246 – The Doctrine of Calling – Inward

SEMESTER 3

246 – The Doctrine of Calling – Inward

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: SOTERIOLOGY III LESSON # 46
THE DOCTRINE OF CALLING (INWARD)

Read Mat. 22:1-10. (Notice particularly verse 3.)
Read I Cor. 1:21-31. (Notice particularly verse 24.)

INTRODUCTION:

1. It is immediately obvious to any serious and intelligent Bible student, that the words call and called in these two passages have a different meaning.

i. In Mat. 22:3, the call was readily ignored.
ii. In I Cor. 1:24, the call made the difference in whether the gospel was “foolishness,” or “the power of God.”

2. The understanding of this tremendous difference is the key to a great body of Bible doctrine.
3. In the previous lesson, I dealt with a call which is properly referred to as outward, general, indirect, universal invitation, indiscriminate and ineffectual.
4. This lesson shall deal with the call properly referred to as inward, personal, direct, discriminate, effectual and irresistible.

I. SCRIPTURES DEALING WITH THE EFFECTUAL CALL

(Note how this term has no meaning at all if generalized.)

1. Acts 2:39 says the promise of the Holy Ghost is to precisely that number which God shall call.
2. In Rom. 1:6, Paul refers to the saints at Rome as the called.
3. In Rom. 8:28-30, Paul refers to “the called” as precisely that number for whom all things work together for good, and who (in decree) are glorified.
4. In Rom. 9:11-24, he refers to those “whom he hath called” as “the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.”
5. I Cor. 1:24 makes it clear that this call is the means of making the gospel the power of God and the wisdom of God.
6. In I Cor. 1:26 and 27, the group referred to as the “called” are shown to be precisely equal to the “chosen” in a context where the chosen are not all “wise,” or even “good” men.
7. In I Cor. 7:15, it is referred to as the means by which God brings us to a state of “peace.”
8. In Gal. 1:15, it is referred to as the means by which God brought Paul into the blessings of grace.
9. In II Thes. 2:13 and 14, it is referred to as the work of God, by which He brings those He has chosen unto salvation into belief and sanctification of the Spirit. (These scriptures are only a few of many.)

II. THIS CALL IS A DIRECT CALL BY THE SPIRIT

1. He does a direct work of opening the heart so that it receives the word. Contrast I Cor. 2:14 to Acts 16:14.

i. The word of God is always the Spirit’s instrument.
ii. But the gospel is always ineffectual, except as it is taught by the Holy Ghost. (Jn. 6:45)

Conclusion: Thus we see that this is a direct work in the heart as is seen in Acts 2:37 and Acts 10:44, not the indirect work which the word may do on the conscience as is seen in Acts 7:51-54.

2. This principle is further borne out by the difference in the terms “pricked in their heart” (Acts 2:37) and “cut to the heart” in Acts 7:54, and the Greek terms supporting these English terms.

III. THIS CALL IS PARTICULAR

1. By this, I mean it is to the specific objects of God’s electing grace. (Rom. 8:29,30)
2. It is the differentiating cause between the result of Acts 7:54 and Acts 2:37, and of I Cor. 1:23 and I Cor. 1:24.

IV. THIS CALL IS ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL

1. This call is never successfully resisted, if resisted at all. (Rom. 8:29,30)
2. This does not imply, however, that it converts men against their will, but rather that it regenerates them, so that their will becomes subjected to God, and they come to Him voluntarily and spontane­ously. (Acts 2:37, Acts 8:35,36)

Note: The basic direction of this outline is gratefully attributed to T. P. Simmons’s; A SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF BIBLE DOCTRINE.