神的新起头—神造人的时候，是个起头。但人破坏了、玷污了。神为祂自己所造的人堕落了，并且弃绝了神。所以神来呼召人，好在堕落的人中间有一新的起头。即使是对我们来说，神的呼召也是一个新的起头。神的呼召是神自己所作成的新起头。神不放弃人。相反的，祂来呼召人，使祂有新的起头。神所呼召的人名叫亚伯拉罕。神造亚当的时候，不是造单个的人，乃是造一个团体的人。神呼召亚伯拉罕的时候，就一面意义说，祂所呼召的是一个团体的人；但就另一面意义说，祂所呼召的是单个的人。我们不能说，亚伯拉罕一切的后裔都是在亚伯拉罕里蒙召。表面看来似乎是这样，实际上不是这样，因为罗马九章七至八节说，不因为是亚伯拉罕的后裔就都是神的儿女。一个生来是犹太人的，并不表示他在神面前就有新的起头。就是生来是犹太人的，也需要有新的起头。不论我们是犹太人或是外邦人，只要我们藉着信基督，有了新的起头，就是亚伯拉罕的子孙（加三7）。神呼召亚伯拉罕的时候，就开始了一个新的起头，现今我们藉着信都进入这新的起头。
族类的转换—在神的呼召里，神在人身上的新起头就是族类的转换。神呼召亚伯拉罕，意思就是祂放弃了亚当的族类，拣选了亚伯拉罕和他的子孙成为新族类，作祂的子民，达成祂永远的目的。这是族类的转换，就是从受造的亚当族类转换到蒙召的亚伯拉罕族类（创十二2-3，加三7-9，14，罗四16-17）。当我们说神的呼召是新的起头，我们必须了解这新的起头乃是族类的转换。我们都已从受造的族类转换到蒙召的新族类。虽然我们生于某一种族，但在我们蒙召时已转换为另一族类，就是蒙召者的新族类。
生命的转换—在神呼召的族类转换，实在说就是生命的转换。我们的族类虽已转换，但里面的生命还必须转换。我们若没有这种生命内里的转换，就仍和堕落的族类一样。我们若只有地位上的改变，我们的生命仍是老样子。仅仅地位上的改变不能达成神呼召我们的目的。所以必须也有生命的转换。因为生命的转换是从亚当的生命转换到基督的生命，所以就是从旧造的生命转换到新造的生命。因着人的堕落，神原初创造的一切都变旧了，不再能达成神的目的。所以神需要新造，这新造有比亚当受造的生命更强、更好的生命。这更强的生命乃是神非受造的生命，基督的生命。
每日一问：神为什么要新起头？神如何作成这个新起头？
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The Meaning of the God’s Calling – Gal. 3:6-7
God’s New Beginning—When God created man, it was a beginning. But man was corrupted and defiled it. Man, whom God created for Himself, fell and rejected God. Therefore, God came to call man, so that there could be a new beginning among fallen man. Even for us, God’s calling is a new beginning. God’s calling is a new beginning initiated by God Himself. God does not give up on man. On the contrary, He comes to call man so that He can have a new beginning. The man whom God called was named Abraham. When God created Adam, He did not create a single individual, but a corporate man. When God called Abraham, in one sense, He was calling a corporate man; but in another sense, He was calling an individual. We cannot say that all of Abraham’s descendants are called in Abraham. On the surface, it seems so, but in reality, it is not, because Romans 9:7-8 says that not all who are descendants of Abraham are children of God. Being born a Jew does not mean that one has a new beginning before God. Even those born as Jews need a new beginning. Regardless of whether we are Jews or Gentiles, as long as we have a new beginning through faith in Christ, we are Abraham’s descendants (Gal. 3:7). When God called Abraham, He began a new beginning, and now we have all entered into this new beginning through faith.
The Change of Race—In God’s calling, God’s new beginning in man is the change of race. God’s calling of Abraham meant that He abandoned the race of Adam and chose Abraham and his descendants to be a new race, His people, to accomplish His eternal purpose. This is a change of race, a transition from the created race of Adam to the called race of Abraham (Gen. 12:2-3; Gal. 3:7-9, 14; Rom. 4:16-17). When we say that God’s calling is a new beginning, we must understand that this new beginning is a change of race. We have all been changed from the created race to the called new race. Although we were born into a certain race, when we were called, we were changed into another race—the new race of the called ones.
The Change of Life—The change of race in God’s calling is actually a change of life. Although our race has been changed, the life within us must also be changed. If we do not have this inward change of life, we are still the same as the fallen race. If we only have a change of status, our life remains the same old thing. A mere change of status cannot accomplish God’s purpose in calling us. Therefore, there must also be a change of life. Because the change of life is from the life of Adam to the life of Christ, it is a change from the life of the old creation to the life of the new creation. Because of man’s fall, everything that God originally created has become old and can no longer accomplish God’s purpose. Therefore, God needs a new creation, and this new creation has a life that is stronger and better than the created life of Adam. This stronger life is the uncreated life of God, the life of Christ.
Daily Question: What is the meaning of God’s calling of Abraham? What are the three aspects?