God's Three Calls

God’s Three Calls I. There are three calls of God that pertain to the salvation of sinners from sin and its penalty as God calls men unto Himself. II. There is a vital call from spiritual death in sins (GEN 2:17) to new life in and by Christ Jesus Who is a quickening spirit. EPH 2:1-5 c/w 1CO 15:45. A. It is by the VOICE of the Son of God Himself according to His will by the Spirit. The sinner is passive in its action. JOH 5:21, 25; 6:63. B. It is DISCRIMINATE. It is for the elect sheep for whom Christ died. JOH 10:11, 26-28. C. It is not based upon human works or resolve. ROM 9:16; 2TI 1:9. D. It is EFFECTUAL and IRRESISTIBLE. JOH 5:25. E. It is not revocable. JOH 10:27-29; ROM 11:28-29. F. It acts upon the inward man/spirit/soul only. HEB 8:10; ROM 7:22 c/w 2CO 4:16. G. It fits a person for glory. ROM 8:30. H. It establishes RELATIONSHIP with God. 1JO 3:1; HEB 3:1; GAL 4:6. I. It is the down-payment of complete transformation at Christ’s return. ROM 8:11, 23 c/w PHIL 3:20-21. J. It enables a person to understand, believe and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. JOH 8:42-43, 47 c/w 1CO 1:18, 23-24. K. It is the same means whereby the creation came into being and a dead body is resurrected to life. 2CO 4:6 c/w EPH 1:19-20; JOH 12:17. L. It is a spiritual generation and birth, denoting the sinner’s passiveness. TIT 3:5; JOH 3:5-8. M. It does not require a preacher or scripture, only the life-giving VOICE of Jesus Christ which can quicken infants, heathen, even the enemies of the gospel. III. There is a call of the gospel to repentance, faith and obedient submission to Christ. A. It is by the written and/or preached WORDS of Scripture. GAL 1:6; 2TH 2:13-14. B. It is INDISCRIMINATE, calling all men everywhere. ACT 17:30. C. It is RESISTIBLE. PRO 1:23-24; ACT 7:51; ROM 10:16. D. It is effectual only in those who believe it. 1TH 2:13. E. It is REVOCABLE in its appeal and benefits. ACT 13:46; HEB 3:7-12; 1CO 5:11-13. F. It appeals to the new inward man to bring the outward man/body into practical conformity to Christ. ROM 13:14; COL 3:10. G. It reveals the means of life and immortality: the purpose and grace of God in Christ. 2TI 1:9-10. H. It establishes FELLOWSHIP with God through believing obedience. 1JO 1:3-4. I. It helps to identify the elect who have received the first call. 1TH 1:4-6; 2PE 1:8-11. J. It is greatly governed by the will of man. The sinner is active in answering this call and benefitting by it or rejecting it and being turned over to judgment. PRO 1:23-33. K. It requires preaching of Scripture so the regenerated elect can call upon God. ROM 10:12-14 c/w 2TI 1:10. L. It is foolishness to natural man. 1CO 1:18; 2:14. IV. There is a call to resurrection and a glorified body for the elect. A. It is by the VOICE of the Son of God according to His will. The sinner is passive in answering it. JOH 5:28-29; JOB 14:14-15. B. Its power is IRRESISTIBLE. JOH 11:43-44; 1TH 4:16. God's Three Calls 1-4-26 Page 1 of 2  C. It is entirely EFFECTUAL in its desired purpose. JOH 5:28-29. D. Its power is favorable for the elect. JOH 5:28-29 ct/w MAT 25:41. E. It is durable, IRREVOCABLE for the elect. 1CO 15:52; 1PE 1:2-4. F. It is the redemption and glorification of the body/outward man of one who has heard the first vital call to life. ROM 8:11, 23, 30; PHIL 3:21. G. It does not require any sinner’s cooperation. It will infallibly, sovereignly happen. H. It is a great incentive to practical obedience to the gospel call. 1JO 3:3. V. In summary, then: A. The call to regeneration/life. 1. It is a sovereign, discriminate call (not a general call). 2. It is by the VOICE of Christ. 3. It is based upon God's will and grace in election, not the creature's work or will. 4. It is internal, renewing the inward man. 5. It is effectual to all who whom it is given. 6. It is irresistible. 7. It establishes sonship/relationship to God. 8. It generates/births one spiritually and gives eternal life. 9. It enables the elect to hearken to the gospel call. 10. It is the downpayment and guarantee of the final call to resurrection glory. B. The gospel call. 1. It is by the PREACHED/WRITTEN WORDS of Scripture. 2. It is a general or universal call to all men. 3. It is only heard by some men. 4. It is only receivable/hearable by such as have already received the first call by the voice of Christ. 5. It appeals to the new inward man but is folly to the unchanged natural man. 6. It is only effectual in those who have received the first call and believe it. 7. It is resistible. 8. It establishes fellowship with God through Christ. 9. It reveals spiritual life given by the first call in those who hearken to it. 10. It indicates a lack of spiritual life in its rejectors. 11. It gives hope and assurance of participation in the third call to those who obey it. 12. It is revocable in its appeal and benefits. C. The resurrection call. 1. It is by the VOICE of the Son of God. 2. It acts upon the outward man. 3. It is universal. 4. It is entirely effectual. 5. It is irresistible. 6. It quickens passive dead bodies. 7. It purifies and immortalizes the entire person of all the elect (dead or living) only. 8. It is the last call of any kind that sinners shall hear from Christ. God's Three Calls 1-4-26 Page 2 of 2