The call to salvation is the invitation extended to an unbeliever to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, acknowledging his need for forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. According to the Great Commission, calling the unbeliever to salvation is the duty of every believer. The need to call the unbeliever to salvation is rooted in the belief that all humans are inherently sinful and separated from God and that Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross provides the means for reconciliation with God. The unbeliever, left to himself, cannot attain salvation for according to the Bible salvation is not earned through good works or personal merit, but is a gift of God’s grace, received through faith.
The call to salvation is often expressed by inviting the unbeliever to repent and accept Jesus while preaching the Gospel. For example, while preaching about the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross and His work of redemption, throw an invitation to the unbeliever to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Hence, the message preached and the invitation sum up to the call to salvation. Through the call to salvation, unbelievers have the opportunity to believe and experience forgiveness, restoration, and a healthy relationship with God.
However, the call to salvation is not restricted to only preaching the gospel. Whenever the love of God is shared, Christians should seize the opportunity to call others to salvation. Healing ministries, miracle workers, and missionaries who lay hands and heal the sick by divine power should convert this opportune moment to soul-winning by calling the onlooking unbelievers to salvation just as Peter seized the opportunity to call others to salvation in Acts 3 after healing the cripple at the beautiful gate. In this case, the call to salvation should not be a long sermon but a proclamation that the healing or miracle has been done by the power of God, followed by an invitation to repent and accept Jesus.
Generosity and kindness are means to share the love of God with others. Since every expression of the love of God could be an opportune moment to win souls, Christian ministries and philanthropists who visit and donate to prisoners, sick people, refugees, orphans, and the needy should seize the opportunity to call their beneficiaries to salvation by making them understand that the good deed had been done in God’s name and He wills that they repent and accept Jesus His Son for their salvation.
The call to salvation is a deed done by Christians for the benefit of the unbeliever and the unsaved so that they will have the opportunity to be saved. Salvation is the treasure of the soul – an all-necessary acquisition. The unbeliever is too occupied by his own pursuits, ambitions, and the struggles of life to the extent that he is drawn far away from thinking about salvation or desiring it. Moreover, the devil has blinded him about Christ (2Co 4:4) and has misled him to view the things of God as worthless, denying him the opportunity to be saved (1Co 1:18).
Therefore the unbeliever, being unable to realize the significance of salvation by himself, is left with no opportunity for salvation until someone calls him to salvation. This is where Christians came in. Christians regard calling unbelievers to salvation as a duty, being inspired by Matthew 28:19-20, which charges all believers to win others for Christ. Empowered by the Spirit of God, our preaching, miraculous works, or generosity coupled with invitation to Christ, is the golden opportunity that draws the unbeliever to accept Jesus to receive salvation.
To be called to salvation also means to be called to a life of discipleship and obedience to God. Salvation does not happen once. It is a lifelong journey of following Jesus and growing in your relationship with Him. This includes dedicating our lives to God, seeking His will, and living according to His teachings. Salvation empowers us to live lives that please God and bring Him glory. For this reason, we are given the Holy Spirit who helps us to lead a life pleasing to God and empowers us to overcome sin and live victoriously. Therefore, we are called to salvation to live a life transformed by God’s grace so that we will be a light to the world, reflecting His love and truth.