CALLING WHICH IS EFFECTIVE

THE BIBLE SPEAKS CF A "CALL" WHICH NOT ONLY INVITES BUT ACTUALLY BRINGS SINNERS  TO SALVATION.

          

            Rom. 8:28, 30a "Called according to his purpose" - "whom he did predestinate, them he                also called." That purpose calls for faith, as well as glorification.

            1 Cor. 1:26 "Ye see your calling, Brethren," - not many wise, mighty, noble.

 This "Call" always accomplishes its purpose.

            Luke 14:15-23 15 "And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16  Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17  And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18  And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20  And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21  So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22  And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23  And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled."

                        General call resisted (16-21a)

                        Effective call answered (21b-23)

          Yet this "call" does not violate man's freedom, nor force him to come against his will.

                     Acts 16:14 "Heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things..."

                     John 6:45 "Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father , cometh   unto me."

                     Phil. 2:12-13 "Work out your own salvation"..."For it is God that worketh in you."

           The reason for this "Call" is God's eternal purpose toward us in Christ Jesus, not any works of ours.

                     2 Tim. 1:9 "Called us with an holy calling...according to his own purpose... before the        world began."

 This "Call" of God is certain as to its final issue.

            1 Thess. 5:23-24 "Preserved blameless unto the coming...faithful is he that calleth you,      who will also do it."

            Rom. 8:30b "Them he also glorified."

           But its certainty does not relieve those called of their personal responsi­bility.

            1 Tim. 6:12 "Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called."

            2 Pet. 1:10 "Make your calling and election sure."

            Rev. 17:14 "And they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful."

THE CALL INVITES ALL

 THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF A "CALL" OF GOD WHICH INVITES ALL WHO HEAR TO COME FOR SALVATION.

           Isa. 55:1          "Come ye... come ye, buy and eat; yea, come."

            Matt. 11:28     "Come unto me all lye."

            John 7:37-38 "If any man thirst, let him come unto me."

            Rev. 22:17       "Come....come.... let him take."

 This "call" may be resisted and rejected.

            Matt. 22:1-6 "But they made light of it, and went their ways..."

            Matt. 23:37 "And ye would not."

            Acts 7:51 "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost."

            Heb. 1:6-7 "Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."

       For rejecting this "Call", men are held responsible and punished. Matt. 22:7 "And destroyed those murders."

            Heb. 12:25 "Much more shall not we escape."

            2 Thess. 1:7-9 "Taking vengeance on them.., that obey not the gospel."

           The fact that men are punished for rejecting this "call" proves that it is a genuine offer of salvation, not merely a sham.

    -           And if it is a genuine offer, then our Lord's work on the cross must have been unlimited in its reach and value.

    -           If Christ died only for the elect, then this "call" extended to all men is nothing but a hypocritical sham.
We must remember election is dealing with grace not judgment. None are elected to go to judgment, only to be used for God's holy and righteous purposes. Thus they receive His call and they answer.

CALLING INTRODUCTION

THE DOCTRINE OF CALLING

INTRODUCTION

       Calling is very closely connected with the doctrine of Election. Rom. 8:30 "Whom he did predestinate, them He also called."

       The question here might be stated as follows: I came to Christ for sal­vation--but why and how did I actually come? To this several answers have been made:

            (1) I came by myself (Pelagian)

            (2) I started to come and God helped me (Semi-Pelagian)

            (3) God started to bring me and I co-operated (Arminian)

            (4) God brought me and I did not resist (Lutheran)

            (5) God brought me to Christ (Calvinism)

TEACHING ELECTION PROPERLY

THE BIBLICAL WAY OF TEACHING THE TRUTH OF ELECTION

We should always teach Election in its Biblical context. The method too often used is to lift the doctrine out of its Biblical setting and connections, and make it the dominating principle of a logical system of theology. The result of this method too often turns a very precious truth into a cold and forbidding thing, paralyzing the springs of Christian joy and effort. Here of all places our pedagogy must be that of the Bible itself.

                     The Bible never teaches Election wholly apart from the universal offer of the Gospel.

Matt.                                     Matt. 11:25-28 First the statement of Election (25-27), then the call in the Gospel (28)

J                                     John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I                             will in no wise cast out."

                       Rom. 9:16, 19-21 with 10:11-13 cf. Chapters 9 with 10
            Rom. 9:16 "So then it is...of God that sheweth mercy."

                        21 "Hath not the potter power over the clay?"

                                  Rom. 10:11-13 'Whosoever believeth....no difference...rich unto all... whosoever shall                                call."

            Chapter 9 - Divine sovereignty          
            Chapter 10 - Human responsibility

Note: We should never preach a sermon or teach a lesson on election without offering salvation in Christ to all who hear. "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" (not merely the elect). Let us beware of beggarly notions of the Good News of the Grace of God.

            Rom. 9:21       "Hath not the potter power over the clay?"

                    

                     2. The  Bible never brings forth Election until the Gospel has been offered to all, and men                         have decided for or against it.

                        Rom. 9 (Election) but see vs. 1-6 for the offer and decisions.

                        Matt. 11:25-27 (Election) but see vs. (20-24 for offer and decision.

                                    (28-30 for reoffer of Gospel.

                        Luke 4:25-27 (Election) but see vs. 16-22 for offer and decision.

                        John 6:35 - offer, 36 for decision, 37a for election.

                        John 6:40 - offer, 41-42 for decision, 44 for election.

                        John 10:9 - offer, 19-21 for decisions, 26-27 for election.

                        Acts 13:44 - offer, 45-48a for decisions, 48b for election.

                        Rom. 8:28-30 (Election) but note what is first in 28 ARV.

                                       Note: Don't begin your preaching with Election or Sovereignty of God. Begin                               with free offer of the Gospel and man's responsibility first. Then follow with                                 election to those who believe.

            3. The Bible never separates God's Sovereignty from man's personal responsibility.

                        Rom. 9 and 10 (Explain relation) This is written to saved people.

                        1 Pet. 2:6-8 - decisions, responsibility, sovereignty.

                        Luke 22:21-22 - divine sovereignty, human responsibility.

                                        Note: (1) If you are saved, you dare not take any credit to yourself. (2) If you are                          lost, you alone are responsible.

                        You cannot make a Sovereign God responsible for your lost condition.

                   4. The Bible never separates Election from its moral and spiritual ends. - I have already                             given several texts to show these purposes.

                        Eph. 1:4;          1:11-12

                        John 15:16

                        1 Pet. 2:9

                        Rom. 8:29

            - Men are elected to holiness, service, fruit bearing, etc.

                  - Let us not teach Election in isolation from these ends. Cf. John 8:33, 39 for the claim                              and the true test.

                        “We be Abraham's seed," (33)            They do not the works of Abraham.

                        "Abraham is our father." (39) They challenge Christ.

                     5. The Bible never teaches that men are elected to perdition in the same sense that men                              are elected to salvation.

                        Matt. 25:34 with 41

                        34 - "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from                            the foundation of the world."

                                    41 - "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and                            his angels."

                                    Elect - foundation (Blessed)

                                    Born again – blessed (Father)

                                    Relation – inherit (Kingdom)

                        Rom. 9:22 with 23

                                    Election - not mentioned

                                    Decision - cursed

                                    Penalty - fire

Note carefully the difference.

            (1) God endured both;

            (2) Prepared the saved;

            (3) Lost fitted themselves for destruction. Judas at his death by suicide had amassed a lifetime of desires that took a body to fulfill what the flesh wanted. The problem is at this point for over 2000 years he has had no body to fulfill what it took a lifetime to accrue. A man makes his own hellish experience that lasts forever. Judas is only 2000 years into the death he prepared for himself. Each has a chance to undo through the strength of the Lord those desires that God’s word says are not righteous and proper. Today the Bible is foolishness to most and they never open the Book which reveals the eternity they shall experience either prepared for joy or eternal sorrow and in solitary confinement in solid darkness away from God and the salvation He says they might have experienced. What a shame. Judas went to his OWN place. Acts 1:25 “…..from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”

                        Rev. 20:11-15, but there is no Book of Death!

C                       

                           Conclusion: The story of the Sheepfold and its Door. 3, 4, 9, 14 of John 10:27-28

The Shepherd leads the way to the Fold. They know His voice; they heed his voice; they follow Him. His sheep are those who are elected. The others are not His sheep.