WCF Chapter 10: Effectual Calling
- 1. Theology of the Westminster Confession Adult Sunday School 2017
- 3. Effectual Calling • All those and only those whom God has appointed to eternal life is He pleased to effectually call, in His appointed and accepted time. • So, what is “effectual calling”? • The “call” is the call of the Gospel, which is to be proclaimed to all of humanity everywhere, to every generation • Yet, since the Fall, we all have hearts of stone and CANNOT respond positively to the call • “preaching to the elect” WCF 10.1 Salvation
- 4. Effectual Calling • God must somehow CAUSE us to be able to respond in a positive manner – HOW does He do this? • By His Word and Spirit • Enlightening minds spiritually and made capable to understand the things of God • Exchanging a heart of stone for a heart of flesh • Renewing the will and directing them to what is divinely good • Drawing them to Christ • Being made willing by His Grace – this can be truly said, they come willingly. Remember back in Chapter 3 that God does not do violence to the will of the creature. WCF 10.1 Salvation
- 5. Effectual Calling • Romans 6: 16 – 18: Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. WCF 10.1 Salvation
- 6. Effectual Calling • God’s effectual call is a special grace, only for the elect and God alone determines that He will give it • Not based on any condition of the recipient • Only until the Holy Spirit makes alive (quicken) and renews the will • Such will always respond to embrace the grace given • Ezek 36:27: And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. WCF 10.2 Salvation
- 7. Effectual Calling • God’s Election and Effectual Calling extends even to those who cannot externally respond to the Gospel • Infants who die • Others who are incapacitated • All those whom the Spirit regenerates, He saves WCF 10.3 Salvation
- 8. Effectual Calling • The Spirit works when, where and how He pleases • This is done without any awareness on our part; we are left “in the dark” about the state of such persons at their death • John 3:8: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” WCF 10.3 Salvation
- 9. Effectual Calling • The Spirit works when, where and how He pleases • This is done without any awareness on our part; we are left “in the dark” about the state of such persons at their death • No wonder the Pilgrims were anxious to have their young children profess faith in Christ at any early age, and how the churches were eager to examine and pronounce those professions as credible. • With a profession deemed credible, parents could find more immediate comfort in the death of their young, but this doctrine is well-designed to present God’s truth that His grace prevails, even if we can’t see it in action WCF 10.3 Salvation
- 10. Effectual Calling • There will be those, called by the Ministry of the Word, but who are not effectually called. • They may, for a time, appear to be believers (common operation of the Spirit), but they will eventually fall away, through various circumstances • Remember the Parable of the Sower – those seeds that fell upon rocky ground or thorny ground • They will not be saved. This should spur us to make our calling and election sure. This teaching is in part what God uses to preserve His saints. WCF 10.4 Salvation
- 11. Effectual Calling • There are those others who will not be saved. • Professing any other religion, will not lead to salvation, no matter how “good and holy” they may appear • To suggest that such persons may be saved by this “foreign profession” is a detestable idea – we need to avoid such thinking. • It suggests that Christ’s incarnation, life, ministry, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension are unnecessary. This makes our Triune God a liar. WCF 10.4 Salvation
- 12. Summary of key points • 10.1 All those and only those whom God has appointed to eternal life is He pleased to effectually call • 10.2 God’s effectual call is a special grace, only for the elect and God alone determines He will give it • 10.3 God’s Election and Effectual Calling extends even to those who cannot externally respond to the Gospel • 10.4 There will be those, called by the Ministry of the Word, but who are not effectually called WCF 10 Salvation