God’s Sure Calling of His Chosen People

God has called out a people for Himself. Who are God’s called out people? What does it mean to be called by God? How does God call out His people from the mass of humanity? Why does He call out His people? Why do some people respond to God’s calling, and why do some people not respond to His call? What have we been called from? What have we been called to? How do we make our calling sure? Is there a more specific calling or callings?

We can establish there is a Christian calling by the apostle Paul writing to the Romans, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified (Rom 8:29–30).” Yes, it is God who calls you (Gal 5:8; 2 Thess 2:14; 1 Pet 1:15). What else can we know about God’s calling?

First, we identify the people who God calls. They are, “the called of Jesus Christ (Rom 1:6),” who are called to be saints (Rom 1:7). This means they are set apart to be holy, saints by calling, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 1:2). In God’s purpose, He calls both Jews and Gentiles (Rom 9:24) to be sons of the living God (Rom 9:25–26).

In God’s election, not many turn out to be wise, nor mighty, nor noble, for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (Jam 4:6). There was nothing meritorious in the life of Abram that God would choose to call him (Gen 12), but God gave the patriarch humble faith to trust and obey Him (Heb 11:8). This is also evident in God’s calling Jacob but not Esau (Rom 9:11).

Christians are not to show partiality to the wise, mighty, and noble, who are often the ones prone to blaspheme the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Jam 2:7), and it is in His name Christians are called. We are called to be children of God (1 Jn 3:1), and therefore, we carry the titles, “called,” “chosen,” and “faithful” (Rev 17:14).

Second, it is obvious to the observer that some people respond to God’s calling and some people do not respond to His call. Those who do respond have received an effectual calling. We learn from the Bible, God is sovereign in His work of salvation (Ps 3:8; Jon 2:9; Rev 19:1). He who began a good work in you, as the author and finisher of your faith (Heb 12:2), will bring it to completion (Phil 1:6). God who calls, will bring it to pass (1 Thess 5:24), being faithful and true to His Word of promise. God is working our faith, fulfilling every godly desire for goodness with power, and in this way, God will count you worthy of your calling (2 Thess 1:11).

Third, God calls out his people from the mass of humanity by His grace in the Gospel (Gal 1:6), and this is a work of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s experience of grace unto salvation came with a personal encounter with the Lord in glory on the road to Damascus (Acts 9; Gal 1:15). Paul never decided to choose to follow Jesus. He was called out. It is by God’s own glory and excellence that He calls us (2 Pet 3:1) with the Gospel, to share in His glory (2 Thess 2:14). From beginning to end, God’s calling us is glorious.

God’s call is an upward call (Phil 3:14). We set our minds on the things above (Col 3:1–2), which tells us it is a heavenly calling (Heb 3:1). It comes from God and calls us to God. Because it is a heavenly calling, it has to be a holy calling (2 Tim 1:9). People are called to be and to do many things in this world, but what makes this calling different is the One who calls, and to what He calls us to. It is holy because He is holy.

Fourth, God calls His people out of the world (Rev 18:4), out of the darkness (1 Pet 2:9), out of slavery to sin (Gal 5:1; Heb 2:15), to set them on the narrow way of walking in a manner worthy of their calling (Eph 4:1). We walk by the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:25). This manifests identifiable attributes of humility, gentleness with patience, showing tolerance with love for one another (Eph 4:2). God’s calling gives His people hope for the future (Eph 4:4), and upon their completed journey, they will gain the glory of the Lord (2 Thess 2:14). Until then, God is working all things together for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His purposes (Rom 8:28). We are called for His purposes and called to His purposes.

Fifth, it means we are called by God into conformity to a new life in Christ. On the outside not much of our life changes (1 Cor 7:17–24), but a new spiritual man has been called into being on the inside. This internal change does become visible to others who observe the ongoing transformation. Christians think differently. We talk differently, and Christians should act differently than people who simply live to fulfill the desires of the flesh. We have become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17), and we are called to share in an eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15), from the One who owns the earth and all that is in it (Ps 24:1).

In considering further what we have been called to, we acknowledge we have fellowship with Son of God (1 Jn 1:3), who is the Son of man (1 Cor 1:9). Formerly, we hated Him (Rom 1:30), but now we have peace with God (Rom 5:1) because we have the peace of Christ (Col 3:15). Peace is produced as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22), and it should manifest in our relationships with others (1 Cor 7:15), as much as possible (Rom 12:18).

God does not require the keeping of the Law for right standing with Him (Rom 10:4). We who are in Christ Jesus have permanent right standing imputed to us (1 Cor 1:30). God empowers us to have the same affections for the Law as Jesus did. We were not called for the purpose of impurity (1 Thess 4:7). Rather, we were called to holiness (1 Pet 1:15–16), and we know what holiness is by having knowledge of the Law.

Watching Christ live the perfect life in obedience to the Law, we follow Him by the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:25). This, again, is the walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Eph 4:1). Walking in love (Eph 5:2), we fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2), who fulfilled the Law of God (Mt 5:19), so that by the Spirit, it might be a life of grace and faith producing good works (Eph 2:10), not good works in obedience to the Law for the purpose of merit.

Having been called into the marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9) of His own kingdom and glory (1 Thess 2:12) is a call to freedom from practicing sin (Gal 5:13), as one enslaved and unable to do anything about it (Rom 6:6). Christians do struggle with sin (Rom 7), and as we fight sin, it is a call to follow Christ’s example in suffering (1 Pet 2:21). Holiness and godliness is a bitter foil for the world around us. Jealousy, envy, and outright hostility surges when someone consciously or subconsciously recognizes you have been called to inherit a blessing (1 Pet 3:9).

God’s people are peculiar, and they always have been (Dt 14:2; Tit 2:14). Think of Noah and his neighbors (Gen 6–9). Could there be anything more distinct than righteous Lot and his homosexual townsmen? Who, like David, spends his time writing poetry and songs while he is being hunted like an animal? Who makes claims like Jesus did? Who, daily, risks their lives, like the apostles preaching exclusive salvation through a carpenter from Nazareth? No wonder the world thinks we are crazy. Christians are not crazy; we are called out by God, whose ways are considered foolish by those who are not called (1 Cor 1:18; 2:14).

Having been called to eternal life (1 Tim 6:12), the strivings of this life and the aspirations of this world become dull to the Christian, who has been called to eternal glory in Christ (1 Pet 5:10). This is highly offensive to the people around us, who think their pursuits are important. When a Christian begins to speak about the “futility of the mind” or the “vanities of this world” or “this present evil age” people are brought low (Eccl 1:2; Gal 1:4). Their self-esteem, which they have been working so hard to build up, taking pride in their achievements, is deflated. Christ Jesus ruins human pride, and this is one reason men hate Him (Jn 7:7; 15:18–19).

There is no desire in any Christian to lead anyone astray regarding this issue of God’s calling, so we encourage others to make their calling sure. The apostle Peter recommended we be diligent in this exercise of making sure God has chosen us and called us (2 Pet 1:10). Paul commanded, “examine yourselves (2 Cor 13:5).”

It is important for Christians to know the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (Rom 11:29). God does not give a gift to someone and then ask for it back or yank it away. This obviously includes God’s gift of salvation (Eph 2:8–9). If you have been called by God to salvation, you will be kept by God (Jude 1:1). There is treasured inheritance reserved in heaven for you (1 Pet 1:4).

In addition, there should be evidence of God at work in your life. You are heirs of the riches of glory, and because you are in Christ Jesus, you have token examples of grace leading you to glory. For instance, you are privy to witness the power and wisdom of God at work (1 Cor 1:24). In other words, do not belittle or bemoan the distinctly Christian things in your life.

Wise men of this world are ever changing their knowledge, “Look, it’s a planet, no it’s a dwarf planet;” “The next ice age is soon upon us (c. 1980), no, life will soon be unsustainable because of global warming (c. 2000);” or this doozie, “Humans mated with Neanderthals much earlier than previously thought.” There is a stunning amount of faith required to believe in the mercurial claims of modern science.

Meanwhile, down at the church, the Christians are marveling in the same old nonsense, “Jesus is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him (Rom 10:12).” Christians call on Him because we have been called by Him and to Him, and He makes us sure of our calling.

Finally, there is a distinction in being called to be a Christian, and a Christian being called to an office within the church. Aaron was called by God to be a priest (Heb 5:4). Jesus’ disciples, who were also called, “apostles” (Lk 6:13), were called to their positions by Jesus Himself. The apostle Paul lamented that he was not fit to be called an apostle (1 Cor 15:9), but nonetheless, God called Paul to be an apostle of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:1). Christians cannot refuse the calling of God, whether it is into the faith, or subsequently, into His service.

There is nothing meritorious in being called to be a Christian, and there is nothing meritorious in being called to an office of service unto the Lord. Paul stated this very clearly, “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:5–6).”

Today, there are only two offices in the church of Jesus Christ, elder and deacon, and the qualifications for called candidates are found in 1 Timothy 3:1–13 and Titus 1:5–9. The rule here is, “if you are not qualified, you are not called.”

We have learned what a humble and glorious reality God’s sure call to His chosen people is in truth. People do not choose to be Christians; they are called out to be Christians by God. Yahweh sets them apart for His own holy purposes. If He predestined you, He will call you through Gospel preaching; and if He calls you, He will open your heart for you to respond (Acts 10:44; 16:14). This is why we are called “Christians,” called by Him, called by His grace, called by His name, and called to share in His glory.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

February 25, 2021