CALL, CALLING
What Is a Divine Calling in the Bible?
The Christian commitment is biblically designated as a "calling." The divine calling (Eph. 4:1) is not a direct communication from God or his Holy Spirit, as some today allege. No one on earth knows anything about Jesus Christ and his way of redemption except what they have learned either directly or indirectly from the Scriptures.
Here are some facts about the Christian's calling:
Here are some facts about the Christian's calling:
- Its source is God (Acts 2:39; Heb. 3:1).
- It is characterized by a humble, willing-to-learn attitude (1 Cor. 1:26-29).
- The sacred calling is through the gospel (2 Thes. 2:14).
- Its design is for a holy, worthy life (1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 4:1).
- Its direction is upward (Phil. 3:14).
- Its sphere of operation is "in Christ" (Phil. 3:14).
- The ultimate hope of the calling is in a single destiny -- heaven (Eph. 4:4; Col. 1:5).
It is not without significance that the Greek word that is normally rendered "church," in our English versions, is ekklesia, a compound term meaning "to call" and "out from." Such emphasizes the Christian's separation from his past life of worldliness.
