while you have been awakened? You have attained while they are deprived because they will not see. The reason of this is mentioned in the Bible—'Many are called, but few are chosen.'

In the whole world there is hardly one who is conscious of reality.

Christ said, "Many are called, but few are chosen." The chosen have heard and understood the call from the divine assembly.

The whole world utters "O Thou the Desired One!", yet when the Desired One appeared and shone forth from behind the pavilion of infallibility, all turned away except for a few sanctified souls who were encompassed by the providence of God - exalted be His grandeur.

Say: We have veiled Our Cause in the heaven of mystery, and We have witnessed no one upon whom We might cast down verses which were sent down from the holy breezes.

How many an ignorant one hath attained, and how many a learned one hath been barred!

How many are the divines who have called on God in their churches saying, 'O our Lord! O our Lord!' Yet when their Lord appeared they remained veiled. You were neither ministers nor monks and you have attained this grace. This is what Christ meant when He said, 'Many are called but few are chosen' [Matt. 20:16; 22:141]. … Although from distant lands, you have become enlightened whereas most of the countrymen and neighbors of Baha'u'llah have remained veiled.

Thus did We make the highest lowest, that what was spoken before might be fulfilled: "We shall make their highest ones their lowest ones, and their lowest ones their highest ones."

A King has a great number of subjects, but few are his initiated ones.

Say: True liberty consisteth in man's submission unto My commandments, little as ye know it. … Say: The liberty that profiteth you is to be found nowhere except in complete servitude unto God, the Eternal Truth. Whoso hath tasted of its sweetness will refuse to barter it for all the dominion of earth and heaven.

This world of man is now an arena for wild beasts, a field where the ignorant, the heedless, seize their chance. The souls of men are ravening wolves and animals with blinded eyes, they are either deadly poison or useless weeds -- all except for a very few who indeed do nurture altruistic aims and plans for the well-being of their fellow men: but ye must in this matter -- that is, the serving of humankind -- lay down your very lives, and as ye yield yourselves, rejoice.

Thank God that He made you one of the chosen ones and created you for the promotion of heavenly teachings, and be certain that you will be confirmed.

Give my salutations and praise to that assembly who are firm in the Covenant of God, and say:

O ye whom God hath chosen from among those who are called (know ye that many are called but few chosen); upon whom he caused the evident light to descend; whom he guided into the right path and to whom he gave the glad tidings of the great success--ye must be sincere and faithful, ye must follow the ordinances which refer to the Covenant of God, which is the solid edifice.

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O two servants of the Desired One! Praise be to God, the All-Forgiving Lord, Who in this Day of Manifestation hath enabled you to perform righteous deeds and hath made you renowned and distinguished among the people of God for your faith and certitude. Many are called, but few are chosen and manifest ones, and He bestoweth His mercy upon whomsoever He willeth.

Though instinct with human nature and made of clay, thou hast striven towards the world of divine reality. Thou wert among those who were "called" and thou didst become one of the "chosen ".

GOD selects a few souls and bestows upon them His Special Gifts, for it says, "Many are called but few chosen."

You must consider how dear you were to God that He has led you to His Kingdom, and that you were chosen from the many who were called.

O ye whom God hath chosen from among those who are called!--know that "many are called but few are chosen"!--upon whom He caused the evident Light to descend; whom He guided into the right Path, and to whom He gave the Glad-tidings of the Great Success!

O respected one! Praise be to God that in this Most Great Manifestation you became one of the chosen ones, not merely one of those who were called.

Verily I say unto thee, as Christ - glory be unto Him - said: "Many are called but few are chosen." Know thou that God hath singled thee out for guidance from among those who are called, and hath chosen thee to enter His mighty Kingdom, and hath illumined thy face with a light that shineth in His exalted heaven.

Therefore, praise the one true God Who hath opened such a door and bestowed such a bounty that in this great Day thou mightest become one of the chosen ones and not merely one of those who are called.

Thank God, for that He hath made thee of the "Chosen Ones," not of those who were only "called"; hath assigned thee to the knowledge of His Manifest Beauty, during the Great Century; hath guided thee to the right Way; hath exhilarated thee from the Cup which is overflowing with he choice Wine of the Love of God; hath dilated thy breast with the light of knowledge of God; hath favored thee with His Gifts; and hath attracted thee from this world through the Magnet of the Kingdom.

Christ said--glory be to Him!--"Many are called but few chosen." Thank thou thy Lord for He hath made thee of the chosen. By my life! verily, this is a station which God giveth to whomsoever He pleaseth.

Know that faith is of two kinds. The first is objective faith that is expressed by the outer man, obedience of the limbs and senses. The other faith is subjective, and unconscious obedience to the will of God. … But the discerning faith that consists of true knowledge of God and the comprehension of divine words, of such faith there is very little in any age. That is why His Holiness Christ said to His followers, "Many are called but few are chosen."

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By the righteousness of the one true God! If one speck of a jewel be lost and buried beneath a mountain of stones, and lie hidden beyond the seven seas, the Hand of Omnipotence would assuredly reveal it in this Day, pure and cleansed from dross.

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