245 – The Doctrine of Calling – Outward

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: SOTERIOLOGY III LESSON # 45

THE DOCTRINE OF CALLING (OUTWARD)

INTRODUCTION:

1. You should notice that a familiar term in each of these passages is “the called,” “them which are called,” “whom He called,” etc.
2. These verses are often misquoted, exactly as they are misunderstood.
3. This word calling refers to the work of God, in communicating to the elect, the work performed in atonement.
4. The relationship of each of these divine works to the other, dictates the order: (1) Election, (2) Atonement, (3) Calling.
5. Never be embarrassed over the logic in this systematic order.

I. TWO DIFFERENT CALLS

1. Scripture clearly refers to calls of two different kinds.
2. They are of a different nature, for a different purpose and produce different results.
3. Both are equally real, sincere, and intended by God, but here the likeness stops.
4. Unquestionably they both produce God’s purpose for them

II. THE OUTWARD CALL

1. It is properly referred to as outward, because it speaks to natural human faculties of personality: (1) Reason, (2) Emotion, (3) Fear, (4) Pity, (5) Desire for self-preservation, (6) Desire for self-betterment.
2. It is referred to by such scriptures as Isa. 45:22

, Isa. 55:6

, Mat. 9:13

, Mat. 11:28

, Mat. 22:14

, Mk. 2:17

, Lk 5:32

, Rev. 22:17

. There are many others, but these suffice.
3. This call comes through the preaching of the word of God.

i. It is the means by which Israel was called and would not come, as mentioned in Mat. 23:37

.
ii. It was Jesus’s; means of inviting sinners to come to Him. (Mat. 11:28

, Jn. 7:37

, Rev. 22:17

)

4. This call is an indirect call of the Holy Spirit, in that it is through the medium of the word, which is given by the Holy Ghost.

i. It is in this area that God strives with man.
ii. This is the essential means of the work of conviction.

i. This is not to say every individual hears it in the same measure and capacity.

ii. It is rather to say that this call is not confined to the elect.
iii. It is intended for, and commanded to be taken to all men. (Mat. 28:20

, Acts 17:30

)

i. It was so with Israel in the Old Testament. (Isa. 65:12

)
ii. It was a stumblingblock to the Jews in Paul’s day. (I Cor. 1:23

)
iii. It was foolishness to the Greeks of Paul’s day. (I Cor. 1:23

)
iv. It is not received by natural man. (I Cor. 2:14

)
v. It is not in natural man to receive this call. (I Cor. 2:14

, Jn. 6:44

, Jn. 12:39-40

, Jer. 13:23

)
vi. It is yet very clearly God’s command and thus man’s duty to receive it. (Acts 17:30

)

7. This call is sincere. Haters of the doctrine of “effectual calling” object to our teaching of two kinds of calling by saying this “general call” could not be sincere if:

a) Their argument is not about the nature of this call, but about the nature of man.
b) A command to execute responsibility may be given, without respect to present ability.

III: The first commandment of the law proves that divine command does not subject itself to the ability of humanity. (Read Strong’s note on page 274 of T. P. Simmons’s; A SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF BIBLE DOCTRINE.)

a) To be consistent here, the objector would also have to deny God precognition of who will be saved.

a) Once again no person who believes in the eternal omniscience of God can object to an atonement made personally and exclusively for those who shall believe.
b) The reason men do not receive atonement is their refusal to receive, not God’s failure to provide.
c) God’s implication in this call is that all men are welcome and safe if they will come. This is as sincere as any invitation to voluntary action can be.

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

Berean Baptist Church