NOTE: the last two posts and this one are comments I wrote for a blog that we are posting on at work (http://geg100daychallenge.blogspot.com/). Because these posts start out as comments, they will be much shorter than normal. Future posts from this site will be designated by the category “100 Day Challenge.”
Does God still call people today?
God does still call people today; His calling is primarily to salvation. While this call is mentioned many times, one of the clearest is in Romans 8:29-30, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (ESV)
Notice the flow here: foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified. The call is based on the foreknowledge and predestination of God. The call results in justification and glorification. The call is effectual because it gives what it commands. Just as Jesus’ call for Lazarus to “come out” (John 11:43) gave Lazarus the life he needed to obey, so also the effectual call of God gives the right standing (justification) we need to come before God. Just as Jesus gave Lazarus life, but Lazarus did the living, so also those called by God willingly and joyously do the believing and obeying.
