Ray Stone
When Peter preached the first Gospel sermon in Acts 2, he revealed God’s plan of salvation in Christ Jesus that had been promised so many years before and Jesus had used that same term—call or calling—when He said, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).
These and other similar passages raise a question in many peoples’ minds: How does God call individuals today? And if so, exactly how? Is it possible to miss hearing His call due to inattention or distraction, and so be lost forever as a result? Hearing their friends speak of an “experience” when God sent a special call to them and them alone, many people conclude that they, not having had any such experience, are indeed short-changed or neglected spiritually. But “God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34)—so where is my call?”
The Bible answers these questions, as well as mitigating doubt and reaffirming your worth—yours!—in God’s eyes. When allowed to speak for itself on such matters, the Bible assures us that God did at one time speak to people directly from Heaven; still, today the case is very different: Hebrews 1:1-2 says “God, Who at sundry times and in divers (different) manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son…” Christ Himself claimed to be God’s spokesman on Earth: “I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak” (John 14:29). His own enemies admitted, “Never man so spake like this Man” (John 7:46).
Now watch the next two references very closely: In John 12:48 Jesus said “He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” Lay that alongside Paul’s words, “…in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” (Rom. 2:16). We are now driven to an inescapable conclusion! Jesus: “You’ll be judged by My words.” Paul: “You’ll be judged by my Gospel.” Jesus’ words=the Gospel; and the Gospel=Jesus’ words.
Now, Paul told the Christians in Corinth, “the things that I (Paul) write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37). Paul further said that he and the other apostles were made “ministers of the New Testament” (2 Cor. 3:6). So, to say that God speaks, calls, to us today through His Son (Heb. 1:1-2) is to say that God calls us through the Gospel of Christ; that is, the New Testament. And in fact that is just what the Bible does say about it! How does God call us today? In Paul’s words, “He called you by our Gospel” (2 Thess. 2:14).
Friends, don’t be dismayed by those claiming a special direct “call from God” exclusive to them! Our God and Father is no respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11); many other passages attest to this truth as well. You’re not being left out. What He offers to one, He offers to all. We are each of us on equal footing as far as God is concerned—and He wants us all to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4).
Here’s the only way you can miss God’s call to you: Never open your Bible and leave it unread and closed on the shelf! For He calls to you continually through its words. Open your eyes and ears to the message of the Bible as God calls you—and all people—“through the Gospel”.
