HomeI'm working on a letter to my friend (who recently became a Christian) in prison and I wanted to let him know that God can use him despite his current situation and I added the verse Romans 8:28 but I came to the end of the verse "...to those who are called to His purpose." And I'm not sure if that means all Christians or are only a few Christians that are called to His purpose. and if it's the later how do we know if we are called?
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to those who are called to His purpose?
Rickster- Posts : 1443
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WhiteBoy- Moderator
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Oh, boy... that's a can of worms. 
I will try to avoid a debate (mostly because I'm not good at them) and just stick with a limited answer.
"The called" are all Believers. Sometimes they are referred to as "the church," "the elect," "the bride of Christ," etc... you get the picture. So if he is a Christian, then he was called by God and is included. Romans 8:28 is a great, encouraging verse, but don't forget the verses immediately following it (at least through 30)...those verses really answer your question. Notice in v30 that it's the same group all the way through...first they were predestined, then called, then justified, and then (soon will be) glorified.
The doctrine of election and predestination is pretty deep doctrine so I would try to not get hung up on that with a new Christian (milk before meat). I think that you are on the right track, though in encouraging him by using Paul as an example, because Paul was hater of Christians and did some pretty bad things before he became a Christian. Yet God used him (and many others like him) to accomplish His will.
Usually people think they are too good to be saved (i.e. they don't need it and can get to Heaven on their own) or they are not good enough to be saved (i.e. they've done too much wrong that God could never forgive them). In the first case, it's good to focus on God's Law to show them how far short we all fall of His standard. In the second case (sounds like your friend's case) it is best to focus on His grace to show them how Jesus' blood will cover ANY amount of sin they may have done and ever will do.
I will try to avoid a debate (mostly because I'm not good at them) and just stick with a limited answer. "The called" are all Believers. Sometimes they are referred to as "the church," "the elect," "the bride of Christ," etc... you get the picture. So if he is a Christian, then he was called by God and is included. Romans 8:28 is a great, encouraging verse, but don't forget the verses immediately following it (at least through 30)...those verses really answer your question. Notice in v30 that it's the same group all the way through...first they were predestined, then called, then justified, and then (soon will be) glorified.
The doctrine of election and predestination is pretty deep doctrine so I would try to not get hung up on that with a new Christian (milk before meat). I think that you are on the right track, though in encouraging him by using Paul as an example, because Paul was hater of Christians and did some pretty bad things before he became a Christian. Yet God used him (and many others like him) to accomplish His will.
Usually people think they are too good to be saved (i.e. they don't need it and can get to Heaven on their own) or they are not good enough to be saved (i.e. they've done too much wrong that God could never forgive them). In the first case, it's good to focus on God's Law to show them how far short we all fall of His standard. In the second case (sounds like your friend's case) it is best to focus on His grace to show them how Jesus' blood will cover ANY amount of sin they may have done and ever will do.
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