God’s “Call” to Salvation (Part 1)
February 14th, 2010 by Brian Keating
Many mainstream denominations believe that all human beings have complete control over their salvation. Basically, the belief is as follows: Every single human being can just decide to follow Jesus – and can therefore be saved – without God getting involved at all.
Overall, the belief is that God is not part of the salvation process at all. In other words, the belief is that every single human being can just “decide” to be saved – completely on his own.
Is the above idea true? Is it true that everyone can just decide to follow Jesus – and be saved – without God being involved in the salvation process at all? This post, and the one next week, will explore that topic, with a series of “questions” and “answers”.
Question 1: Is salvation completely under our control, or does God have at least some control over our salvation? In other words, does God need to do anything, before people can follow Jesus and be saved?
That question has a rather straightforward answer:
John 6:44 (ESV):
44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
John 6:65 (ESV):
65And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.“
So, it certainly appears that in order for any given person to follow Jesus, God needs to “draw” that person first. In other words, a person cannot make the decision to follow Jesus – and be saved – unless God “calls” him to Jesus ahead of time!
Answer 1: It appears that salvation is not completely under our control. An individual cannot be saved, unless God explicitly calls that individual first.
Question 2: Is God calling everyone to salvation? Or is God only calling a subset of people?
Some mainstream denominations recognize the fact that God needs to “call” people, before people can be saved – but they maintain that God is calling everyone. Is that actually true? Or is God only calling certain people?
From what I can see in Scripture, it appears that in order for us to be saved, we need to understand certain concepts. In other words, there are certain facts that we need to know, in order for us to be saved at all. Those facts are:
- We need to know about God and Jesus:
John 17:3 (ESV):
3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
- We need to know about the kingdom of God:
Matthew 13:18-19 (ESV):
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.
Luke 8:12 (ESV):
12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
From the above verses, apparently it is necessary for people to understand about God, Jesus, and the Kingdom, in order for them to be saved. As a result, if God is calling everyone, then presumably He would ensure that everyone can understand those concepts – so that everyone would have the ability to be saved.
So, let’s see if God is ensuring that everyone understands about God, Jesus and the Kingdom:
- Does everyone understand about God?
Matthew 11:27 (ESV):
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Luke 10:22 (ESV):
22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.“
In the above verses, Jesus tells us that the only people who understand about the Father (God) are himself, and the people that he explicitly chooses to reveal God to. That language certainly seems to imply that Jesus is not revealing God to everyone!
- Does everyone understand about Jesus?
Matthew 16:15-17 (ESV):
15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
In the above verse, Jesus states that God, himself, revealed information about Jesus to Peter. Did God reveal that information to everyone? Well, He certainly did not reveal that info to the Pharisees – because most of the Pharisees did not believe Jesus was the Messiah at all! So, it certainly appears that God is not revealing information about Jesus to everyone.
- Does everyone understand about the Kingdom?
Matthew 13:10-11 (ESV):
10Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Luke 8:9-10 (ESV):
9And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’
In the above verses, Jesus explicitly states that only his disciples were given knowledge about the kingdom of God – i.e., other people were not given that information! In other words, some people were prevented from gaining knowledge about the kingdom. Since people need to know that information in order to be saved, that strongly implies that God is not calling those people!
Answer 2: God is not calling everyone to be saved – He is only calling certain people. We know this because God is only revealing the necessary information to be saved to certain people – He is not giving that information to everyone.
Question 3: If God calls a person, is that person guaranteed to be saved? Or, does a called person need to “respond” to God’s call, in order to be saved?
Some denominations – particularly the ones of Calvinistic descent – believe in the concept of “effectual calling”. Basically, that concept means that if God calls a person, then that person is guaranteed to be saved – because a person cannot resist God’s call. Is that concept true? Or, does a “called” person need to make a conscious decision to follow Jesus, after God calls him?
Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV):
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
In the above verses, Jesus is primarily addressing his disciples. Of course, his disciples were called. So, if everyone who is called will automatically be saved, then there would be no reason for Jesus to warn his disciples about the threat of destruction.
2 Peter 1:10 (ESV):
10Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
In the above verse, Peter is encouraging Christians – i.e., people who have been “called” – to actively try to follow Jesus. Basically, Peter tells us that if we are “called” – and if we sincerely respond to that call – then we will be “elected”. In other words, that verse tells me that just because a person is called, that does not automatically mean that that person will be saved.
Matthew 22:11-14 (ESV) – The end of the “Wedding Feast” parable:
11“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14For many are called, but few are chosen.“
In the above verses, Jesus explicitly tells us that not everyone who is “called” will be “chosen” (or “elected”). In other words, only a subset of the people who are called will be chosen. The people who will be chosen are the ones who sincerely tried to follow Jesus, after God called them.
Answer 3: If a person has been called by God, then that person needs to actively “respond” to the call, in order to be saved. If a person does not respond to God’s call, then he will not be saved.
Question 4: After a person has been “chosen”, can he ever turn away?
Another question that arises is: if a person has been “chosen”, then is it ever possible for that person to turn away from God? In other words, once a person has entered the ranks of the “chosen” (or “elect”), can he ever be “disqualified” from that group?
Hebrews 6:4-6 (ESV):
4For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV):
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
2 Peter 2:20-21 (ESV):
20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
I believe that all of the above verses are referring to people who were called by God, and who responded to that call, so that they became “chosen” – but after that, those people fell away from God. As a result, it certainly appears that people can decide to turn away from God – even after they have been chosen.
Answer 4: People can decide to turn away from God – even after they have been “chosen”. If “chosen” people do turn away, then they will not be saved.
From all of the above information, I would say that there are four basic “groups” of people:
1. The “uncalled” group – the people in this group were never called by God at all.
2. The “unresponsive” group – the people in this group were called by God, but they did not respond to the call.
3. The “chosen” group – the people in this group were called, and they did respond to the call.
4. The “betrayer” group – the people in this group were chosen, but later turned away from God.
Next week: What is going to happen to the people in those four groups?
Brian
very good observation so far.
I do hope you go into detail why some are not called and how some are not responsive to the calling to be a part of the Kingdom promised to Abraham
Hi Brian
Very informative, thank you, and I think your scriptural references were spot on. I had never really thought much about this subject, and I’m looking forward to reading the next part
Fiona
I hope all men take this calling of God very seriously. God will have all men to be saved, (see I Timothy 2:4) but it is up to us also. Covenants have two parties sometimes and each party has it’s part to do. We are in this together with God, who will do his part by Christ Jesus.
What we can do is find a promise of God, some revelation about him, something about what God wants, something that we can connect with and act accordingly, according to his will.
If we are uncertain that God has called us or will call us, we can by faith ask him if he will. We can ask him to call us to salvation by Christ Jesus.
If we know salvation is by his election, we can ask him if he will elect us for salvation by Jesus Christ.
If we know of his judgment, we can ask him for mercy, because of Jesus. All that we need we can find in the scriptures. If we can not find it, we can ask him to show it to us.
Sometimes all we can do is ask and trust that God will do his part
as we desire to do our part.
If we lack desire, we can ask him for desire. If we have not, and we find out it may be because we have asked not, we may ask in Jesus’ name.
God will do whatever is right to do, and what is right to do may well depend on what we have done. Our salvation is on us and it’s also on him. If we find it’s been too much on us, we can place our salvation on him, because of Jesus.
My summation…
Everyone COULD be “called” by God, but not everyone WILL.
Everyone who is “called” will not be saved.
Everyone who is saved will not retain their salvation.
God “calls” us through his WORD which is the BIBLE.
Not everyone will be “called” because some will not read the bible or listen to scriptures.
Some will be “called” and read the bible but not believe what they read or disregard certain elements that conflict with their lifestyle. Therefore, some will be “called” but not be saved.
Some will be “called” and receive salvation but, return to sinful ways and thus loose their salvation.
Finally, some will be “called” and do the works which are required of them.
So we all have shot but, some will miss, be off target, or hit bullseye.
I’m in a Bible study group and we are going through Romans now, so this is of particular relevance.
The best I can do to sort out the whole election/Calvinism thing is to recall my own experience. As a skeptic for years, it changed one day when I came to realize that the Bible, despite all the issues I had with it, had some really incredible ideas that I seriously doubted would have been dreamt up by man. God would have to be behind at least a part of it. At the time, I remembered thinking that this new way of looking at the Bible was going to have ‘ramifications’.
Did it ever. Two weeks later, I was a Christian. It was at the end of that two weeks when I definitely felt led by something that was so far beyond my own power or reason. I was overcome with a passion for God and submission to His will.
So it makes some sense to me that there is required a repentance from the individual but also a calling from God. Perhaps God put the thought in my head about the Bible and it is really all Him, I don’t know. The initial thought didn’t quite have the same earmarks as the later calling had.
I return to Acts 2 frequently as well as the thief on the cross story. How much theology did any of those people have to digest and accept before they were ‘saved’?
And if Calvinism is correct, that makes the idea of free will a ruse. I do have a hard time accepting Calvinism because of that – that God is just fooling us into thinking we have choice.
I don’t know hardly a thing about Calvinism or what really election is all about, but I know that the things testified to in the above post
(5) by Antioch happen to men. God does those kind of things with us.
His Word is so great, who can understand it all? Sometimes I will find so much comfort in a particular verse or two, and rest there for so long that it becomes a “box” for me.
Now a refuge is good. I believe there is a time for that. But when something we read about that has become such a refuge, has more about it somewhere else in the scriptures, that is in addition to what I have already received, I might become uncomfortable toward it.
Some things I have trouble receiving. I suppose there is so much I am not yet able to receive.
Sometimes the Lord will trouble me in order that I might receive something that I need.
When we do receives something new from God, something that is new to us personally, we should feel a peace and strength from God that comes to us. We should feel that we have grown up a bit, that we have matured a bit, that we have progressed a bit more from where we once were, that we have received some more understanding about something, and that we are moving on with God in the dirrection he wants us to go.
Sometimes it takes a while for those things to get settled in us, even though there was a particular moment when the change came for us.
We all are called of God in Christ Jesus if we have truly received him, but God has particular work for certain ones that are chosen for whatever that is, and I believe he has a time when he chooses.
I think of the parable about those who were called to work in a field at different times of the day, and how at the end of the day each worker was paid the same. Those who started first were paid last, and those who started last were paid first, but they each received the same for their work.
As far as salvation goes, I think God wants to have the call to go out throughout the whole world that whosoever will may come, though not all will answer the call when it is made.
Some might answer it later. Sadly I suppose, some not at all.
The Bible seems to say to me that somehow God knew who they were. That’s one of those things that I find difficult for my mind to know how that is, but one time the Lord showed me that he even knows my thoughts before I think them. If he can know that, it seems to me that God can know everything. I know he knows everything about me. He made me and knows the plans he has for me. He knows what I know and all that I don’t know.
Forgive my spelling, direction has one r, and there’s another typo.
Good and informative article…I am curious if you keep the fourth Commandment “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy”..
Please advise..Godbless you!
Jim,
From what I understand, Joseph and I are the only Sabbath keepers on this site…
DT
Thank God!
Xavier,
I respect your right to disagree with me. Peace Bro…