Day 190

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 4.

” …much less can men that receive not the Christian Religion be saved; be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the Law of that Religion they do profess.”

Scripture Lookup

Acts 4:12

John 4:22; 17:3

Reflection

There are men and women who embody good values. They work with all their might from sunup to sundown. They generously give to charity, and volunteer at various fundraisers. Faithful to their spouse and involved in their kids’ lives, family is a priority for them. Overall, they are really nice, decent folks. However, they have no interest in Christ. Nice these people may be; saved they are not.

You can strive with all your might to be the best human being on the planet. You can follow the teachings of Buddha, glean insight from the Talmud, or forego eating meat during Lent. You can respect clergymen and be patriotic towards your country. All that will win you esteem among various groups of people, and you will not lack for friends. But all your striving and popularity does not save your soul. Only Christ saves.

This is why it is so important to spread the Gospel. So many are misled to believe that anyone who follows the right code of conduct is surely in heaven when they die. Such false hope is no hope at all. The Lord draws those that are His, and He alone regenerates the sinner.

Questions to Consider

• Are there some people that you find it harder to share the gospel with than others? Why?

 

Day 189

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 4.

“Others not elected, although they may be called by the Ministry of the word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit,yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will, nor can truly come to Christ; and therefore cannot be saved:…”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 22:14, 13:20,21

Heb 6:4,5

John 6:44,45,65

1 John 2:24,25

Reflection

We all know people who can “talk the talk” of salvation and be all appearances “walk the walk” as well. Perhaps they grew up in a godly home, were active in church, and always came to mind when you thought of the perfect Christian. Only one day you are shocked to find that they have walked away from the faith and now talk against the Christianity they once professed. What happened?

We must remember that only the elect are drawn by the Father. Outward professions and seemingly good works may be regenerative fruit of the Spirit, or it may be a pretty convincing show of hypocrisy. Saying a prayer, walking down an aisle, or convincing yourself that you believe are not the means by which you receive grace and salvation by Christ; it is through the effectual calling of God alone.

This is why it is important for the gospel to be preached not only out there in the world, but also from the pulpit week after week among the saints. It is easy to slip into the thinking that anyone with proper moral behavior must be elect. But we cannot see the hearts of those around us. In the gospel, we are reminded that we need Christ, not our moralism, to save us. Without His saving work in our lives, we will never be saved.

Questions to Consider

• Are you prone to forget that salvation is a work of God alone, and not of proper behavior or the right words to say?

 

Day 188

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 3.

“Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit; who works when, and where, and how He pleases; so also are all elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.”

Scripture Lookup

John 3:3, 5, 6, 8

Reflection

The Lord is a merciful and compassionate God.

The Spirit works when, where, and how He pleases. He is not constrained by anything in a human. We know that the Word is the usual means by which the elect are called. Yet there are some who will never be capable of responding to an outward call. Infants who die in infancy and the severely mentally disabled are such groups of people who cannot respond to an outward call. Are these automatically excluded from being numbered among the elect?

The elect come from every tribe, tongue, and nation. They are all sinners who receive forgiveness of sins and a new heart. You do not have to have a particular IQ level to be regenerated. Elect infants who die, and the elect who are mentally disabled from birth, fit this category. The Lord knows those who are His. He regenerates them and saves them by Christ through the Spirit.

When it comes to loved ones who die in infancy, or loved ones who never have the faculties to understand the word of Scripture, we are left to trust in the goodness of God concerning their salvation. He knows them better than we ever will. He has decreed according to His most wise will all things that come to pass. His wisdom is infinite; He is abundant in goodness. Rest in who He is, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.

Questions to Consider

• Are you willing to trust God in all things?

 

Day 187

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 2.

“…he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the Grace offered and conveyed in it; and that by no less power, than that which raised up Christ from the dead.”

Scripture Lookup

Ephesians 1:19,20

Reflection

Omnipotence. A word that means unlimited power. Such a trait belongs to God alone. He is the One who “has most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleaseth” (LBCF 2.1). We see His power displayed in creation, through storms and wind, harvest and growth. We see His power in the work of Providence, rescuing the Israelites time and time again.

This unlimited power of God raised Christ from the dead. This same unlimited power gives life to elect sinners. It is no mere trifle to regenerate a corrupt, fallen human being! Only the word of the Gospel and the Spirit can bring grace and salvation to anyone, and the Spirit and the Word are more than enough. God is never lacking the ability to effectually call a sinner to faith.

The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Do we really believe that? Looking at churches here in the United States, it appears we think God needs help. Not help as in spreading the Gospel, because believers are commanded to do that, but in making it “attractive”. If you had no fancy building, no children’s program, and the singing was off-key, but you had the Spirit and the word, would that be enough to bring salvation to God’s elect? Shamefully, we too often succumb to the apparent success of glitz, glamour and grandeur in building God’s church, and despise the small, plain, yet faithful work. How foolish we are!

Rest in God’s almighty capacity to draw His elect to Himself. Share the gospel with boldness. For He must save, and He alone.

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. -1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Questions to Consider

• Do you believe the power of God is enough to convert the elect?

 

Day 186

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 2.

“This Effectual Call is of God’s free, and special grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man, nor from any power, or agency in the Creature, coworking with his special Grace, the Creature being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being quickened and renewed by the holy Spirit,…”

Scripture Lookup

2 Tim. 1:9

Eph. 2:5, 8

1 Cor. 2:14

John 5:25

Reflection

“No shirt, no shoes, no service.” In order to be served at a restaurant, there are standards you have to which you must adhere. If you’ve been frolicking barefoot at the beach and suddenly want a burger, you must clean yourself up and slip into some sort of sandal before you can step up to the counter. You do the work so that you can get the service.

This world tells us that we have to be somebody or do something to receive anything. Our success is based on how far our money, looks, connections, and talent take us. Certain opportunities and social statuses are granted us due to who we are or how hard we work. It is all upon us to get what we want.

Not what my hands have done
Can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.

– Horatius Bonar

But salvation does not play by the world’s rules. There is nothing about you that effects your salvation. As corrupt, fallen sinners, we are all equally worthy of God’s wrath. There is nothing you can do to be called to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. Effectual calling is not you jumping up and down, waving your hand and saying, “Pick me! Pick me!” after God asks for volunteers. Instead, your very ability to believe is a result of being regenerated by God. By His free grace alone does He call you, revive you, and direct you to desire good.

Questions to Consider

• Do you still find yourself wanting to be called for something in you, rather than it being wholly of God?

 

Day 185

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 1.

“…yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.”

Scripture Lookup

Psalm 110:3

Song of Solomon 1:4

Reflection

So much happens when God effectively calls a sinner to Himself. He calls the sinner from her state of sin to grace and salvation. He enlightens her understanding in a saving way, replaces her stony heart with one of flesh, and renews her will so that she desires that which is good. In short, when it comes to conversion, God does it all.

So what is left for Miss Converted to do?

All she has to do is simply repent and believe. Invited by the Holy Spirit to come, she willingly goes to Christ and receives the blessings that come from Him. Every one of God’s elect come to Christ freely and of their own volition. No one ever gloomily accepts the gift of salvation, furious that they are now His!

Does this mean that the elect can’t refuse to be saved? Yes, and no one would ever want to refuse it. God does not force anyone to believe against their will, but graciously changes the will so that good is desired. When you taste and see that the Lord is good, and to be preferred above everything, you do not want anything else. Indeed, you cannot choose to reject Him, for you have seen how truly wonderful He is. Refusing Him is not an option, because no one who is converted would ever want to refuse Him.

Have you been called by Christ? Do you desire to know Him? If your thoughts have been stirred towards spiritual matters, and you find yourself longing to be saved, do not delay. Turn to Him, lean upon Him, believe in Him, and He will not turn you away, for after all, He is the One who has called you.

Questions to Consider

• Are you thankful for God’s work in regenerating you?

 

Day 184

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 1.

“…taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his Almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ;…”

Scripture Lookup

Ezekiel 36: 26, 27

Deuteronomy 30:6

Ephesians 1:19

Reflection

Lifeless. That is the condition of the sinner’s heart before conversion. We are dead in our trespasses and sins, void of any tenderness towards spiritual godliness. Blind to the beauty of the gospel, we are unable to desire any good. We only choose evil, not even capable of doing good. Yet when we are regenerated by God, we are changed. Our minds are opened to understand and delight in the things of God. He gives us a heart that quickens when we realize His goodness towards us. He enables our will to choose what is pleasing to Him. Drawn to Christ, we become His, and He is ours.

You may have heard about what God does in regenerating a sinner many times before. But reflecting on who is doing the regenerating, and what is being accomplished, should astonish us. God Himself, the immense, eternal, most holy Being, out of His mere love and good pleasure of His will, steps into time to transform you into a new creation. The most wise God is the one who enlightens your understanding, that you may behold wondrous things concerning Him. He, who is love, gives you a heart to love Him. It is God’s almighty power that directs your will toward doing good! One who is so infinitely above all creation, draws such weak creatures as we are to Himself. Such a truth should make us quake with reverence and thankfulness.

Questions to Consider

• If it is God that draws the elect to Himself, is there any chance He will fail? How does that knowledge affect your evangelism?

 

Day 183

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 1.

“…enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God;;…”

Scripture Lookup

Acts 26:18

Ephesians 1:17,18

Reflection

Some hear the gospel over and over throughout their lives, and it does not affect them. They could tell you the story of Jesus, but not have any personal knowledge regarding Him. Then one day, hearing the gospel yet again, it clicks. The gospel is relevant to them. They understand their sinful condition, realize the provision that Jesus has made for them, and trust in Him. Such an awakening does not come through human persuasion. It comes through the work of God alone.

When the elect are brought from a sinful state to a state of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ, their eyes have to be opened by the Holy Spirit. For in their sinful state, their understanding is darkened regarding salvation. They do not realize their sinful condition. They do not see the need for a Savior. They do not view the gospel as good news. I remember many times reading my Bible as a girl, thinking it beautiful in a fairy tale sort of way, but not seeing it as truly real, or actually applying to me. When I read it again years later, it was as if I had never read the words before. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I am a sinner! Christ died for me! The gospel was finally understood, and it seemed remarkable that I hadn’t seen it before. Knowing it was God who enlightens the mind of the elect, my former ignorance was actually unremarkable, and is common to all people before coming to faith.

“…the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) Before God draws the elect to Himself, they are like every other unbeliever. Yet God’s word will not return void. His people will be brought to faith by Himself. God will open their eyes at the time He has appointed.

Questions to Consider

• If God is the one who enlightens to understand the things of God, how does that affect your evangelism?

 

Day 182

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 1.

“,…out of that state of sin, and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and Salvation by Jesus Christ;…”

Scripture Lookup

Ephesians 2: 1-6

Reflection

None of the elect begins life already converted. Every single one of them start off as sinners. There is no knowledge of Christ, no love for God, no desire to follow Him.

I’m sure the the thought has passed through the mind of many a believer that it would  be nice to be born already knowing the fruits of salvation. Looking back over who you were before you came to faith, you can see how sinful you were, how ignorant of the things of God, how wretchedly you acted in the past. How much sorrow and grief would have been saved had you been changed at birth?

Yet all of us are born into a state of sin and misery. Then, at a time of His choosing, God calls the elect to Himself, pulling us out of our sinful state into His loving arms through grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. As we will see the next couple of days, this transformation of the mind, heart, and will enable the believer to savor Jesus more fully than any immediate conversion without a sinful existence could. We have to know about our state of sin to understand what grace truly is. Sorrowful repentance deepens our love for what Christ has done on our behalf. Desiring to trust and obey Him demonstrates the different path we embark upon as Christians. All this glorifies God that much more.

Questions to Consider

• How has your pre-conversion life demonstrated the glory of God? How does your life as a believer give glory to God now?

 

Day 181

Of Effectual Calling.

Chapter 10, Paragraph 1.

“Those whom God hath predestinated unto Life, he is pleased in His appointed, and accepted time, effectually to call by his word, and Spirit,…”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 8:30, 11:7

Ephesians 1:10,11

2 Thessalonians 2:13,14

Reflection

God’s will and decree concerning the elect has been set since the beginning. As the confession states in chapter four:

Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, has chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love;…

So it is not as if God is playing Bingo with humanity, picking people each day to be elect. They have already been chosen.

But although the elect have been chosen since eternity past, their conversions happen at different points in history. It is not as if all elect persons become Christians on their eighteenth birthday, in some rite of passage that can be celebrated along with registering to vote. As part of his decree, God has appointed that each believer is called out at a time appointed by, and pleasing to, Himself. This conversion occurs for some when they are young children; for others, when they are old. The circumstances will vary, but all will experience the same calling by the Holy Spirit.

This calling is effectual: it achieves its purpose of converting the sinner. Should that surprise us, when it is the Spirit Himself, through the preaching of His word, that draws sinners to Himself? We can be confident in our evangelism that no one is beyond the ability of God to come to saving faith. The elect are out there, and will come to Christ in God’s timing. We must strive to be faithful to share the gospel, and trust that God will use it to grow His people.

Questions to Consider

• At what ages and circumstances were the Christians around you converted?