External call

In Christian Churches around the world, God calls sinners to eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

The call to salvation through Jesus Christ comes with the preaching and reading of the Word of God. This is a good faith offer that is sincerely extended by God to all that will accept in faith.  This is the external call and God would like that all men accept this invitation. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” is the way that John 3:16 states the offer.  However, Jesus tells us…. “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14).  This certainly indicates that men, on their own, do not accept this invitation.  But God, who is rich in mercy, provides an internal or effectual call that makes the external call effective.  Through the Holy Spirit, a person is enabled to respond to the call and accept the offer of eternal life through Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” (John 6:65).  When a person comes to Jesus, he has been enabled through the effectual call of the Holy Spirit.  This effectual (internal) call is covered on the next page (page 14).