Who Are The Called

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

Romans 8:28 

God has a special relationship with all whom He has given to Christ. Christ is clear about these people. In His High Priestly prayer, Christ declares, ‘Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.’ He is equally clear about their coming to Him. He says, ‘All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.’ The latter verses of Romans eight include in specific detail what we call the order of salvation. We see there the sovereignty of God in salvation. Thus, when Paul speaks of ‘those who love God…’ and, ‘those who are the called according to His purpose,’ he is referring to those who are Christ’s by virtue of God’s sovereign work. We can take no credit, nor claim any merit. We cannot exalt ourselves because we love God or are called according to His purpose. We can testify that He has done a work of grace in us. We do love Him, because He first loved us. We do realize that He has called us. We do believe that He works all things together for our good. This is to the glory of God and the exaltation of Christ. What is more useful is that we have every reason to believe that there are many around us who are also called according to His purpose. They may not have embraced Christ as yet, but they will in due course of time. Even though they do not know Him now, He is still working all things for their good. 

Our Great and Gracious God, 
we rejoice that You have given unto Christ a people. 
We praise You that You will gather them all together, 
in due course of time. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning