Chapter 49
"And we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” -- Romans
8:28
There are several titles given to God’s saints which
appear to be specifically designed to display the fact that they are the
objects and beneficiaries of God’s peculiar, distinguishing, discriminating,
sovereign grace and love in Christ. Believers are called “the elect,” “the
redeemed of the Lord,” and “the called.”
Those who
are regenerated, those who are born of God, those who believe on and trust the
Lord Jesus Christ are given this peculiar, distinct title, “the called,” to distinguish us
from those who are not called. This is clearly the distinction made in Romans
8:28.
Obviously,
(at least it is obvious to anyone whose brain has not been pickled by the
vinegar of free will religion), the call spoken of here is not the outward,
external, general call of the gospel, but the internal, effectual, irresistible
call of God the Holy Spirit, by which we have been separated and distinguished
from all other people. John Gill describes this effectual, irresistible call of grace,
which comes to chosen, redeemed sinners by the sovereign power of God the Holy
Spirit through the preaching of the gospel, as follows.
“Christ stands in the gospel-ministry, at the door of men’s hearts, and knocks and calls. Having the key of the house of David, he opens the heart by the power of his grace, and lets himself in. In this way, and by this means, the Spirit and his graces are received. Men are called both to grace and glory by the gospel.”
Those who are the called
are called according to the sovereign will and purpose of God. Sinners are not called to
life and faith in Christ because of their will, but because of God’s will. We
were not given life and faith in Christ because of what we did, or what we
might do, but by what God did for us in eternity and in us in time. That which
distinguishes God’s elect from other people is the distinguishing grace and
purpose of God. What could dead sinners ever do to attract God’s attention and
get him to call them?
Do you see how utterly
absurd free will religion is? It is the religion of spiritual insanity. It was
not our choice of God that caused him to call us, but his choice of us. "We
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose." "So then it is not of him
that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture
saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I
might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all
the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will
he hardeneth” (Rom. 8:28; 9:16-18).
Salvation
is not man’s work. Salvation is not partially man’s work and partially God’s
work. Salvation is not a co-operative effort between God and men. Salvation is
God’s work alone. “Salvation is of the Lord!”
God almighty has, in his
eternal purpose, determined the particular people whom he will call by his
grace. He determined from eternity the time when he will call them; for as
there is a time for every purpose, so there is a time for the calling of God’s
elect. It is called “the time of love” (Ezek. 16:8). Moreover, our great
God determined from eternity the very place where his chosen ones shall be
called. And he fixed from eternity the very means and circumstances of their
calling, all according to his divine purpose.
Every aspect of our calling shows clearly that the whole thing is the result of the sovereign will and pleasure of God, who does all things after the counsel of his own will. Our wills had nothing to do with it. Our works contributed nothing to it.
“‘Tis not that I did choose
Thee, For, Lord, that could not be.
This heart would still refuse Thee, Hadst Thou not chosen
me.
My heart owns none before
Thee, For Thy rich grace I thirst,
This knowing - If I love
Thee Thou must have loved me first!”
Those who are the called
are called by the sovereign, irresistible grace of God. The great, impulsive, moving
cause of the effectual call is the grace of God. The Apostle Paul describes the
call of God as a call of grace, free, sovereign, undeserved, distinguishing
grace. With him, every child of God gladly confesses, “By the grace of God I
am what I am,” and that we now believe because “God, who separated me
from, my mother’s womb, called me by his grace” (1 Cor. 15:10; Gal. 1:15).
God, as
the God of all grace, calls his elect to grace and glory by Christ. The
infinite, super abundance of his grace in Christ is displayed to chosen,
redeemed sinners in this call. Indeed, the first open display of his grace, the
first discovery of his love is made to God’s elect in this call of grace. Then,
seeing something of the infinite grace and love of God in Christ, by the
revelation of the Holy Spirit, we were “caused,” compelled, and made
willing to believe on the Son of God unto life everlasting (Ps. 65:4; 110:3) by
the loving kindness of Christ, as the fruit and evidence of God’s everlasting
love for us. Therefore the time of calling, is called a time of love (Jer.
31:3; Ezek. 16:8; Zech. 12:10).
The fact that this call is
given to some and not to others demonstrates it is the effect of God’s
sovereign, distinguishing grace, and of his good will. It is grace alone that
distinguishes the believer from the unbeliever; and every believer knows it (1
Cor. 4:7). The fact that this call, as spoken of and illustrated in Holy
Scripture always results in the one called having eternal life and faith in
Christ, demonstrates the efficacy and irresistibility of it. “Blessed is the
man whom thou choosest and causest
to approach unto thee.””
Those who are the called
are the called of Jesus Christ. This is what we are told in Romans 1:6 and 2 Timothy
1:9-10. -- "Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ."
-- "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by
the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath
abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the
gospel."
Believers
are described as “the called of Jesus Christ,” because the Holy Spirit calls
those who were redeemed by Christ, to whom he is sent by Christ. This calling
is ours only “in Christ,” in
whom are hid all the treasures of God and by whom alone we receive all the
blessings of his grace.
Let us
never fail to observe the fact that the triune God has arranged everything in
the whole scheme of salvation and grace to give all the glory to Christ, our
Mediator and Savior. Even the calling of grace was “given us in him before the
world began.” All grace
is in Christ, comes to us from Christ, and gives all glory to Christ (Ps.
115:1).
“The
Called” are
called according to the purpose of God, by the grace of God, in the Son of God;
but who are “the called”? We
are never left to guess about such things as this. These things are plainly
revealed in the Word of God. Let’s see what the Book of God says. I will not
even comment on this, lest any who read these pages imagine I have twisted the
Scriptures to suit our doctrine. Let the Word of God stand alone. It needs no
defense from me, or any other man. Read what the Book of God says and rejoice
in it.
Those
who are “the called” are those who
were chosen and predestinated unto salvation in Christ before the world began
(Rom. 8:28-31; 9:23-24). "And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he
did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did
predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified:
and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these
things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" -- God will "make
known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore
prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but
also of the Gentiles." The objects of election and effectual calling
are the same. Those who were chosen in eternity are called in time; and those
who are called in time were chosen in eternity.
Those
who are “the called” are those who are
in Christ (Jude 1). -- "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to
them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and
called." We were from eternity in his hands as our Surety, in his
loins as our Representative, in his care as our Shepherd, and in his heart as
our Husband.
Those
who are “the called” are those who
were redeemed and purchased by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ at
Calvary. Throughout
the Word of God, election, redemption, and effectual calling are works of grace
performed for the same people. We were chosen because God loved us, redeemed
because God the Father chose us, and called by the Holy Spirit because the
Father chose us, and the Son redeemed us. Is this, or is it not the teaching of
Holy Scripture? Read Isaiah 43:1 and Zechariah 10:8, and see for yourself.
"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that
formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee
by thy name; thou art mine." -- "I will hiss for them, and
gather them; for I have redeemed them."
Those
who are “the called” are those who
appear the most unlikely to be called (Matt. 11:25; 1 Cor. 1:26; James 2:5). Publicans and harlots go
into the kingdom of God, being called of God, while scribes and Pharisees sit
around and debate about who is holiest, which church is the true church, where
heaven is, when the Lord is going to come again, whether Adam had a navel, or
where Cain got his wife! Sinners, real sinners, guilty, helpless, doomed,
damned, ungodly, abominable, filthy sinners, are interested in just one thing
-- mercy! The people who need mercy, publicans and harlots, not good, religious
people, are those who are “the called.”
The testimony of Holy Scripture is crystal clear.
-- "I
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these
things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes."
-- "Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." -- "Hath
not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom
which he hath promised to them that love him?"
Those
who are “the called” are those who
ultimately are glorified with Christ (Rom. 8:30). – “Whom he did
predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified:
and whom he justified, them he also called.” Those who are irresistibly called are
infallibly kept by the grace of God and shall be eternally glorified with
Christ. After all, he has called us to glory and honor!
Those
who are “the called” are all who
trust the Lord Jesus Christ (John 15:16; Col. 2:12; Phil. 1:29). If any sinner calls on
Christ in faith, it is because he has been called by the effectual,
irresistible power and grace of God the Holy Spirit.
“Am
I called? And can it be! Has my Savior chosen me?
Guilty
wretched as I am, Has He named my worthless name?
Vilest
of the vile am I, Dare I raise my hopes so high?
Am
I called? I dare not stay, May not, must not disobey;
Here
I lay me at Thy feet, Clinging to the mercy-seat:
Thine
I am, and Thine alone; Lord with me Thy will be done.
Am
I called? What shall I bring, As an offering to my King?
Poor,
and blind, and naked I, Trembling at Thy footstool lie;
Nought but
sin I call my own, Nor for sin can sin atone.
Am
I called? An heir of God! Washed, redeemed by precious blood!
Father,
lead me in Thy hand, Guide me to that better land
Where
my soul shall be at rest, Pillowed on my Savior’s breast.”