This week on Things Unseen, we've been looking at what has often been called the golden chain of salvation in Romans chapter 8, verse 30.

I was trying to stress on Monday that if we use that expression, we need to remember that it's the Lord

Jesus Christ himself who is the gold, and not lose sight of him in the big words, predestination,

calling, justification and glorification. But today our word is calling. It's a word that right

from the beginning indicates God's sovereign grace.

Remember how earlier in Romans in chapter 4 verse 17, Paul had described God as the one who calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Theologians have sometimes distinguished between what they've called the

general call and the gospel call and the effectual call of God. Sam 19, for example, describes

this general call.

The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Day to day pours out speech and night to night reveals knowledge.

It's the teaching that we find in Romans chapter 1, verse 18 and following.

God has so sufficiently revealed himself

in the created order that through it we're summoned to know him, to trust him, to love him,

to worship him. By gospel call, we mean the proclamation of the good news about Jesus as Savior and Lord. Just as Jesus himself

said, come to me, we continue to issue his call, his summons, his invitation to come in faith to the

Lord Jesus, to trust him as Savior, to live for Him as Lord.

Sometimes as you know the much loved words of Revelation chapter 3 verse 20 have been used to

express this very reality.

In the Gospel Call, Christ stands at the door and knocks, seeking our response of faith

and repentance.

If anyone opens the door, Christ will come in and

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