The "call" of God and the ability to respond (Gen 12:1)

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. Gen 12:1

"First and foremost, God calls you to Himself. He does not call you to follow rules, bargain or earn His favor. God calls you into a relationship with Him and into deeper relationships with others. His call includes facing sin and our need for God. Mankind’s need to repent or renounce former ways is not optional to God. God’s call also brings a promising way forward, an invitation into a new life of faith." - BSFinternational.org

The Doctrine of Regeneration

God offers one way of salvation. Only He can regenerate or create the spiritual life necessary for any person, otherwise dead spiritually, to repent and believe in Jesus Chrst. Since the Fall of mankind described in Genesis 3, everyone born does not have a natural desire or ability to respond to God. Just as a corpse cannot see, hear or respond in any way, those dead in sin cannot see, hear or understand the things of God. Only when the Holy Spirit regenerates a dead heart and gives new life can mankind believe God and receive salvation in Christ. Regeneration is also called new birth because the spiritually dead are born again, given new life by God (Ephesians 2:1,4-7). Salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-9). 

As with Abram, new life for all believers begins through God’s call to believe Him and His promises. Today, believers more fully understand regeneration as the act by which the Holy Spirit puts His eternal life into a person who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (2 Thessalonians 2:13). God gives new life along with the desire, faith and ability to obey His call (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 11). The Holy Spirit indwells believers in Jesus Christ and guarantees that those who receive God’s eternal life will continue to believe. This new life of faith in God begins and continues, evident through faithful obedience. God regenerates and transforms believers’ lives, fulfilling their identity and ultimate purpose. Through regeneration, believers’ minds are renewed, and their lives transformed.

Without a regenerated heart, no one desires to seek God (Romans 3:9-18). Human attempts to regulate behavior, control evil or please God fail, apart from the life-giving Holy Spirit. But there is hope. We serve a God who brings dead hearts to life (Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 36:26; Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10). The gospel has power because God gives life to the dead (Romans 1:16-17). He unstops ears and causes the blind to see. Only then can people understand the truth about God and what He offers through salvation in Christ. God’s work, not your eloquent words, awakens dead hearts. You can share the gospel boldly, knowing God has the power to make the dead come to life. Because your life with God is all His doing, He alone gets the glory (Matthew 5:16). 

Geysers, planters and pruners: How people are born into and matured in the Faith