You and I are nothing according to the Bible—yet God says we were called before we were born. If you are in the Body of Christ, filled with the Holy Ghost and learning the truth of God’s Word, you are CALLED. This isn’t random; it’s part of God’s eternal plan.
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son… Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)
Types and Shadows: The New Testament Hidden in the Old
The law of Moses served as an example and shadow of heavenly things (Hebrews 8:5, 10:1). Everything written in the Old Testament was written for our learning so that we might have hope (Romans 15:4).
God demonstrates His calling through vivid pictures in Scripture:
• Ezekiel 16:6 – God finds us polluted in our own blood and declares, “Live!”
• Isaiah 40:6 and 1 Peter 1:24-25 – All flesh is grass that withers, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
No One Is Righteous—Our Hope Is in Grace
Romans 3 makes it clear: “There is none righteous, no, not one… all have sinned.” Our eternal security rests not on our love for God, but on His love for us. Peter reminds us we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, who was “foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:13-25).
The Father Draws and Calls
Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44). This calling flows from God’s foreknowledge and election—not based on our works, but on His purpose.
The story of Jacob and Esau illustrates this powerfully. Before the twins were born or had done anything good or evil, God said, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Romans 9:11-13; Malachi 1:2-3). This wasn’t arbitrary; God knew their hearts and attitudes in advance.
Vessels of Mercy and the Purpose of Election
God shows mercy according to His will. He prepares “vessels of mercy” whom He has called (Romans 9:14-24). The sequence is beautiful:
1. Foreknown
2. Predestinated
3. Called
4. Justified
5. Glorified
(Romans 8:28-30)
You Are Chosen—But You Still Choose
Being predestined to have a chance at being part of the Bride of Christ does not remove personal responsibility. Many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16). We must make our “calling and election sure” through diligence (2 Peter 1:10).
Paul himself pressed toward the prize, disciplining his body “lest… I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27), yet later declared with confidence that a crown was laid up for him (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
Final Thoughts
Predestination is not a complicated theological puzzle meant to confuse us. It is God the Father’s loving foreknowledge and call. If you are in Christ, He has already seen your entire life—past, present, and future—and still chose you. The only decision left is to obey or rebel, to love Him or turn away. Subjecting our will to His brings suffering at times, but also the incredible privilege of becoming conformed to the image of His Son.
Often believers who lean strongly Reformed or Calvinist tend to push back against anything that sounds like “prideful glorying in our own doing” or “this is ‘perfection’ doctrine.” My gentle pushback is this: even within solid biblical doctrine, what is the harm in earnestly wanting to be better Christians—to be more Christ-like? The glory never rests on our own efforts. A crown (which I like to call a celestial body) is ultimately a crown of humility, not pride. Verses that call us to be “holy,” to “sin not,” to “be transformed,” and to stand “blameless” before Him don’t discourage me—they stir me to press forward.
I refuse to give up because the Adamic curse says “once a sinner, always a sinner.” The Bible says something far better: We can make it. And that is exactly what the Scriptures declare.
Author’s Note: This post is adapted from a personal Redwood Gospel Assembly Bible study notebook exploring the doctrine of predestination through Scripture according to Bro. Lewis Frayer. All references are taken directly from the King James Version. The goal is not debate, but encouragement: if God has called you, He will also keep you as you walk with Him.
I offer these thoughts with an open hand and a humble heart. I teach subject to question. Whether you lean one way or the other, the Bible calls to be honest, iron sharpening dialogue. Solomon said it best: “debate thy cause.” If anything here stirs questions or pushback, I genuinely welcome it. God bless.
The Audio Missionary 
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