In the parable of the wedding feast, Jesus illustrates a profound truth about God's invitation and selection. A king, preparing a marriage for his son, sends out invitations to chosen guests, but they refuse to attend, showing disrespect by ignoring the urgency of subsequent calls and even mistreating the king's servants. Enraged, the king extends a third invitation to all, both good and bad, ensuring the wedding hall is filled. Yet, among these guests, one stands out for not wearing the provided wedding garment, a symbol of righteousness. When questioned, the man is speechless, revealing his deliberate refusal to comply with the king's custom. As a result, the king orders him bound and cast into outer darkness, a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, signifying severe judgment for his rebellion. Jesus concludes this parable with the striking statement, "For many are called, but few are chosen." This reflects the widespread nature of God's invitation, reaching both the initial chosen group and then mankind at large. However, only a smaller group responds appropriately and is ultimately selected, akin to those who wear the wedding garment. The calling is broad, yet the choice falls on those who align with the king's expectations, demonstrating that while many receive the invitation, few meet the conditions to be among the chosen.

Jesus Christ declared, "For many are called, but few chosen," a profound truth recorded in Matthew 20:16 and Matthew 22:14 as a concluding principle to parables about God's calling to His work and to the Wedding Supper. The term "called," from the Greek "kletos," signifies an invitation or summons, often used broadly, while "chosen," from "eklektos," implies a specific selection, a calling out to the exclusion of others, often translated as "elect." This distinction is illustrated in the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22, where many are invited, both good and bad, filling the hall, yet the king evaluates and rejects one without a wedding garment, demonstrating the narrowing from calling to choosing. Calling is a general invitation, accessible to all—bad and good, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, man and woman. However, choosing is a more discerning process, where judgment begins at the house of God, as noted in I Peter 4:17. Few endure this refining, willing to overcome, grow, and produce fruit. Even among those attending Sabbath services with God's people, some may lack the wedding garment, revealing they were not ultimately chosen, though called. Salvation, while a gift from God, requires submission to His authority and the production of fruit through the Holy Spirit. We must put on righteousness, the new converted nature, yielding to be molded into God's image, growing in character, grace, and knowledge—a joint effort where we work and the Father works. God calls many, yet selects only a few. His truth is made available broadly, but comparatively few pass through the strait gate and narrow way. Over nearly 2000 years of the true church's history, hundreds of thousands have encountered God's truth, yet many returned to the world's religions. Only a few thousand have overcome and remained faithful to the end, as seen in countless examples of those who seemed to know the truth but reverted to practices contrary to it. Our duty is to show Him our faithfulness, commitment, and obedience, ensuring we are among the chosen few who endure.

Throughout the history of God's church, many are called, but few are chosen. God makes His truth available to many, yet only a small number succeed in passing the test to be included among the firstfruits of His Kingdom. Over nearly 2,000 years, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, have been introduced to God's truth, only to return to the religions of the world or other ideologies. God calls many into His church, but He selects only a few through a process of refinement and testing for this special purpose. This calling and choosing is not an easy path; it requires endurance, perseverance, and a constant focus on Jesus Christ as the Author and Finisher of our faith. The true church of God is a spiritual body, not a physical organization, and only God can place individuals into it. Those who overcome with the help of God's Holy Spirit are promised great rewards and the opportunity to be among the firstfruits of His Kingdom, reflecting God's deep commitment to His plan for salvation.

God calls many, but He selects only a few as firstfruits. He makes His truth available generally, but by comparison, only a few pass the test for inclusion with the firstfruits. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people throughout the almost 2,000 years of the true church's history, have been introduced to God's truth and gone back to the religions of the world. The common link in the praise that Jesus Christ gives the churches and the difference between the called who fall away and the chosen, is that the called who fall away are faithless, proud, and opinionated, and the elect of God are truly faithful, humble, and teachable. All who are merely intrigued by God's Word are not chosen by Him. All those who are called are not beyond being enticed by the world. Those God chooses understand the gospel because it comes only by the power of the Holy Spirit. Without this spiritual power, the hearer is susceptible to having God's knowledge stolen by Satan, the accuser, the tempter. When God calls us, He is offering us a new heart with a new Spirit to enable us to produce spiritual fruit by walking in His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments. We must take Him up on His offer with conviction and humility. Jesus Christ's wisdom serves as a warning: many are called, but few are chosen.

Jesus teaches in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard that many are called, but few are chosen. This principle is illustrated by the workers who were hired at different times of the day yet received the same wage. The parable emphasizes that God's grace is given freely and not based on human merit or the duration of service. Many who start early in their service to God may lose their reward or fail to come to faith if they approach Him with a false or covetous spirit, relying on their own merit rather than God's grace. Conversely, many who begin late may be first because they recognize and praise God for His grace. The parable teaches that the truly desirable approach is to serve out of genuine love for Jesus Christ, through faithfulness, obedience, and repentance, rather than for reward. It is those who serve in the spirit of a son, loving their Father, rather than as a hireling seeking wages, whom God delights to honor.