You are called by the name of Christ any time you are invited to live a greater share of his character in your life. The Lord “calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” (John 10:3) The call of Jesus consists of an invitation to become more like him.
You do not need to believe in Jesus to be called by him, or to recognize or heed his call. The call of Jesus consists of the next manageable increment between your choices and his character, whether you know or believe anything about him or not. Most people who claim to believe in Jesus do not heed his call.1
Answering the call of the name of Christ requires much more than simply claiming to believe in him. Answering God’s call requires you to become a disciple. A disciple doesn’t just profess to believe in Jesus, but actually follows him in feeling, thought, and action.2 They know the name by which they are called, recognizing the Lord’s voice and following it wherever it leads, no matter the earthly consequences.3 They have a model of how the Lord is, can confidently predict how he would think, feel, and act in their place, and proactively and intentionally consult that model before making any decision.
A popular reason why God’s voice is ignored or only partially followed is because what he says is not attractive to those who do not yet love him—including many of those who say they do.4 A central purpose of our lives is not just to discover God’s ways, but to increase our desires for them. There is no promise that the call of the name of Christ will be attractive to you. In fact, the promise is quite the opposite. The natural man finds the ways of God repugnant,5 and a person will only be attracted to God’s ways inasmuch as they have become like him.6 Answering the call of the name of Christ requires you to change what you value and by how much you value it. You will desire and think about what you value the most.7 By nature, people most value the maximization of their earthly comforts rather than prioritizing the purpose of God. As you choose to prioritize the purpose of God, you will increase in your understanding of why doing so is superior to all other alternatives.
God’s calling is not limited to a few select people from the scriptures. His calling is to all people.8 You do not need to be spoken to by Jesus or his servants to be called by him. Every situation in life presents all people with the opportunity to choose to live up to the best they know or not.9 Whether or not they respond is a different matter. While the call of Christ is universal, the response is extremely limited.10 Among those few who acknowledge his voice, most answer it only temporarily or partially. God blesses those who respond valiantly to his call,11 whether they say they believe in him or not,12 and he punishes those who ignore or lethargically reply to his call,13 whether they say they believe in him or not.14
Footnotes
- 1. And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit. And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father. And the Father teacheth him of the covenant which he has renewed and confirmed upon you, which is confirmed upon you for your sakes, and not for your sakes only, but for the sake of the whole world. And the whole world lieth in sin, and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin. And by this you may know they are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me. For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin. And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me. And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now. (D&C 84:46-53) ↩
- 2. He that receiveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple; and he that saith he receiveth it and doeth it not, the same is not my disciple, and shall be cast out from among you; (D&C 41:5) ↩
- 3. These are they who “have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives. And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.” (Mosiah 5:8-9) ↩
- 4. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (Matthew 15:8) If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15) ↩
- 5. For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (Mosiah 3:19) ↩
- 6. Anyone who draws nearer to me will only do so if they desire the Father, those who draw near to me will do so by becoming more like me, and I will raise up all who are like me at the last day. (John 6:44, Author’s Reflection) ↩
- 7. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) ↩
- 8. Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear. (D&C 1:11) ↩
- 9. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3:19-21) ↩
- 10. For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14) ↩
- 11. Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine. (Mosiah 26:18) ↩
- 12. As the prophets wrote, God will reach out in demonstration of himself to all people. No matter where they begin, how small their initial steps, or how long the journey may be, every man therefore that heeds him will come unto me. (John 6:45, Author’s Reflection) ↩
- 13. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. (Matthew 21:28-31) ↩
- 14. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46) ↩