GOD’S CALL TO SALVATION

 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

“It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

On the micro level with our limited understanding, we think we chose and accepted Christ by our own making and free will.

But on the macro level, if we do an in-depth and thorough study and analysis, we will begin to understand and appreciate the fact that it is not by our own will or power of human choice or our capacity for intelligent choice that we are saved. It is God who intercepted, called and chose us to salvation in His Son. 

No human being by themselves is smart enough or strong enough to truly believe the Gospel to the point that they can gladly suffer reproach and even die in honor and love for Christ — without the glorious mighty workings of God’s Spirit by the power of the Gospel in their hearts. I’m talking about real saving faith not professed ‘easy believism’ of joining the fancy bandwagon of fair-weather Christianity.

Now again, if we understand that before salvation we are spiritually dead, then we can attempt to ask and answer the question: “What can a dead man do for himself?” 

It is God by His Spirit who quickens or gives life to the spiritually dead. That’s why we preach the Gospel. 

As Scripture says: “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” (2 Cor 4:4 NLT).

It’s not because they don’t want to. Believers are not smarter than unbelievers to believe or choose life. Ultimately and essentially, it is God who calls to salvation. 

It is God’s mercy that saves. 

That’s why every Christian must be eternally grateful to the Father! It is amazing grace! And we must pray and plead that the unsaved will see the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ. Once a man sees Christ, his heart will be forever changed! He won’t be perfect practically speaking and he will still need to consistently feed on the Word of God to grow strong — but true living faith has been born in his heart! The Spirit of God lives in him, hence believers are called temples (housing) of the Holy Spirit. It is spiritual life. It is the seal of redemption; the guarantee of eternal life. Glory to God forever!

It is ultimately God who effectively calls men to salvation.

“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” (Acts 2:39)

“Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:47)

Truth be told, God is sovereign and we do not yet understand everything about Him. We know in part. We are only able to know or understand progressively, through prayerful diligent Spirit-powered study, that which He has conclusively revealed in The Holy Scripture. 

Consider again this Scriptural citation:

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Cor 1:26-29 NKJV)

May God give all of us more understanding of His Word and more grace to walk with Him and to walk worthy of our calling in Christ. Amen.

#salvation #mercy #grace