1. Calling. Calling in general may be defined as that gracious act of God whereby He invites sinners to accept the salvation that is offered in Christ Jesus. It may be either external or internal.
a. External calling. The Bible speaks of this or refers to it in several passages, Matthew 28:19; 22:14; Luke 14:16-24; Acts 13:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; I John 5:10. It consists in the presentation and offering of salvation in Christ to sinners, together with an earnest exhortation to accept Christ by faith in order to obtain the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. From the definition it already appears that it contains three elements, namely,
(1) A presentation of the gospel facts and ideas;
(2) an invitation to repent and believe in Jesus Christ, and
(3) a promise of forgiveness and salvation.
The promise is always conditional; its fulfillment can be expected only in the way of true faith and repentance. The external call is universal in the sense that it comes to all men to whom the gospel is preached. It is not limited to any age or nation or class of men, and comes to the reprobate as well as to the elect, Isaiah 45:22; 55:1; Ezekiel 3:19; Joel 2:32; Matthew 22:2-8, 14; Revelation 22:17. Naturally this call, as coming from God, is seriously meant. He calls sinners in good faith, earnestly desires that they accept the invitation, and in all sincerity promises eternal life to those who repent and believe. Numbers 23:19; Psalms 81:13-16; Proverbs 1:24; Isaiah 1:18-20; Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; Matthew 23:37; 2 Timothyothy 2:18. In the external call God maintains His claim on the sinner. If man does not accept the call, he slights the claim of God and thus increases his guilt. It is also the appointed means by which God gathers the elect out of all the nations of the world, Romans 10:14-17, and should be regarded as a blessing for sinners, though they may turn it into a curse, Isaiah 1:18-20; Ezekiel 3:18, 19; Amos 8:11; Matthew 11:20-24; 23:37. Finally, it also serves to justify God in the condemnation of sinners. If they despise the offer of salvation, their guilt stands out in the clearest light, John 5:39, 40; Romans 3:5, 6, 19.
b. Internal calling. While we distinguish two aspects of the calling of God, this calling is really one. The internal call is really the external call made effective by the operation of the Holy Spirit. It always comes to the sinner through the Word of God, savingly applied by the operation of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 24. In distinction from the external call, it is a powerful calling that is effectual unto salvation, Acts 13:48; 1 Corinthians 1:23, 24. Moreover, it is a calling without repentance, one that is not subject to change, and is never withdrawn, Romans 11:29. The person called will surely be saved. The Spirit operates through the preaching of the Word by making its persuasions effective, so that man listens to the voice of His God. It addresses itself to the understanding enlightened by the Holy Spirit, so that man is conscious of it. And it is always directed to a certain end. It is a calling to the fellowship of Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:9, to inherit blessing, I Pet. 8:9, to liberty, Galatians 6:18, to peace, 1 Corinthians 7:15; to holiness, 1 Thessalonians 4:7; to one hope, Ephesians 4:4, to eternal life, 1 Timothy 6:12, and to God’s kingdom and glory, I Thess. 2:12.
2. Regeneration. Divine calling and regeneration stand in the closest possible relation to each other. With respect to regeneration several points deserve consideration:
a. Its nature. The word ‘regeneration’ is not always used in the same sense. Our Confession uses it in a broad sense, as including even conversion. At present it has a more restricted meaning. In the most restricted sense it denotes that act of God by which the principle of the new life is implanted in man, and the governing disposition of the soul is made holy. In a slightly more comprehensive sense it designates, in addition to the preceding, the new birth or the first manifestation of the new life. It is a fundamental change in the principle of life and the governing disposition of the soul, and therefore affects the whole man, 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 2:13; I Pet. 1:8. It is completed in a moment of time, and is not a gradual process like sanctification. Through it we pass from death into life, I John 3:14. It is a secret and inscrutable work of God that is never directly perceived by man, but can be known only by its effects.
b. Its author. God is the author of regeneration. Scripture represents it as the work of the Holy Spirit, John 1:13; Acts 16:14; John 3:5, 8. Over against the Arminians we maintain that it is exclusively the work of the Spirit of God, and not in part the work of man. There is no co-operation of God and man in the work of regeneration, as there is in the work of conversion. Moreover, it should be said that regeneration in the most restricted sense of the word, that is, as the implanting of the new life, is a direct and immediate work of the Holy Spirit. It is a creative work in which for that very reason the word of the gospel cannot very well be used as an instrument. It may be said that Jas. 1:18 and I Pet. 1:23 prove that the word of preaching is used as an instrument in regeneration, but these passages refer to regeneration in a broader sense, as including the new birth. In that more inclusive sense regeneration is undoubtedly wrought through the instrumentality of the Word.
c. Its necessity and place in the order of salvation. Scripture leaves no doubt as to the absolute necessity of regeneration, but asserts this in the clearest terms, John 3:3, 5, 7; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Galatians 6:15. This follows from the fact that we are by nature dead in trespasses and sin, and must be endowed with new spiritual 1ife, in order to enjoy the divine favor and communion with God. The question is often raised which of the two is first, calling or regeneration. In answer to this it may be said that in the case of adults external calling usually precedes or coincides with regeneration in the restricted sense. Regeneration, as the implanting of the new life, precedes internal calling, and internal calling precedes regeneration in the broader sense, or the new birth. We find the greater part of this order indicated in the record of the conversion of Lydia, Acts 16:14, “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us (external call): whose heart the Lord opened (regeneration in the restricted sense) to give heed to the things which were spoken by Paul (internal call).”
To memorize:
Passages proving:
a. External calling:
- And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (16) “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16)
- “For many are called, but few [are] chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)
- Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46)
b. Calling of the reprobate:
- “Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; (25) And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; (26) I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, (Proverbs 1:24-26)
- in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits [now] in prison, (20) who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through [the] water. (1 Peter 3:19-20)
- Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, (2) “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. (3) “And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. (4) “Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are [all] butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”‘ (5) “But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, (6) and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. (7) “But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. (8) “Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. … (14) “For many are called, but few [are] chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-8, 14)
- But He said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; (17) and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ (18) “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’ (19) “Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’ (20) “Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’ (21) “And the slave came [back] and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ (22) “And the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ (23) “And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel [them] to come in, so that my house may be filled. (24) ‘For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'” (Luke 14:16-24)
c. Seriousness of this calling:
- “Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; (25) And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; (26) I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, (Proverbs 1:24-26) cf. above under b.
- “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? … (32) “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.” (Ezekiel 18:23, 32)
- “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. (Matthew 23:37)
d. The necessity of regeneration:
- “Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? [Then] you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil. (Jeremiah 13:23)
- Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” … (7) “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:3, 7)
e. Regeneration and the Word.
- In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. (James 1:18)
- …for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, [that is,] through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)
For Further Study:
a. Is calling a work of one Person of the Trinity or of all three?
- God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)
- so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
- “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
- “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32)
- “For it is not you who speak, but [it is] the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (Matthew 10:20)
- “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. “And we are witnesses of these things; and [so is] the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:31-32)
b. Is the word ‘regeneration’ used in the Bible? Titus 3:5. What other terms does it use to express this idea? John 3:3, 5, 7, 8; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:5; Colossians 2:13; Jas. 1:18; I Pet. 1:23.
- He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5)
- Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” … (5) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. … (7) “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (8) “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:3, 5, 7-8)
- Therefore if anyone is in Christ, [he is] a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), (Ephesians 2:5)
- When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, (Colossians 2:13)
- In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. (James 1:18)
- for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, [that is,] through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)
c. Does Titus 3:5 prove that we are regenerated by baptism? If not, how would you explain it?
- He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5)
Questions for Review:
- What do we mean by calling?
- How do external and internal calling differ?
- What elements are included in external calling?
- In what sense is it universals?
- What purpose does it serve?
- How is the internal related to the external calling?
- Are we conscious of it?
- To what end is it directed?
- What different meanings has the word ‘regeneration’?
- What is it in the most restricted sense?
- What is the nature of the change wrought in regeneration?
- Is regeneration a work of God alone or of God and man?
- Is the Word used as an instrument in regeneration?
- Is regeneration absolutely necessary? Proof.
- What is the order of calling and regeneration?