The Outward and Inward Call

These are doctrines that speak to the outward and inward call of God toward all of humanity. What I need to discuss are the differences between the two. 

The outward call of God is presented to all of humanity but can be resisted. When we talk about the call of God, we are talking about the gospel invitation and command for man to repent of his sins and believe in Christ. The scripture says. "He that has the Son has life. He that does not have the Son does not have life (i.e. eternal life), but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36)".  Many respond to the outward call of God and often become members of the visible Church only. I believe these type of people are described in Matthew 13:20-22, "The one to whom the seed (i.e. God's word) was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself but is only temporary, and when persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away".

That is clearly the attitude of a Church attendee, but not a genuine believer. Once again, they are a member of the visible Church but not the invisible Church.

What is the invisible Church?

The invisible Church are those who have been adopted into God's family through the effective preaching of the gospel. The reason I say invisible is that we do not know everyone that is really in the Church but God does. We see physical bodies, but God knows who are actually his because he can see regenerate hearts - we can't (2 Tim 2:19b). Those whom God has chosen in eternity past for salvation respond to the outward call positively which is the preaching of the gospel by men to repent and believe. The inward call is only performed by God and cannot be resisted. Why? The inward call is what regenerates - brings men to saving faith and baptizes them into the body of Christ. Both the outward an inward call is essential for a spiritual harvest to occur.  

The inward call comes about because of the outward call - the planting of the holy seed, the word of God. In other words, God never saves someone without them first hearing the gospel. If they are good ground and produce a harvest, it was God's doing not ours. Our job is to sow the seed and let 

God do the rest in the heart of the sinner. Remember what Paul said, one plants, one waters, but  GOD gives the increase (1 Cor 3:6). 

The outward call of God is an essential, demanding yet loving call for all to repent and believe. Most reject this call. Some superficially respond to this call and join the visible Church. But due to not having any root or depth in the word, they fall away once persecution comes on account of it. The outward call alone will never produce salvation but is the cause that leads to it.  However, those whom God has predestined in eternity past to be saved in time, they will respond positively to the general call due to being chosen by God to respond to the inward calling.

The general call is performed by believers preaching the gospel and is necessary. The inward call is secret and performed only by God - causing the chosen sinner to become born again so that he/she responds to outward gospel call and be saved.