The call that has reached us is entirely grace. As the apostle Paul tells us in Romans 4:4–5, “Now to him that works the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but of debt: but to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.” In other words, if salvation, or anything else, is received because of our own works and our efforts, this is not grace. This would be simply receiving the reward for our works. But if we simply believe on God who justifies the ungodly, this is not receiving reward for our works, but it is all of grace. “For ye are saved by grace, through faith; and this not of yourselves; it is God’s gift: not on the principle of works, that no one might boast” (Eph. 2:8–9).

So again we see that salvation is not a result of our own works, and not because we deserved to be saved, but by the call of God’s grace. In our verse, we find this was true in the case of the apostle Paul. The Lord Jesus directly met him on the road to Damascus. Some of us may have had the great privilege to grow up in a Christian home, and from an early age were called to salvation. Others may have lived a life in rebellion and opposition to God before they were called. Perhaps our experience may have been somewhere between these two cases. The Creator God who makes each snowflake unique, is also unique in how He calls sinners to salvation. In whatever way the call may come, it is entirely grace in each case.