The Effectual Calling of God
"Irresistible grace"
Scriptures:
2 Timothy 2:24–26, 2 Peter 1:3, Ephesians 2:1, Romans 3:10–11:, Matthew 22:14, Ephesians 2:8-9, Ephesians 1:4, John 6:63 ,John 6:44, 6:65, Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 2:14
2 Timothy 2:24–26, 2 Peter 1:3, Ephesians 2:1, Romans 3:10–11:, Matthew 22:14, Ephesians 2:8-9, Ephesians 1:4, John 6:63 ,John 6:44, 6:65, Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 2:14
Effectual calling
Definition- God calls a person to himself for His Glory and excellence.
Definition- God calls a person to himself for His Glory and excellence.
The Effectual Calling of God
God's will must be impressed on the natural state of humanity for people to react to God's message of love and hope. Paul speaks of this in 2 Timothy 2:24–26. He writes that "the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." God is the one who grants repentance that leads to knowing the truth. Peter also clarifies this phenomenon when he says that God "called us to his own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3). The word "called" in this verse is the Greek word kaleo. Kaleo is the expression of God calling sinners. In this passage, kaleo is used in participial form, which means that God is the subject and God is impressing the effectual call onto sinners. This leads them to salvation. Rather than being invited to God, the word kaleo is a much stronger action. The correct understanding is that God is calling or drawing someone to Him rather than simply inviting someone to Him.
"Irresistible grace" is another phrase to discern the effectual calling. Humankind, without God, is "dead in the transgressions from sin" (Ephesians 2:1), and people cannot reach out to God or understand the gospel message. God provides the calling and the knowledge for humans to respond to Him, which comes to us by faith. Our missing element to reach God. Romans 3:10–11: "as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.'" The doctrine of total depravity shows that ,Until a person is receptive to God calling them
no one can reach God.
The general call of the gospel that everyone has the capability of hearing is different from the effectual call that leads to salvation. Jesus stated, "For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). In this verse Jesus is saying that few have experienced the effectual call, although many have heard the gospel message. Romans 1:6 also teaches the effectual call when Paul writes to those "who are called to belong to Jesus Christ." Acts 16:14 alludes to the effectual call when Luke describes Lydia's heart being opened by the Lord so she could respond to Paul's message. These examples show that God's calling is a definitive action toward those He saves. He chose His children in Christ, "… before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him …" (Ephesians 1:4).
Jesus, being the Son of God, knew that these individuals to whom He was talking were not numbered among His sheep. Only God’s elect, or those whom Jesus referred to as His “sheep”, will hear His voice. These will be called to faith in Christ, and they will therefore believe in Him. All the rest will be left in their sins. Praise God He calls to us and for the faith God Gives us as He approaches us in salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Jesus said: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” (John 6:63). The Spirit of God gives eternal life, and unregenerate man, or man who is “in the flesh” so to speak, is completely without the ability to accept the Gospel of Christ unless he is called to faith by God Himself (John 6:44, 6:65, Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 2:14).
Summary
No one can turn to God without God first impressing Himself on them. Everyone is capable of hearing the gospel (John 3:16), but because of humanity's sinful nature no one turns to God apart from His effectual call.
Faith Scriptures to build you up in the Truth of God
Hebrews 11:1 ESV
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
John 3:16 ESV
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Hebrews 11:6 ESV
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Romans 10:17 ESV
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Luke 17:5 ESV
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 7 helpful votes
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Galatians 2:20 ESV
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Romans 5:1 ESV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:9 ESV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
James 1:2-4 ESV
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Ephesians 2:8 ESV
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
1 Samuel 7:12 ESV
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”
2 Timothy 4:7 ESV
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Ephesians 2:10 ESV
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Galatians 2:16 ESV
Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Matthew 17:20 ESV
He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
1 John 1:3-7 ESV
That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
God's will must be impressed on the natural state of humanity for people to react to God's message of love and hope. Paul speaks of this in 2 Timothy 2:24–26. He writes that "the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." God is the one who grants repentance that leads to knowing the truth. Peter also clarifies this phenomenon when he says that God "called us to his own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3). The word "called" in this verse is the Greek word kaleo. Kaleo is the expression of God calling sinners. In this passage, kaleo is used in participial form, which means that God is the subject and God is impressing the effectual call onto sinners. This leads them to salvation. Rather than being invited to God, the word kaleo is a much stronger action. The correct understanding is that God is calling or drawing someone to Him rather than simply inviting someone to Him.
"Irresistible grace" is another phrase to discern the effectual calling. Humankind, without God, is "dead in the transgressions from sin" (Ephesians 2:1), and people cannot reach out to God or understand the gospel message. God provides the calling and the knowledge for humans to respond to Him, which comes to us by faith. Our missing element to reach God. Romans 3:10–11: "as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.'" The doctrine of total depravity shows that ,Until a person is receptive to God calling them
no one can reach God.
The general call of the gospel that everyone has the capability of hearing is different from the effectual call that leads to salvation. Jesus stated, "For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). In this verse Jesus is saying that few have experienced the effectual call, although many have heard the gospel message. Romans 1:6 also teaches the effectual call when Paul writes to those "who are called to belong to Jesus Christ." Acts 16:14 alludes to the effectual call when Luke describes Lydia's heart being opened by the Lord so she could respond to Paul's message. These examples show that God's calling is a definitive action toward those He saves. He chose His children in Christ, "… before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him …" (Ephesians 1:4).
Jesus, being the Son of God, knew that these individuals to whom He was talking were not numbered among His sheep. Only God’s elect, or those whom Jesus referred to as His “sheep”, will hear His voice. These will be called to faith in Christ, and they will therefore believe in Him. All the rest will be left in their sins. Praise God He calls to us and for the faith God Gives us as He approaches us in salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Jesus said: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” (John 6:63). The Spirit of God gives eternal life, and unregenerate man, or man who is “in the flesh” so to speak, is completely without the ability to accept the Gospel of Christ unless he is called to faith by God Himself (John 6:44, 6:65, Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 2:14).
Summary
No one can turn to God without God first impressing Himself on them. Everyone is capable of hearing the gospel (John 3:16), but because of humanity's sinful nature no one turns to God apart from His effectual call.
Faith Scriptures to build you up in the Truth of God
Hebrews 11:1 ESV
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
John 3:16 ESV
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Hebrews 11:6 ESV
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Romans 10:17 ESV
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Luke 17:5 ESV
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 7 helpful votes
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Galatians 2:20 ESV
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Romans 5:1 ESV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:9 ESV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
James 1:2-4 ESV
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Ephesians 2:8 ESV
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
1 Samuel 7:12 ESV
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”
2 Timothy 4:7 ESV
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Ephesians 2:10 ESV
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Galatians 2:16 ESV
Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Matthew 17:20 ESV
He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
1 John 1:3-7 ESV
That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
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