In the broadest sense everyone has been born into this life for some purpose. There should be a reason or explanation for our existence in the natural state. However, this is not necessarily a real calling of God to serve Him. God, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, calls a person to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved. It is saved ones that God calls for service. Please read and consider the verses in II Thessalonians 2:13-14.

“But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth.”

The apostle Paul referred to these people in II Thessalonians 2:14 as “called by our gospel.” He also taught that they were “set apart” by the Spirit, and they had believed the truth. This could be a,

Call to Salvation

We are told that God wills or desires for all men to be saved. This includes people of all walks of life. God is no respecter of persons. However, it must be understood that only those who “believe the truth” of the gospel will be saved. The calling of God is to all men, but His salvation only comes to the “whosoever believeth” (John 3:16). We must always remember that the Word of God says,

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)

We are told in Romans 10:17,

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

We hear God’s call by “hearing” God’s Word. The gospel is laid out in I Corinthians 15:3-4, and then clearly stated in Ephesians 2:8-9,

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

There is also a,

Call to Service

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” (I Corinthians 1:26)

The verses following tell why God chooses and calls. First it is that “no flesh should glory in his presence” (vs. 29) and then, “That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (vs. 31). God’s calling to His service is for His glory and not for man’s glory. How different from what has become all too “prevalent in religious” circles. It is really good to see that in I Corinthians 1:9 we are told that,

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Not only does He call to service, but to fellowship as well! We are admonished, though, to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called” (Ephesians 4:1).

In the spiritual sense, when a person is “called out” of the world, that person is “called into” the one body, the church. (Ephesians 4:-6). This means that although believers are “in the world, they are not of the world.” The true Church is a “heavenly” organism wherein is eternal life. This shows that we have been “called out” and “called up.” Ephesians 2:6 teaches us that,

“… And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Since all those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior are in the Church, which is the Body of Christ, we can know “the hope of his calling” (Eph. 1:18). This also gives us the incentive and desire to “press toward the mark for the high calling (calling on high) of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). All of these great and inspiring truths are considered as holy callings. See how the apostle Paul puts it in II Timothy 1:9.

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”

It is good to know that God called us out of darkness to eternal life and light in saving us. He calls us into service and fellowship as we yield to Him and His will. One of these days He will call us home or up and out of this world to see Him and be like Him.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (I John 3:2)