Reference: Vocation
Morish
See CALLING.
Watsons
VOCATION, or CALLING, is a gracious act of God in Christ, by which, through his word and Spirit, he calls forth sinful men, who are liable to condemnation and placed under the dominion of sin, from the condition of the animal life, and from the pollutions and corruptions of this world, 2Ti 1:9; Mt 11:28; 1Pe 2:9-10; Ga 1:4; 2Pe 2:20; Ro 10:13-15; 1Pe 3:19; Ge 6:3, unto "the fellowship of Jesus Christ," and of his kingdom and its benefits; that, being united unto him as their head, they may derive from him life, sensation, motion, and a plenitude of every spiritual blessing, to the glory of God and their own salvation, 1Co 1:9; Ga 2:20; Eph 1:3,6; 2Th 2:13-14. The end intended is, that they who have been called answer by faith to God and to Christ who give the call, and that they thus become the covenanted people of God through Christ the Mediator of the new covenant; and, after having become believers and parties to the covenant, that they love, fear, honour, and worship God and Christ, render in all things obedience to the divine precepts "in righteousness and true holiness," and that by this means they "make their calling and election sure," Pr 1:24; Heb 3:7; Re 3:20; Eph 2:11-16; Tit 3:8; De 6:4-5; Jer 32:38-39; Lu 1:74-75; 2Pe 1:1,10. The glory of God, who is supremely wise, good, merciful, just, and powerful, is so luminously displayed in this communication both of his grace and glory, as deservedly to raise into rapturous admiration the minds of angels and of men, and to employ their loosened tongues in celebrating the praises of Jehovah, Re 4:8-11; 5:8-10. See CALLING.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Come to me, all of you who are overworked and overburdened and I will give you rest [i.e., spiritual refreshment].
that we would be delivered from the [destructive] hand of our enemies and [then] serve Him without fear by living holy and righteous lives before Him all of our days.
For [Joel 2:32 says], "Every person who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." [i.e., whoever appeals to God through obedient faith in Christ] [But] how can they appeal to Him if they have not [first] believed in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have not [first] heard [about Him]? And how can they hear [about Him] if there is no preacher? read more. And how can people preach [anywhere] unless they are sent out? Even as it is written [Isa. 52:7], "How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news [of salvation through Christ]?"
God is faithful [i.e., He will continue working among you] and it is through Him that you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
who gave Himself to [save us from] our sins so that He might deliver us from [the control and condemnation of] this present evil world. [This is] according to the will of our God and Father,
I have been crucified [i.e., died] with Christ, and so I am not the one who lives [anymore] but rather, it is Christ who lives in my heart. And [now] my entire life is being lived by trusting in the Son of God [to save and keep me], because He loved me and gave Himself up for me.
May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised, for He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in [fellowship with] Christ. [Note: The term "heavenly realms" is used somewhat differently throughout this book. Here it refers to Christians as part of the church on earth].
so that we would praise His glorious, unearned favor, which was freely given to us through the One whom God loved [i.e., Christ].
So, you Gentiles by birth should remember what you once were. You are called "Uncircumcision" by those who are called "Circumcision" [i.e., the Jews], (which refers to a physical procedure performed by people). [Remember] that you were at that time without Christ; [you were] excluded from citizenship in the nation of Israel; [you were] foreigners regarding the Agreements of [God's] promises. You had no hope and were without God in the world. read more. But now [that you are] in [fellowship with] Christ, you [Gentiles], who were once far away [from God], have been brought near [to Him] through the blood of Christ. For Christ is [the source of] our peace. He made both [Jews and Gentiles] one people, and broke down the barrier wall of hostility that divided them, by abolishing in His fleshly body the [entire Jewish] law of commandments contained in decrees. [This was] so that He could create in [unity with] Himself one new person [i.e., the church] out of the two peoples [i.e., Jews and Gentiles], thereby bringing about peace [between them]. [This was also intended] to reestablish harmony between both of these peoples and God in [this] one body, through [Christ's death on] the cross. By doing this He put to death the hostility [between them].
[It is] God who saved us and called us to live holy lives [or, "to be dedicated people"], not as a result of our [good] deeds, but in harmony with His own purpose and unearned favor. [This was] given to us through [the atoning work of] Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time. [Note: Salvation through Christ was planned before time began. See Titus 1:2; Rom. 16:25; Eph. 1:4].
This saying is trustworthy and I want you [in your teaching] to affirm these things with confidence, so that those people who have trusted God will be careful to devote themselves to doing good deeds. These things [i.e., just mentioned] are good and profitable for people [to do].
So, even as the Holy Spirit said [Psa. 95:7-11], "Today, if you hear His [i.e., God's] voice,
Look, I am standing at [your] door and knocking; if anyone hears my voice [i.e., the sound of my knocking], and opens the door, I will [surely] come in to him and eat with him and he [will eat] with me.
And each of the four living beings had six wings [and] were covered with eyes all around them and [even] within them. And day and night they never stop saying, [Note: Some translations have "singing" here and at other places below], "Holy, holy, holy [is] the Lord God Almighty, who was [in the past] and who is [in the present] and who will come [in the future]." And whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to God, who sits on His throne and who lives forever and ever, read more. [then] the twenty-four elders fall down in front of Him who sits on His throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. And they will throw their crowns in front of the throne and say, "Our Lord and our God, you deserve to receive the glory and the honor and the power for you created everything, and they exist because you wanted them to, so they were created."
And when He had taken the book, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down in front of the Lamb [i.e., to worship Him]. Each one of them held [in his hands] a harp and a golden bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints [See Psa. 141:2; Rev. 8:3-4]. And they sang a new song [which went like this]: "You deserve to take the book and break the seals on it, for you were killed and, with your blood, you purchased people for God from every tribe and language and race and nation, read more. and you made them into a kingdom and a priesthood for [serving] our God, and they will rule on the earth."