External Call of God
In Christian Churches around the world, God calls sinners to eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
The call to salvation through Jesus Christ comes with the preaching and reading of the Word of God. This is a good faith offer that is sincerely extended by God to all that will accept in faith. This is the external call and God would like that all men accept this invitation. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” is the way that John 3:16 states the offer. However, Jesus tells us…. “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14). This certainly indicates that men, on their own, do not accept this invitation. But God, who is rich in mercy, provides an internal or effectual call that makes the external call effective. Through the Holy Spirit, a person is enabled to respond to the call and accept the offer of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” (John 6:65). When a person comes to Jesus, he has been enabled through the effectual call of the Holy Spirit. This effectual (internal) call is covered on the next page (page 14).
5 comments:
Great Post
This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” (John 6:65)
How great it is to be called to Jesus by the Father.
Scripture tells us where our God and Father is.
"To wit, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself"
The Spirit quickens us for God is Spirit and this Spirit is in Christ where the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.
When This Spirit calls us the Word of God says we go to Christ (God Himself) we believe in Jesus (Christ alone).
This call is an effectual call and can not be turned down for we are chosen to have "Christ in us the hope of glory" or "The Holy Spirit who is our deposit and our inheritance"
Therefore it is impossible to be snatched out of the Fathers Hands for the Father is in US.
"The Father and I will make our abode in you" And of course He does this by the Spirit (says the Lord)
Great post! Amen!
What a great site, how do you build such a cool site, its excellent.
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Jazzy: "The call to salvation through Jesus Christ comes with the preaching and reading of the Word of God. This is a good faith offer that is sincerely extended by God to all that will accept in faith. This is the external call and God would like that all men accept this invitation."
All due respect Wayne, but how can this be a sincere call when, according to your theology, no one can accept the call unless God causes them to accept it? This makes absolutley no sense. It is not sincere in the least. The only way it could be considered sincere is if those who were called/invited were actually able to accept the invitation.
Also, the reason that many are called and few are chosen is because they are chosen on the basis of belief. When the call goes out and the person believes and receives they are then chosen by God. But I agree that it is only through the Holy Spirit that one is able to respond.
John 6:65 must be read in context. Who does the Father give to the Son? Those who believe (v 45-47).
The way I see it is that once a person accepts the call the call then becomes effectual.
I may be wrong, but it seems to me that the "called" in Romans 8:30 is speaking of the "call" to what we are to be and do (e.g., holy, saints, good works, sons and daughters, etc.) and not necessarily the "invitational call."
Dawn,
Thanks for your view and on one level you are right. But I think God by making the offer is removing the excuse of someone saying, "Well if you had only given me the opportunity, I would have responded."
God has chosen salvation to come through faith and he has ordained that the offer go out to all and the Holy Spirit to change persons hearts to respond. That is mercy and grace. He could have used other means to bring sinners to faith. He could have regenerated everyone I suppose. But he didn't.
I appreciate your input and am thankful for your gentle nature and tenacity (a quality I admire).
wayne
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