Covenant Reformed News – October 2006 • Volume XI, Issue 6
This article from Covenant Reformed News examines 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 to explain the biblical concept of "calling" in both its theological sense (the effectual call of God's grace) and practical sense (one's vocation or station in life). The author demonstrates how both dimensions of calling express God's sovereignty and serve the salvation of the elect, laying groundwork for further exploration of Christian vocation and the believer's response to God's calling in their daily walk.
Abiding in Our Calling (1) The key idea in I Corinthians 7:17-24 is that of calling. Forms of the verb “call” are used here eight times and the noun “calling” occurs once: “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called” (20). There are two meanings of “call” or “calling,” both in English and in Greek. One is the “effectual call,” a work of God’s grace. The other is one’s “vocation,” a work of God’s providence. Both of these calls—the effectual call and our vocation—come to the...