Quotes about God-Calling_of

1

The redemption of an eternal soul is one sale that I, in my own strength, cannot accomplish. I need to know that, not so that I won’t preach the Gospel, but so that I won’t allow my presentation of the Gospel to be molded by what I think will finally get a response and close a sale. Instead of using all my powers to convict and change the sinner, while God stands back as a gentleman quietly waiting for the spiritual corpse, His declared spiritual enemy, to invite Him into his heart, I’m going to preach the Gospel like a gentleman, trying to persuade but knowing that I can’t convict and convert and change the sinner. Then we’ll see clearly just who can really call the dead to life.

2

There is a strange ambiguity here. On the one hand, God’s call seems to have its own creative power. On the other hand, God opens His arms and His heart to the rebellious as He calls them, but His summons seems to fall empty on the ground and met with no positive response. It is irrestible, and yet it seems to be rejectable!

3

In addition to the outward general call to salvation, which is made to everyone who hears the Gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation to man’s will, nor is He dependent on man’s cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God’s grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.

4

[The effectual call of God] is issued by the Father and made effective by the work of the Holy Spirit as He illuminates and enables the individual to understand and respond positively to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus as contained in the Word of God.

5

The call of God does what the call of man cannot. It raises the dead.

6

God does not elect and predestine and then stand back and wonder if his electing purpose will come to pass. He brings it to pass with his omnipotent call that creates the faith it commands.

7

The call of God is not exactly the same as the preaching of word of the gospel but it never comes without the gospel. God’s call is what happens when the gospel comes with irresistible force. It’s the gospel with an omnipotent supercharge.