Effectual Calling - 1689 Chapter 10 - 04142013

7/28/2019 Effectual Calling - 1689 Chapter 10 - 04142013

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Effectual

CallingTHE 1689 BAPTIST CONFESSIONCHAPTER 10


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Chapter 10 - Paragraph 1 In Gods appointed and acceptable time, He is please

to call effectually,1 by His Word and Spirit, those He ha

predestined to life. He calls them out of their natural stof sin and death to grace and salvation by Jesus Chris

He enlightens their minds spiritually and savingly tounderstand the things of God.3 He takes away their he

of stone and gives them a heart of flesh.4 He renews th

wills and by His almighty power turns them to good aneffectually draws them to Jesus Christ.5 Yet He does a

this in such a way that they come completely freely,

since they are made willing by His grace.6

1 Romans 8:30; Romans 11:7; Ephesians 1:10, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14. 2Ephesians 2:1-6. 3 Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:17, 18. 4 Ezekiel 36:26. 5 Deuterono

30:6; Ezekiel 36:27; Ephesians 1:19. 6 Psalm 110:3; Song of Solomon 1:4.


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10:1Author of the Call

In Gods appointed and acceptable time,

He is pleased to call effectually, by HisWord and Spirit, those he has predestinedto life

and these whom He predestined, Healso called; and these whom He called, Halso justified; and these whom He justifiedHe also glorified.

Romans 8:30


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In this respect calling is an act of God's graceand power just as regeneration, justification,and adoption are. We do not call ourselves,

we do not set ourselves apart by sovereignvolition any more than we regenerate, justify,or adopt ourselves. Calling is an act of Godand of God alone. This fact should make us

keenly aware how dependent we are uponthe sovereign grace of God in the applicationof redemption. [cont.]


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If calling is the initial stepin our becoming actualpartakers of salvation, the

fact that God is its authorforcefully reminds us thatthe pure sovereignty ofGod's work of salvation is

not suspended at the pointof application any morethan at the point of designand objectiveaccomplishment.


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10:1Author of the Call In Gods appointed and acceptable time, He i

pleased to call effectually, by His Word and Sp

those he has predestined to life

13 But we should always give thanks to God foryou, brethren beloved by the Lord, because G

has chosen youfrom the beginning for salvatiothrough sanctification by the Spirit and faith inthe truth. 14 It was for this He called you throughour gospel, that you may gain the glory of our

Lord Jesus Christ.2 Thessalonians 2:13,14


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It is God the Father who is the specific agent the effectual call. This aspect of Biblicalteaching we are too liable to overlook. We

think of the Father as the person of the Trinitywho planned salvation and as the specificagent in election. And we think properly whenwe do so. But we fail to discern other emphase

of Scripture and we do dishonour to the Fathewhen we think of him simply as planningsalvation and redemption. [cont.]


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The Father is not far removedfrom the effectuation of thatwhich he designed in his

eternal counsel andaccomplished in the death ofhis Son; he comes into themost intimate relation to his

people in the application ofredemption by being thespecific and particular actorin the inception of suchapplication.


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10:1Means of the Call In Gods appointed and acceptable

time, He is pleased to call effectually, by

his Word and Spirit, those He haspredestined to life

for our gospel did not come to you in

word only, but also in power and in theHoly Spirit and with full conviction; just asyou know what kind of men weproved tobe among you for your sake.

1 Thessalonians 1:5


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10:1Means of the Call In Gods appointed and acceptable time, He

pleased to call effectually, by His Word and

Spirit, those He has predestined to life

13 But we should always give thanks to God foryou, brethren beloved by the Lord, because G

has chosen youfrom the beginning for salvatiothrough sanctification by the Spirit and faith inthe truth. 14 It was for this He called you throughour gospel, that you may gain the glory of our

Lord Jesus Christ.2 Thessalonians 2:13,14


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This powerful act of God isoften referred to as effectivecalling, to distinguish it from

the general gospel invitationthat goes to all people andwhich some people reject.This is not to say that human

gospel proclamation is notinvolved. In fact, Godseffective calling comesthrough the humanpreaching of the gospel...


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There is the general call and there is also thespecial call. There is an external voice ofChrist, which we may call his ministerial voice i

the preaching of the gospel. The Scripturesare His word, and ministers His mouth... He thatheareth them, heareth Christ. That is theexternal voice of Christ. There is also an

internal voice of Christ, consisting not in soundbut in power; and between these there aretwo remarkable differences. [cont.]


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... First, the external or ministerial voice ofChrist is but the organ or instrument ofconveying His internal and efficacious voice to

the soul: in the former He speaks to the ear,and by that sound conveys His spiritual voiceto the heart. The second difference is that theexternal voice is evermore ineffectual when it

is not animated by that internal spiritualvoice. It was marvelous to see the walls ofJericho falling to the ground at the sound oframs horns. [cont.]


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There was certainlymore than the force of anexternal blast to produce

such an effect: but moremarvelous it is, to see atthe sound of the gospelnot only weapons of

iniquity falling out of sinnershands, but the very enmityitself falling out of theirhearts.


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10:1Recipients of the Call In Gods appointed and acceptable

time, He is pleased to call effectually, by

His Word and Spirit, those he haspredestined to life

[our Lord] has saved us and called us with

a holy calling, not according to our worksbut according to His own purpose andgrace which was granted us in ChristJesus from all eternity.

2 Timothy 1:9


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10:1Transition of the Call

He calls them out of their natural state o

sin and death to grace and salvation byJesus Christ

God is faithful, through whom you were

called into fellowship with His Son, JesusChrist our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9


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1 And you were dead in your trespasses an

sins, 2 in which you formerly walkedaccording to the course of this world,according to the prince of the power of thair, of the spirit that is now working in thesons of disobedience. 3 Among them wetoo all formerly lived in the lusts of ourflesh, indulging the desires of the flesh andof the mind, and were by nature children owrath, even as the rest.


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4 But God, being rich in mercy, because

of His great love with which He lovedus, 5 even when we were dead in ourtransgressions, made us alive together witChrist (by grace you have beensaved), 6 and raised us up with Him,and seated us with Him in theheavenlyplaces in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:1-6


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9 who has saved us and called us with a

holy calling, not according to our works, baccording to His own purpose and gracewhich was granted us in Christ Jesusfrom all eternity, 10 but now has beenrevealed by the appearing of ourSavior Christ Jesus, who abolished deathand brought life and immortality to lightthrough the gospel,

2 Timothy 1:9-10


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10:1Operation of the Call

He enlightens their minds spiritually and

savingly to understand the things of God

But a natural man does not accept thethings of the Spirit of God, for they

are foolishness to him; and he cannotunderstand them, because they arespiritually appraised.

1 Corinthians 2:14


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7 but we speak Gods wisdom in a mystery

the hidden wisdom which God predestinebefore the ages to our glory; 8 the wisdomwhich none of the rulers of this age hasunderstood; for if they had understood itthey would not have crucified the Lord ofglory;13 those taught by theSpirit, combining spiritual thoughts withspiritual words.

1 Corinthians 2:7-13


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He takes away their heart of stone and

gives them a heart of flesh

Moreover, I will give you a new heart andput a new spirit within you; and I will remo

the heart of stone from your flesh and giveyou a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26


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He renews their wills and by His almighty

power turns them to good and effectuallydraws them to Jesus Christ

I will put My Spirit within you and cause yo

to walk in My statutes, and you will becareful to observe My ordinances.

Ezekiel 36:26


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44 No one can come to Me unless the Fath

who sent Me draws him; and I will raise himup on the last day. 45 It is written in theprophets, AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHTOF GOD. Everyone who has heard andlearned from the Father, comes to Me.

John 6:44-45


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and what is the surpassing greatness of His

power toward us who believe. These are inaccordance with the working ofthe strength of His might

Ephesians 1:19

for it is God who is at work in you, both towill and to work for His good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13

Th t thi h i di l i


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That this change is radical isproved from the fact that, asshown above, it consists in theimplantation of a newgoverning principle of life; fromthe fact that it is a new birth,a new creation, wrought bythe mighty power of God in the

execution of his eternalpurpose of salvation; and thatit is necessary for the mostmoral and amiable as for the

morally abandoned


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Yet He does all this in such a way that

they come completely freely, since theyare made willing by His grace.

All that the Father gives Me will come to

Me, and the one who comes to Me I willcertainly not cast out.

John 6:37


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16 Do you not know that when you present

yourselves to someone as slaves for obedienceyou are slaves of the one whom you obey, eithof sin resulting in death, or of obedience resultiin righteousness? 17 But thanks be to Godthat though you were slaves of sin, you becamobedient from the heart to that form of teachinto which you were committed, 18 and havingbeen freed from sin, you became slaves ofrighteousness.Romans 6:16-18


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General Overview of Effectual Calling

Its Author:God (The Father)

Its recipients:those He has predestined to life Its occasion:In Gods appointed and

acceptable time

Its efficacy:call effectually

Its means:by His Word and Spirit

Its transition:out of their natural state of sin and

death to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ

Its operation:enlightens takes away

renews yet they come completely freely


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Chapter 10 - Paragraph 2

This effectual call flows from God's free and speciagrace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in

those called. Neither does the call arise from any

power or action on their part;7 they are totally

passive in it. They are dead in sins and trespasses

until they are made alive and renewed by the Holy

Spirit.8 By this they are enabled to answer this call

and to embrace the grace offered and conveyedin it. This response is enabled by a power that is no

less than that which raised Christ from the dead.9

7 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 2:8. 8 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesian2:5; John 5:25. 9 Ephesians 1:19, 20.


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10:2The Effectual Calls Agency

This effectual call flows from God's free

and special grace alone, not fromanything at all foreseen in thosecalled

For by grace you have beensaved through faith; and that not ofyourselves, it is the gift of God;

Ephesians 2:8


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He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which

we have done in righteousness, but accordingto His mercy, by the washing of regenerationand renewing by the Holy SpiritTitus 3:5

who has saved us and called us with aholy calling, not according to our works, butaccording to His own purpose and gracewhich was granted us in Christ Jesus from alleternity2 Timothy 1:9


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11 for though the twins were not yet born and hadnot done anything good or bad, so that Gods

purpose according to His choice would stand,not because of works but because of Him who

calls 14 What shall we say then? There is noinjustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15 Fo

He says to Moses, I WILL HAVE MERCY ONWHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVECOMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVECOMPASSION.16 So then it does not depend onthe man who wills or the man who runs, but on G

who has mercy. Romans 9:11,14-16


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Neither does the call arise from any

power or action on their part; they aretotally passive in it

No one can come to Me unless the

Father who sent Me draws him; and Iwill raise him up on the last day.

John 6:44


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even when we were dead in our

transgressions, [God] made us alivetogether with Christ (by grace youhave been saved),Ephesians 2:5

Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour iscoming and now is, when the deadwill hear the voice of the Son of God,and those who hear will live.

John 5:25


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By this they are enabled to answer

this call and to embrace the graceoffered and conveyed in it

this call = gospel call

But thanks be to God that though youwere slaves of sin, you becameobedient from the heart to that form ofteaching to which you were

committed Romans 6:17

Thi ff t l ll i i t


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This effectual call is prior toany human responseThough the call is prior to

faith, there is no time gap.Those who are called believeimmediately. John Murraycommenting on Rom. 1:16-17[For I am not ashamed of

the gospel, for it is the powerof God for salvation toeveryone who believes]well remarks: [cont.]

Thi i f th t l ti i t


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This informs us that salvation is notaccomplished irrespective of faith. Hence thesalvation with which Paul is going to deal in

this epistle has no reality, validity, or meaningapart from faith The priority of effectualcalling and of regeneration in the ordo salutisshould not be allowed to prejudice this trutheither in our thinking or in the preaching of

the gospel. It is true that regeneration iscausally prior to faith. But it is only causallyprior and the adult person who is regeneratealways exercises faith. [cont.]

Hence the salvation


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Hence the salvationwhich is of the gospel isnever ours apart from

faith The person who ismerely regenerate is notsaved, the simple reasonbeing that there is no suchperson. The saved person is

also called, justified, andadopted.

10 2 Th Eff t l C ll A


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This response is enabled by a power

that is no less than that which raisedChrist from the dead.

Therefore we have been buried with

Him through baptism into death, sothat as Christ was raised from the deadthrough the glory of the Father, so wetoo might walk in newness of life.Romans 6:4

10 2 Th Eff t l C ll A


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19 and what is the surpassing greatness

of His power toward us whobelieve. These are in accordance withthe working of the strength of Hismight 20 which He brought about inChrist, when He raised Him from the

dead and seated Him at His right handin the heavenlyplaces,

Ephesians 1:19-20

This is how effectual calling accomplishes so


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g pmuch, and make no mistake, effectual callingis a supernatural act of God. I know of thosewho seek miracles along with gospel

preaching, and while I do not impugn theirmotives, nor deny God is free to perform suchmiracles, I think they overlook the supernaturalcharacter of the gospel itself and fail to realize

that in gospel preaching the power of God ispresent unto salvation. In reality, though not sovisible or sensational, effectual calling is evenmore miraculous than a physical healing.[cont.]

In effectual calling the same


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In effectual calling, the samepower that raised Jesus from thedead is present. Evangelists and

those who have been effectuallycalled would do well to note theamazing power of God present inhis work of effectual calling. Theresurrection power of God is

present and active in effectualcalling. Indeed, what a wonderfulfree and special grace is present inthe Fathers effectual calling.

1689commentary.oA Layman'sCommentary of th1689 Baptist Confe

10:2 An Example


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10:2An Example

A woman named Lydia, from the cityof Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, aworshiper of God, was listening; and theLord opened her heart to respond to thethings spoken by Paul.

Acts 16:14

Chapter 10 Paragraph 3


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Elect infants dying in infancy areregenerated and saved by Christ throughthe Spirit,10 who works when and whereand how he pleases.11 The same is true ofevery elect person who is incapable ofbeing outwardly called by the ministry of

the Word. 10John 3:3, 5, 6. 11John 3:8.

Chapter 10 Paragraph 4


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Those who are not elected will not and cannot trulycome to Christ and therefore cannot be saved,

because they are not effectually drawn by theFather.12 They may even be called by the ministry of

the Word and may receive some ordinary working o

the Spirit without being saved.13 Much less can any

be saved who do not receive the Christian religion,

no matter how diligently they live their livesaccording to the light of nature and the teachings o

the religion they profess.14

12John 6:44, 45, 65; 1 John 2:24, 25. 13Matthew 22:14; Matthew13:20, 21; Hebrews 6:4, 5. 14Acts 4:12; John 4:22; John 17:3.

10:4 Non elect Hearers


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10:4Non-elect Hearers

Those who are not elected will not andcannot truly come to Christ and thereforecannot be saved, because they are noteffectually drawn by the Father

No one can come to Me unless the Fatherwho sent Me draws him; and I will raisehim up on the last day.- John 6:44



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And He was saying, For this reason Ihave said to you, that no one can cometo Me unless it has been granted him fromthe Father.- John 6:65



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They may even be called by theministry of the Word and may receivesome ordinary working of the Spiritwithout being saved

For many are called, but few are chosen.- Matthew 22:14



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20 The one on whom seed was sown onthe rocky places, this is the man whohears the word and immediately receivesit with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root inhimself, but is only temporary, and whenaffliction or persecution arises because of

the word, immediately he falls away.- Matthew 13:20-21

10:4 Non-elect Hearers


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4 For in the case of those who have oncebeen enlightened and have tasted of theheavenly gift and have been madepartakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and havetasted the good word of God and thepowers of the age to come, 6 and then have

fallen away, it is impossible to renew themagain to repentance, since they againcrucify to themselves the Son of God andput Him to open shame.



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10:4Non-elect Hearers 7 For ground that drinks the rain which

often falls on it and brings forth vegetation

useful to those for whose sake it is alsotilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if ityields thorns and thistles, it is worthlessand close to being cursed, and it ends up

being burned.9

But, beloved, we areconvinced of better things concerning you,and things that accompany salvation,though we are speaking in this way.- Hebrews 6:4-9



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Much less can any be saved who do notreceive the Christian religion, no matterhow diligently they live their livesaccording to the light of nature and theteachings of the religion they profess.

And there is salvation in no one else; forthere is no other name under heaven thathas been given among men by which wemust be saved. - Acts 4:12



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You worship what you do not know; weworship what we know, for salvation is fromthe Jews.- Acts 4:12

This is eternal life, that they may knowYou, the only true God, and Jesus Christwhom You have sent.- John 17:3



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10:4 Non elect Hearers 13 for WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME

OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.

14 How then will they call on Him in whomthey have not believed? How will theybelieve in Him whom they have not heard?And how will they hear without a

preacher?15

How will they preach unlessthey are sent? Just as it is written, HOWBEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSEWHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOODTHINGS! - Romans 10:13-15


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Effectual

CallingTHE 1689 BAPTIST CONFESSIONCHAPTER 10

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Effectual Calling - 1689 Chapter 10 - 04142013