“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
The New Testament has much to say about God’s calling in the grace of Christ (Galatians 1:6) which offers extraordinary spiritual blessings to those who call upon Him (Acts 2:21; 1 Peter 3:9) and thus become the called of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6).
God’s calling comes via the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14). It requires all penitent believers like Saul of Tarsus to call upon the name of the Lord for their salvation by arising and being baptized to wash away their sins (Acts 22:16). This action transfers those in darkness into Christ’s marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
All who answer the gospel’s call are called saints (Romans 1:7). They have received a heavenly (Hebrews 3:1) and holy calling (2 Timothy 1:9), and there is one hope found in this calling (Ephesians 1:15, 4:4)— the blessing of an inheritance (1 Peter 3:9), an eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15) of God’s eternal glory by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 5:10).
The called are sanctified by God the Father (i.e., added to the church—Acts 2:47) and preserved by God the Son (Jude 1). They are blessed because they have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Revelation 19:9).
Therefore, the called ought to walk worthy of their calling (Ephesians 4:1) and fulfill all the good pleasure of God’s goodness and work of faith with power (2 Thessalonians 1:11) by giving all diligence to add to their faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love so that their calling and election is sure (2 Peter 1:5-10).
This is God’s predetermined, eternally purposed plan for the called. They are the ones for whom He has promised His special providence in all things (Romans 8:28).
