September 7

Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:6.

OBSERVE here the calling of the Gentiles by Jesus Christ. This work was assigned to him in ancient prophecy, “Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee.” Among whom, says the Apostle, addressing a Gentile Church, “are ye the called of Jesus Christ.” Mankind were always under a dispensation of forbearance and mercy, founded on the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He therefore “never left himself without witness in the world, in that he was continually doing men good, sending them rain and fruitful seasons, and filling their hearts with food and gladness;” as if he would have “called” them to himself by the seasons of the year, by the beauties of nature, and by all the comforts of life.

And he has “called” men also by affliction; he has called them to consider the evil of sin, the vanity of the world; he has called some by the mortality of others to remember their own; and to live as dying creatures. He has “called” them by conscience, sometimes in whispers, sometimes in thunders. We too are “among the called of Jesus Christ.” And thus he has called us a thousand times.

Observe the calling here intended is principally by the gospel, and especially by the labours of his servants. As to his own ministry he was the minister of the circumcision only; he was only “sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And yet, says the Apostle to the Ephesians, “He came and preached peace to them that were far off, and to them that were nigh.” Them that were “nigh” were the Jews, them that were “far off ” the Gentiles; but he never preached to them personally. The Apostle therefore in that place of Scripture, as also in this, refers to the dispensation which the Saviour had established after his resurrection, when he said to his Apostles, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Go forth preaching “repentance and remission of sins among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” And Jesus appeared to Paul, and sent him to the Gentiles, to “open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light; from the power of Satan unto God;” to call them from “dumb idols, to serve the living God;” from superstition to worship “the Father in Spirit and in truth;” from the vileness and misery of sin to the beauties, the glories, and the blessedness of genuine religion, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost. And wherever the Bible comes, if a man is able to read it, he is there “called “according to this testimony by the Lord Jesus.

It is however chiefly by the preaching of the Word. This was at first ridiculed; it was called the “foolishness of preaching.” Yet by this God chose to “save them that believe.” The wisdom of the plan is however generally acknowledged and sanctioned. The Saviour when he ascended up on high, and received gifts for men, gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry to be perpetuated to the end of time.

Observe, secondly, His gospel was not only to inform them, but to accomplish their pardon. But his calling them was to awaken their attention. Before then there were none seeking after God. Though they all felt their want of happiness, they were seeking after it where it could never be obtained; and therefore he came forth in the gospel and called them, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,” &c.

And thirdly, his call was to justify the appropriation of the blessings displayed. When a man becomes convinced of the wrongs and dishonour his sins have done to God, he will find it no easy thing to believe that God is willing upon his return to receive him graciously. There will always be something within that will always be ready to check him, and to say to him, But what warrant have you for this? The man in this case can immediately reply, Here is my warrant, here is my authority; I am allowed, I am invited to come and partake of these blessings; I am called to do it. An invitation to go to court is called a command of her Majesty; an invitation to us to come and partake of these blessings must be considered as a command from the King of kings and Lord of lords. And it is thus expressed in the Scriptures: “This is his commandment; that ye believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent.”

Oh, here is enough to meet the tremblings of conscience; here is enough to show us that if we decline to accept these blessings, even if it be from a sense of our own guilt and unworthiness, it is an act of disobedience against the will of heaven. This is his commandment, “Look unto me and be ye saved.”