Topical Bible: The Call of God by his Gospel

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The concept of the "Call of God" through His Gospel is a central theme in Christian theology, emphasizing God's initiative in inviting individuals to salvation and a relationship with Him. This call is understood as both universal and personal, extending to all humanity while also being uniquely experienced by each individual.

Biblical Foundation

The New Testament provides a robust framework for understanding the call of God through the Gospel. In Romans 1:16, the Apostle Paul declares, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Greek." This verse underscores the Gospel as the divine means by which God calls people to salvation.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:14, Paul further explains, "To this He called you through our gospel, so that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." Here, the call is not only to salvation but also to participation in the glory of Christ, highlighting the transformative nature of responding to God's call.

Nature of the Call

The call of God is both external and internal. Externally, it is proclaimed through the preaching of the Gospel, as seen in Mark 16:15, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Internally, it is the work of the Holy Spirit, who convicts and draws individuals to Christ, as described in John 16:8, "When He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment."

Universal and Personal Dimensions

The call of God is universal in scope, as 1 Timothy 2:4 states, "who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." This reflects God's heart for all humanity to respond to His invitation. However, the call is also deeply personal, as illustrated in Acts 2:39, "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."

Response to the Call

The appropriate response to God's call is faith and repentance. In Acts 2:38, Peter instructs, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." This response is not merely intellectual assent but involves a transformation of heart and life, aligning with the will of God.

The Role of Grace

The call of God is rooted in His grace, as Ephesians 2:8-9 affirms, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." This grace is the foundation of the call, ensuring that salvation is a gift rather than a human achievement.

The Assurance of the Call

Believers are assured of their calling through the promises of God. Romans 8:30 provides a sequence of divine actions: "And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified." This chain of events assures believers of their secure position in Christ, from calling to glorification.

Implications for Believers

The call of God carries significant implications for the life of a believer. It demands a life of holiness and obedience, as 1 Peter 1:15-16 exhorts, "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" Furthermore, it involves a commitment to proclaim the Gospel, participating in God's mission to call others, as seen in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us."

In summary, the call of God by His Gospel is a profound theological concept that encompasses God's invitation to salvation, the transformative response of faith and repentance, and the ongoing implications for a believer's life. It is a call rooted in grace, assured by divine promise, and extended to all humanity through the proclamation of the Gospel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Thessalonians 2:14
Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Greek

4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness
... a mistake to take our belief in God and call of faith . ... Christ (a true connection
with Him and His Word) is ... of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4102.htm - 18k

Library

The Call of the Gentiles under the Influence of the Gospel ...
... However, when you are refuted on the call of the nations, you betake ... of the Lord,
and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us His way, and ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xxi the call of the.htm

One and the Same God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, is He whom ...
... bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel ... Therefore there is one and
the same God, who was ... prophets and announced by the Gospel; and His Son, who ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter ix one and the same.htm

The Word of the Truth of the Gospel
... He himself has told you regarding this, and know that God who is asking you to call
upon his name; for if thou but knewest this God and his great gift ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bonar/gods way of peace/chapter vii the word of.htm

On the Epistle to the Galatians the Abolition of the Ordinances of ...
... removed from Him who hath called you to His grace to ... the office of [5248] Christ's
gospel to call men from ... law to grace, not from the Creator to another god. ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter ii on the epistle to.htm

On the Vocation of Sinners to Communion with Christ, and to a ...
... Those who are obedient to the vocation or call of God, freely yield ... In the very
commencement of his conversion, man conducts himself in a purely passive ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/on the vocation of sinners.htm

Mary, Future Mother of Jesus, visits Elisabeth, Future Mother of ...
... behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed ... with an expression
of gratitude to God for his ... Luke, used twenty-one times in his Gospel] unto her ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/vii mary future mother of.htm

General Account of Jesus' Teaching.
... surely have no repentance toward him, for belief precedes every call upon God, whether
for ... in which he taught caused the people to glorify his name.] 15 ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxvii general account of jesus.htm

Effectual Calling
... There is a two-fold call. (i.) There is an outward call, which is nothing else but
God's blessed tender of grace in the gospel, His parleying with sinners ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/effectual calling.htm

Starting from this Point You May Understand the Majesty of the ...
... Virgin, "Thou shalt bring forth a Son and shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall
save His people from ... of Thee shall be called the Son of God." See here ...
/.../10 starting from this point.htm

"For what the Law could not Do, in that it was Weak Though the ...
... I find, that those very grounds, upon which you call in question ... "God so loved the
world," &c. ... the greatest indignity to him that out of love sent his Son, and ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xii for what the.htm