Have you ever had someone tell you that God had called them to do this or that? They might say something like, “I just felt God calling me to…” How should a Bible student evaluate and respond to such a claim?
The idea of God calling people is definitely a Scripturally-based expression. “You were called into the fellowship of His Son” (1 Cor. 1:9). “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Eph. 4:1). “He who calls you is faithful” (1 Thes. 5:24). “He who called you is holy” (1 Pet. 1:15).
The question that a thorough Bible student should ask is, “How does God call us?” We can call someone else on a phone, a walky-talky, Skype or by just plain hollering. But, how does God call? Does He plant thoughts in our minds or feelings in our hearts? Does He whisper in our ears or give us a “holy hunch”? A good Bible student will let the Bible answer the question. Let’s look at one passage that speaks of God calling us and allow God to explain it.
The apostle Paul urged the members of the infant church in Thessalonica to “walk worthy of God” (1 Thess. 2:12). He then portrayed God as the One “who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” If we only had this one verse, it might be left to our own “interpretation” how God calls; however, we have an entire context here in which God clearly defines the manner of His calling. How were these brethren called?
Read this whole section of Scripture in its context. Paul affirmed that he and Silas “were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God” (v. 2). It was not in error or deceit that they preached, “but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak” (v. 4). He reminded the brethren that “we were well pleased to impart to you…the gospel of God” (v. 8), and again in the very next verse, “we preached to you the gospel of God” (v. 9). Now, drop to verse 13 (the verse after Paul’s statement about the “God who calls”). “We also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.”
Put all the pieces together and you get a very clear picture of how God calls. Paul spoke the gospel, imparted the gospel and preached the gospel. When he did, those in Thessalonica received the word of God. When Paul told the brethren to “walk worthy of God who calls you,” how had God called them? Obviously, the Bible answer is that they were called through the Word of God! If you wonder if that’s true, look at the next letter he wrote these brethren and you’ll find this summary: “He called you by our gospel” (2 Thess. 2:13).