But that is certainly an interesting question: “What’s in a name?” Walter Landor, who apparently understood the difference between the body and the soul once said: “In truth, a name given to a man is no better than the skin which has been given to him. What is not natively his, only falls off and comes to nothing.” And the old preacher, Thomas Fuller, said: “a name is a kind of face whereby one is known: Wherefore taking a false name is a kind of mask whereby men disguise themselves.” Haven’t we met people who disguised themselves under the various names of the Children of God when actually they were still children of the Devil?
Here is a question: when Romans 8:28 speaks about “the called” – is this a name, a title, or a description? “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” All the modern translations that I checked have this verse reading something like this: “All things work together for good to those who are called by God.” But the King James, and even my old copy of the New King James, says that these God-blessed people are not just the recipients of God’s call, they are a specific group which could be named “the called.” Just as Juliet was a Capulet and Romeo was a Montague, the people of this verse could have been found in the White Pages under “called” – they are “THE called.”
The man who uses one of the corrupt modern versions of the Bible might deny this point: But I believe that there is a great deal of difference between “being called” and being one of “THE called.” The man who is tricked into using the ASV or NIV is being robbed when he reads: “We know that to them that love God, all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his plan.” Incidentally, those who sell modern versions often say that no Bible doctrine is hurt by their translations. The truth of the matter is that nearly every important doctrine of the Word of God has suffered corruption by the multitude of modern translations.
But I’m leaving my subject. What are some of the names that we have been given as Christians? We are called “Believers” because we are believers – our faith and trust is in Christ and the promise of God. Listen to the difference between these two verses: “And believers were the more added to the Lord” – Acts 5:14. Now I Timothy 4:12 – “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of THE believers…” In exactly the same way as true believers can be given a title and called “the believers,” So can those whom the Lord has called be given the name or title – “the called.” The Bible calls us “brethren,” and we are “children of god.” We are “Christians,” a name first applied to us in disgust – we are those wretched followers of Christ. But actually that also means that we are “heirs of God” and “joint heirs” with Jesus Christ. We are called “Saints” – sanctified ones. And we are “vessels of honor” and “vessels of mercy.” With nearly all of these and in a dozen more, more often than not there is a direct article attached. We are “THE saints” and “THE vessels of mercy.” We are “THE brethren.” And we are a part of the group called “THE elect” according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” I am of the opinion, and hundreds of Godly Bible commentators agree with me, that “the called” in verse 28 are the same people who are described as “God’s elect” in verse 33. In the original Koine Greek, the common spoken Greek, the root word for both is exactly the same.
But let’s get back to verse the blessing of Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” What’s in that name? Shakespeare said, “That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” And turning that around, when I say “rose”, most all of us can visualize a beautiful rose, or a person already wearing that name. There is the blossom resting between the thorns of a rose bush. It is covered with the dew of Heaven, spotlighted by the early morning sun. Its petals are open just to the right angle, with a drop of moisture clinging to one of the outer petals. And if we try we can even remember the fragrance that only a rose can produce. It begs to be either photographed or smelled, or both. We know or should know what a rose is. And similarly, we need to know and be familiar with what it is to be one of “the called.”
What does it mean to be one of the “called” of the Lord? It points out first of all, that we have no intrinsic right to walk into King’s presence uninvited. I read of one of the modern era American Presidents, who had a small child living with him in White House. One day, this President was busy in a very important cabinet meeting along with his top advisors. There were foreign ambassadors waiting to keep appointments. There were servants as quietly as possible running about their duties. There was a stern looking Marine guarding the door to the oval office. And there was a little boy who ran past everyone, including the Marine. He stretched to reach the door handle and pushing it open, ran inside. Uninvited, he jumped on the President’s lap, and in front of the most powerful men in country, planted a kiss on his father’s face before running out as quickly as he had run in. That boy was worthy to enter the room of the President, but you and I are not. He was by nature the President’s own son, but we are not.
You and I were born “without Christ, aliens from commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in world.” That some have been called of God, is nothing about which anyone can boast or be proud in themselves. Because it had nothing to do with our goodness – we have none. It had nothing to do with our righteousness, because all our righteousness are as filthy rags. “To be called” means that we couldn’t enter the Lord’s presence without that special invitation.
And it also means that God is infinitely gracious and merciful, because call us, He has done. The Bible teaches that there has been, and there continues to be, a general call of the Gospel. To use Jesus’ parable, the King has prepared a great feast and bidden His neighbors to dine with him. With their ears they heard of the invitation and with their eyes they have read it. But they have made light of it, each going their own way, one to his farm, another to his merchandise, and another to his honeymoon. But then there is a second, separate and inward call, heard only by the heart, compelling individuals to come. Romans 8:28 is talking about those people whom the Lord has effectually called, and who have responded.
Let me ask you a hypothetical question: Let’s say that my theme this morning was simply the blessing of God’s protection of His children. And let’s say that at some point during my sermon I said, “We know that all things work together for good to those that love God, to those who have repented of their sin and have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ”? If I wasn’t trying to recite Romans 8:28, trying to tell you that was a direct quote of the Holy Spirit, what I just gave you would be a true statement. The fact of the matter is: those who truly repent and put their faith in Christ are those who are “the called.” They are the same people. And reversing the order – only those who are a part of “the called” will ever repent and trust Christ.
There is an invitation which is given to all mankind – repent of your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We might call it a general invitation or a general call, and the vast majority of human have rejected it. But there is another invitation which is given only to “the called.” It is an invitation with the same general instructions – repent of your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus. But it comes with the power of God breaking through the sinful wall of our human depravity. This second call is effective; it is effectual in accomplishing God’s design to save that soul. This second call is “effectual” because it is according to the unbreakable will and purpose of God. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” There has never been anyone saved from their sin, whom God didn’t intend to save from the beginning. There has never been anyone called, whom the Lord didn’t intend to call, and whom He didn’t actually call before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
And to be one of the “called” of God, means that we have been called by Some One towards some thing. There are more than a hundred verses, uttered in different ways, which speak about those things to which we have been called. There are at least ten specific things to which we have been called. But I think that we can summerize the nature of them all in just one. We’ll get to that in just a moment.
But first, to what have we been called? To GRACE. Paul rebuked the Galatians by saying: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another” – Galatians 1:6-7. Essentially, we have been called by grace unto grace. When we were thoroughly depraved and sinful, we were called and carried into the Lord’s grace. And we have been called into LIBERTY. “Brethren, we have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” – Galatians 5:15. And “if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” We have been called into PEACE. Colossians 3:15 – “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Does this mean that the entire family of “the called” is called into this peace? That is exactly what this seems to say. Are you thankful for the peace of God into which you have been called and saved? Don’t you rejoice and bathe in the sunlight of peace in the Lord? Fourth, we have been called into the FELLOWSHIP of God’s dear son – I Corinthians 1:9. “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” We have been called into grace, liberty, peace and fellowship. And we have been called unto GLORY. I Thessalonians 2:12 – “Walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.” II Thessalonians 2:14 – “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Peter 5:10 and II Peter 1:3 talk about our call into God’s glory. And I Timothy 6:12 speaks about being called into ETERNAL LIFE. “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on Eternal Life, whereunto thou art also called. And we can’t forget that we have been called to obtain a GREAT INHERITANCE. “Christ is the mediator of the new testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” – Hebrews 9:15. I Peter 3:9 says that we have been called that we should inherit a blessing. Eighth, we have been called OUT OF DARKNESS into his marvelous light – I Peter 2:9. Ninth we have been called and given an example that we should walk in our Saviour’s steps – I Peter 2:21.
Then finally, God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but HOLINESS – I Thessalonians 4:7. Can’t we say that holiness is the substance and summary of all the things unto which Lord has called us. Paul wrote to the church in Rome and then to the church in Corinth. In both letters he said, “Beloved, God has called you to be saints.” The word “saints” is not just some non-descriptive name that we bear as Christians. We have been called and saved from sin, not merely to be freed from sin’s penalty. We have been called and saved in order to be holy before God and men. Listen to I Thessalonians 5:23-24: ” And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
Not one of these “calls” is the general invitation that God has given to sinners to repent. Each one of these are special, specific, individual invitations to very special things. And I might add that each one of them comes with the power of the Almighty God to accomplish the Lord’s intent. It is not that they are offers we cannot refuse; they are offers we will not refuse.
Think back over the first part of that list of things to which we have been called: We have been called into the FELLOWSHIP of God’s dear Son and to be a part of His Kingdom.. But “how can two walk together except they be agreed?” “For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow steps, who did no sin, neither guile found mouth.” “We have been predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son.” You cannot be conformed to the image of the holy Son of God, without being holy yourself. It is a part of our calling. And how can we enjoy the PEACE to which we’ve been called, if are sins make the blood of God boil? We have been called unto ETERNAL LIFE and GLORY. Revelation 21:27 says that into the New Jerusalem there “shall in no wise enter in any thing that defileth, neither that worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.” We have been called OUT OF DARKNESS into His marvelous light. And there shall be nothing less than perfect holiness standing in God’s Shekinah glory.
My point this morning is this: We have too many so-called “Christians” whose opinion of salvation does not match the Lord’s. There are too many of our Christian neighbors who think it means nothing but a fire-escape of forgiveness. They believe that they can come to the Lord whether or not they are “the called,” whenever they choose. They think that they have the right to define the blessings and responsibilities of being one of the Lord’s children and subjects – in any fashion that they please. They believe that God’s salvation is little more than getting their hair done or buying an insurance policy. But those who are truly from among “the called” have not only an invitation, but a divine ability to stand among the holy. Holiness is something “without which no man shall see God.” And we have not been “called unto uncleaness, but (effectually called) unto holiness.”
This means, once again, that we have another tool to judge whether or not we are children of God. How do I know whether or not I am one of the Lord’s “called”? Do I enjoy the Lord’s peace? Do I experience fellowship with God’s dear Son? Is my life characterized by holiness? No? Then how can you be sure that you are a child of God?
Come to the cross of Christ this morning. Humble yourself under his dripping blood. Repent of your sins, and trust that blood to cleanse you of all those sins.