Reference: Call
Easton
(1.) To cry for help, hence to pray (Ge 4:26). Thus men are said to "call upon the name of the Lord" (Ac 2:21; 7:59; 9:14; Ro 10:12; 1Co 1:2).
(2.) God calls with respect to men when he designates them to some special office (Ex 31:2; Isa 22:20; Ac 13:2), and when he invites them to accept his offered grace (Mt 9:13; 11:28; 22:4).
In the message of the gospel his call is addressed to all men, to Jews and Gentiles alike (Mt 28:19; Mr 16:15; Ro 9:24-25). But this universal call is not inseparably connected with salvation, although it leaves all to whom it comes inexcusable if they reject it (Joh 3:14-19; Mt 22:14).
An effectual call is something more than the outward message of the Word of God to men. It is internal, and is the result of the enlightening and sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit (Joh 16:14; Ac 26:18; Joh 6:44), effectually drawing men to Christ, and disposing and enabling them to receive the truth (Joh 6:45; Ac 16:14; Eph 1:17).
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But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Come to me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them who were invited, behold I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage.
For many are called, but few chosen.
Go ye and disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
And he said to them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, That whosoever believeth on him, may not perish, but have everlasting life. read more. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him, may not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved thro' him. He that believeth on him, is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
No man can come to me, unless the Father who hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh to me.
He will glorify me; for he will take of mine, and shew it you.
But whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved.
And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
And here also he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all that call on thy name.
And as they were ministring to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, heard; whose heart the Lord opened to assent to the things which were spoken by Paul.
and the Gentiles, to whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they may receive through faith which is in me, forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified.
Even us whom he hath called, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles: As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, who were not my people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord of all, is rich to all that call upon him.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, through the knowledge of him.
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colosse, grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Watsons
CALL, to name a person or thing, Ac 11:26; Ro 7:3.
2. To cry to another for help; and hence, to pray. The first passage in the Old Testament in which we meet with this phrase, is Ge 4:26, where we read, "Then began men to call on the name of the Lord," or Jehovah; the meaning of which seems to be, that they then first began to worship him in public assemblies. In both the Old and New Testament, to call upon the name of the Lord, imports invoking the true God in prayer, with a confession that he is Jehovah, that is, with an acknowledgment of his essential and incommunicable attributes. In this view the phrase is applied to the worship of Christ.
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And a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught a considerable multitude: and the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Therefore if she marry another man while her husband liveth, she will be called an adultress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law, so as to be no adultress, though she marry another man.