There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit.
Posted : 13 Dec, 2011 02:26 AM
" ... who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began" (2 Tim. 1:9).
Devotional
There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit.
The external call is thus alluded to: "I have called, and you refused to listen" (Prov. 1:24); "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14).
This outward call of the Spirit is made in various ways: in the Word, in the glorious proclamation of the gospel, through the providences of God (those of mercy and those of judgment), in the warnings of ministers, in the admonitions of friends, and, no less powerfully, in the awakening of the natural conscience. By these means does the Holy Spirit "call sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).
In this sense, everyone who hears the gospel, everyone who is exposed to the means of grace, is called by the Spirit.
The existence of this call puts the sinner in an attitude of fearful responsibility. And the rejection of this call exposes him to a still more fearful doom.
God has never poured out his wrath upon man without first extending the olive-branch of peace. Mercy has invariably preceded judgment.
"I have called, and you have refused" (Prov. 1:24). "All day long I have held out my hands" (Isa. 65:2; Rom. 10:21). "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" (Rev. 3:20). He reasons, he argues, he expostulates with the sinner. "Come now, let us reason together" (Isa. 1:18), is his invitation.
He instructs, he warns, he invites. He puts before the mind the most solemn considerations, urged by duty and interest. He presses his own claims, and appeals to the individual interests of the soul.
But all seems ineffectual.
Oh, what a view this gives us of the patience of God toward the rebellious�that he should stretch out his hand to a sinner; that instead of wrath, there should be mercy; that instead of cursing, there should be blessing; that instead of instant punishment, there should be the patience and forbearance that invites, and allures, and reasons! Oh, who is a God like unto our God? "I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded" (Prov. 1:24).
But there is also the special, direct, and effectual call of the Spirit, in the elect of God, without which all other calling is in vain. God says, "I will put my Spirit within them" (Ezek. 36:27). Christ says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live" (John 5:25; cf. Eph. 2:1�10).
And in the following passages reference is made to the effectual operation of God the Spirit. "Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power" (Eph. 3:7). "The Word of God, which effectually works in you who believe" (1 Thess. 2:13). Thus, the Holy Spirit is represented as effectually working in the soul by the instrumentality of the Word.
When he called before, there was no inward, supernatural, secret power accompanying the call to the conscience. Now there is an energy put forth with the call, which awakens the conscience, breaks the heart, convinces the judgment, opens the eye of the soul, and pours a new and an alarming sound upon the hitherto deaf ear.
Note the blessed effects! The scales fall from the eyes, the veil is torn from the mind, the deep fountains of evil in the heart are broken up, the sinner sees himself lost and undone�without pardon, without a righteousness, without acceptance, without a God, without a Savior, without a hope! Awful condition! "What shall I do to be saved?" is his cry: "I am a wretch undone! I look within me, all is dark and vile; I look around me, everything seems but the image of my woe; I look above me, I see only an angry God: whichever way I look, is hell!�and were God now to send me there, just and right would he be."
But, blessed be God, no poor soul that ever uttered such language, prompted by such feelings, ever died in despair. That faithful Spirit who begins the good work, effectually carries it on, and completes it. Soon he leads him to the cross of Jesus and unveils to his eye of glimmering faith a suffering, wounded, bleeding, dying Savior�and yet a Savior with outstretched arms!
That Savior speaks�oh, did ever music sound so melodious?�"I do all this for you�this cross for you; these sufferings for you; this blood for you; these stretched-out arms for you. 'Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matt. 11:28). 'All who the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out' (John 6:37). 'Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!' (Isa. 45:22). 'Only believe' (Mark 5:36). Are you lost? I can save you. Are you guilty? I can cleanse you. Are you poor? I can enrich you. Are you sunk down low? I can raise you. Are you naked? I can clothe you. Have you nothing to bring with you�no money, no goodness, no merit? I can and will take you to me, just as you are, poor, naked, penniless, worthless; for such I came to seek, such I came to call, for such I came to die."
"Lord, I believe," exclaims the poor convinced soul, "Help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). You are just the Savior that I need. I need one who can and will save me with all my vileness, with all my rags, with all my poverty. I need one who will save me fully, save me freely, save me as an act of mere unmerited, undeserved grace. I have found him whom my soul loves. And will be his through time, and his through eternity."
Thus effectually does the blessed Spirit call a sinner, by his especial, direct, and supernatural power, out of darkness into marvelous light. "I work, and who can turn it back?" (Isa. 43:13).
There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit.
Posted : 13 Dec, 2011 12:00 PM
Excellent!
And this agrees with what we SEE in real life.
Many ARE called through TV, Radio, traveling preachers, etc.
But few are actually repenting and trusting in Jesus.
If you are one of those Christians who still believe your decision was the deciding factor concerning where you spend eternity, have you ever asked yourself why SO FEW people repent and trust in Jesus?
I mean, if it was just people who had free will, don't you think that maybe somewhere around 50% would repent and trust in Jesus?
Why is it always only about 5%?
"Many are called by few are chosen".
Jesus said it, and it is time for you to grow up and accept it.
There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit.
Posted : 13 Dec, 2011 12:20 PM
You are right James we are not the deciding factor, all I have evr said is I did nothing except I did not reject him! Dont you think al lthose who are called if they had not rejected then they would be chosen too! thats all in the world I am saying! We do have the option of rejecting him (we being all men) He did not just pick out a few and die for them! If that were the case then few would be called and few would be chosen! Jesus and God and The Spirit would not call someone who Jesus did not die for! RIGHT???? So he died so that everyone could live but the stiff necked people who think they dont need god wont accept so they reject him! I know you all like to think that we believe we had so much to do with our salvation and that we are proud of it thats something that is said to dispute what we believe make us look bad and look wrong but it is so far from the truth! we are well aware that we were lost in tresspasss and sin with no hope in sight! We know Jesus paid it all! But we did have the opportunity to reject his call! It is demonstrated in Holy Scriptures over and over when the chosen Israel rejected God and ignored his prophets! Over nad over they rejected him! But they had the choice to do so
There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit.
Posted : 13 Dec, 2011 03:42 PM
well aware that we were lost in tresspasss and sin with no hope in sight! We know Jesus paid it all! But we did have the opportunity to reject his call! It is demonstrated in Holy Scriptures over and over when the chosen Israel rejected God and ignored his prophets! Over nad over they rejected him! But they had the choice to do so
There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit.
Posted : 13 Dec, 2011 04:32 PM
Posted -
"There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit.
The external call is thus alluded to: "I have called, and you refused to listen" (Prov. 1:24); "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14).
This outward call of the Spirit is made in various ways: in the Word, in the glorious proclamation of the gospel, through the providences of God (those of mercy and those of judgment), in the warnings of ministers, in the admonitions of friends, and, no less powerfully, in the awakening of the natural conscience. By these means does the Holy Spirit "call sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).
In this sense, everyone who hears the gospel, everyone who is exposed to the means of grace, is called by the Spirit.
The existence of this call puts the sinner in an attitude of fearful responsibility. And the rejection of this call exposes him to a still more fearful doom.
God has never poured out his wrath upon man without first extending the olive-branch of peace. Mercy has invariably preceded judgment.
"I have called, and you have refused" (Prov. 1:24). "All day long I have held out my hands" (Isa. 65:2; Rom. 10:21). "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" (Rev. 3:20). He reasons, he argues, he expostulates with the sinner. "Come now, let us reason together" (Isa. 1:18), is his invitation.
He instructs, he warns, he invites. He puts before the mind the most solemn considerations, urged by duty and interest. He presses his own claims, and appeals to the individual interests of the soul.
But all seems ineffectual."
Of course it's ineffectual... According to you Reformed people, God created a number of people for damnation, with no hope of ever receiving salvation. How you can believe that God "appeals to the individual interests of the soul" when He has created that soul for eternal damnation, is beyond me. It is ridiculous to believe that God created a person for eternal damnation and then post that God invites this damned person and has an interest in his soul when God has already determined that soul is going to Hell because He created it to.
There is an external and an internal call of the Spirit.
Posted : 13 Dec, 2011 04:42 PM
James wrote - "Excellent! And this agrees with what we SEE in real life. Many ARE called through TV, Radio, traveling preachers, etc. But few are actually repenting and trusting in Jesus."
Any why is that, James? How can they repent and trust in Jesus when your belief says God created them to where they can NEVER repent and trust in Jesus? :rolleyes:
