Sermon: Order of Salvation: Effectual Calling

Good evening. You have a Bible with you or you want to grab one from the Pew you can turn to First Corinthians? chapter 1 page 952 on your View Bible We are going to jump around to a number of different scripture passages tonight, but we'll start with this one verse 1st Corinthians chapter 1. verse 9 before we read God's word, would you pray with me?

Other truly your grace is amazing. you are capable of Turning our blindness to sight. of sustaining us your promises to cured for us. throughout all eternity Would you anchor Us in that Grace tonight as we think about you? You give us eyes to see as we hear about your work. lying salvation to your people through your son Jesus Christ his name we pray. men

All right First Corinthians chapter 1 verse 9. Listen to God's word. God is faithful. By whom you were called. Into the fellowship of his son. Jesus Christ Our Lord

Tonight is the second sermon in a series on the Ordo. Salutis the order of salvation. Last week Matthew gave an overview of the concept but as a recap, the order of Salvation is a way to try to organize the events and realities of God's saving work. In a sequence in which they occur in the life of the Christian. In his book Redemption accomplishment applied John Murray distinguishes between the saving work of Jesus Christ.

What was accomplished? And how that work is applied accomplished and applied to the life of a person. The history of Salvation the accomplished work of Salvation includes the Incarnate birth of Jesus. Is sinless life his sacrificial death his Victorious Resurrection. The order of Salvation the application of that work in the life of human beings. What we are considering during this series, it includes such things as justification glorification

sanctification adoption.

What we're trying to answer is questions, like what happens in the process of someone coming? To a saving knowledge of God through Jesus his son. Why is it that some people receive the good news of Salvation While others reject it? How we answer those questions. We'll go a long way and how we understand God. How we understand ourselves in relation to him? There are different answers to these questions different Christian

Traditions have different understanding of how the work of salvation. Is applied in the life of the Christian the seeds of this debate can be seen throughout the history of the church, especially in the fifth century with Augustine engaging with pelagian thought but it really sprouted and was most clearly defined in the 1700s amongst Protestant groups and at its heart the debate centered on. Whose action is ultimately determinative?

In a person coming to saving faith. Is that God's call or is it man's choice? The reformed view is that God it is God who plays the ultimately decisive role in this action. As we consider the application of Salvation as articulated by the reform tradition tonight and throughout the rest of the Fall. I hope That you will see how it aligns with the scriptures. And also why it makes a difference. In how you think and live in this world?

So tonight we approach the first. of the applications of God's saving work in the order of Salvation effectual hauling Is how John Murray describes it in the book? I referenced. the application of redemption begins with the Sovereign and efficacious summons By which the people of God are ushered into the fellowship of Christ. And Union with him. to the end that they may become partakers. of all the grace and virtue which reside in

him as Redeemer Savior and Lord but more simply sexual calling is God summoning of men and women to himself. Through the work of his son until salvation. God calling people to himself. Through his son. As we think about this idea of effectual calling tonight. We will look at three characteristics the scriptures reveal. God's effectual calling is internal. God's effectual calling is irresistible. God's effectual calling is immutable. It is

internal irresistible and immutable. first the effectual call of God to Sinners is internal. Is necessary to contrast the effectual call of God with what is often referred to as the outward call of the Gospel? There are a number of things that call you. The worship and obey your creator nature calls out to you as Psalm 19 says the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. You were created with a conscience that summons

you to submit to the law of God, which is written on your heart as the letter of Romans says. And then there is the call to repent and believe that is found in the preaching of God's word and in the sharing of the Gospel message. This last call is the one that most often gets confused with the effectual call. We're talking about tonight, and we're a distinction must be made. This call for men and women to repent and believe through the preaching of God's word in the sharing of the Gospel.

Is not the same as God's effectual call. This call is external which means it seeks to summon the heart and the will of man from the outside. The effectual call of God is internal. One commentator described it this way. The outward call knocks on the door of your heart, but the inward call unlocks it. Think that it's helpful here to consider Acts chapter 2 for a minute and see how these two calls differ. in Acts chapter 2 Peter preaches a sermon at

Pentecost And in verse 37 as he concludes some of those listening come to him in the rest of the Apostles and they ask how should we respond? Peter tells them to repent be baptized and that they will receive forgiveness and the Holy Spirit and then he says this in verse 39 for the promise is for you and for your children. For all who are far off. everyone whom the Lord Our God calls to himself

Is people had heard a call from Peter? He had called all who were listening proclaiming the need for forgiveness and proclaiming Jesus as the Christ. some who heard responded find out a few verses later. It was 3,000 Souls were added to their number that day, but not everyone did. They had all heard the outward call but only some. the Lord God Called to himself

Jesus makes reference to this in Matthew 22 when he says many are called. You are chosen. There are different types of calls. many we would strive that all would hear. the external call but not all received the transforming internal. Factual call that leads to Salvation.

Our first understanding is that God's call is internal.

Second understanding is that it is irresistible. John chapter 6 Jesus tells his followers everyone that the father gives me will come to me. That might come not can come will come to me. The outward calls that we reference before they can be resisted you can and do suppress the truth of creation. And and do ignore your conscience. Men can and do reject the good news of Jesus Christ as it is proclaimed to them. But you cannot resist.

the effectual call of Christ it will accomplish its purpose. It is the same voice that spoke the and the world was formed out of nothing. And when that voice speaks and issues a call to men's Hearts just as the cosmos obeyed instantaneously. So the human who is called responds immediately. RC Sproul put it this way. the point of effectual calling is that when the Holy Spirit comes to change our natures? He has the power to bring the effect to pass.

It happens.

We need to be clear and think about this for a few minutes. God is not bringing people to Faith kicking and screaming. Some authors will put it. He has not doing violence to their will. Is not forcing people to come to him who do not want to or is he Turning Away people who are desperate to follow him. All of God this internal call transforms a man. It enlightens the mind it replaces the Heart of Stone with one of Flesh.

And it renews the will in such a manner. That you desire different things after this call and you act in different ways.

all of us resist naturally God but all of those called will come joyfully. to God through Jesus Christ

I want to pause here for a second. This is not a popular or easy Doctrine. We don't much like that. Something might be done two or four us that we don't have any say in and it is maybe especially difficult to swallow the idea that not everyone is called. The outward calls are Universal everyone can receive these but the inward effectual call is particular to God's people. And that can be hard to wrestle with. It may be a challenging Doctrine, but it is

a Biblical one. And I don't want to rush past without thinking a little bit more about it. Certainly don't assume that I can unravel all the threads. Of the knots that are entailed in this in our time tonight, but I do think it's important to take a minute to think about one area of understanding how we think about the world how we think about Humanity. It may help to provide a little bit of solid ground. stand on

over the past few years. It has become increasingly clear to me that one of the key points of diversions that has significant impact on how you think about any number of social or political or theological questions. Is is your view of how good or bad humanity is? If you believe that humanity is basically good. I think majority of our society does right now. With maybe some occasional negative traits or perhaps some bad influences.

You will see certain problems and Solutions in our world differently than if you understand human beings to be fundamentally in opposition and Rebellion to goodness and truth and against their Creator God. If mankind is basically good. Then the reasonable question is why would God be so stingy? As to only save some people. It is not a God that seems worthy of my life or my praise. but if all of mankind

is utterly rebellious. And by our own choice declared enemies with God. Perhaps a more reasonable question would be why? Would God save anyone? Man is good or mostly good. Judgment from God seems harsh. But if man is sinful by Nature then perhaps it is a little easier to come to terms with that same judgment. On this issue. The Bible is extremely clear. You and I and all the rest of humanity are not stained by sin. We are not sick with sin.

Regions tells us we are dead in our sin.

in light of that The best example that I could think of to illustrate the desperation that you and I find ourselves in and the inability that we have to participate in our Salvation in any manner. The irresistible nature of God's call on our life is the story. from John 11 about the raising of Lazarus many of you probably know Lazarus had been dead a number of days. In Jesus comes and stands before his tomb and he issues a call to this

dead man. He says Lazarus. Come out. And remarkably the dead man did emerge. Although he emerged from that tomb no longer a dead, man.

Now Lazarus did not choose whether he would be made alive again or not. And he could not resist the summons to return to life. But he also didn't want to. He obeyed that call with delight. Jesus was not mistreating Lazarus by raising him from the dead without asking permission first. Nor was he obligated to raise all of the dead because he raised Lazarus.

Think this provides a helpful image. As we think about the nature of God's effectual call to Salvation because he is doing the same thing in his saving call spiritually that he did physically when he called Lazarus from the tomb. He speaks to you who are dead in your Sin calling you to come out of death. and into life out of Darkness into light and in an instant you are changed from dead. to living

a side note. I tried very hard to not steal from sandrome and his sermon next week on regeneration. But they are so intimately connected that they cannot be fully pulled apart. So you are read in a second you are born again. You are give in a new life you are regenerated. when this call happens

and no one. Whom he calls stays dead. And no one whom he calls wants to stay dead. It is not against their will that they answer that call to come out of death and into life?

So the effectual call is internal the effectual call is irresistible. Now turn to our last characteristic of this effectual call. The call of God is immutable. Means it will not and it cannot change.

Because God does not change.

Now we haven't looked at it much. But if you still have your Bibles open look back at First Corinthians. Look how God is described. God is faithful. By whom you were called. Into the fellowship of his son. Jesus Christ Our Lord

You have been called into Fellowship. with Jesus By a God who is faithful? You will never be kicked out of that Fellowship. We looked earlier at John chapter 6 where Jesus said all that. The father gives me will come to me. Jesus continues and says and whoever comes to me. I will never cast out.

We're talking about an order of Salvation and rightfully we break these things up. We need to recognize that we are talking here about one saving work on the part of God, which consists of multiple parts. They are all tied together. We already saw that briefly and calling and regeneration. But what this means is that once you are called you are guaranteed all that follows. None of the events of your salvation can be separated from each other he who began a

good work in you will be faithful to bring it to completion. I want you to grab a hymnal. In front of you and I want to look at a couple things turn to page.

I want to look at the Westminster Shorter Catechism for a minute. Look at a couple of the questions here.

to think about all that comes with this effectual call all that is guaranteed. In the unchanging call of God. on your life

so you can see question 31 asks what is effectual calling but question 32 Asks, what benefits? Accompany those who are affectionately called.

Here's the answer. They that are affectionately called do in this life partake of justification. adoption and sanctification And the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them? so justification adoption and sanctification Are part of what comes with this effectual call?

We're going to skip over 33 34 and 35 those will be coming weeks. I want to look at 36 also, what are the benefits which in this life do a company or flow from justification adoption and sanctification? The benefits which in this life do a company or flow from justification adoption and sanctification are Assurance of God's love peace of conscience. joy in the Holy Ghost increase of Grace and perseverance therein to the end.

justification adoption sanctification

race increasing Assurance of God's love peace Joy

this is a wonderful list of gifts. And that's an understatement.

and these things brothers and sisters are secure for you. God will never call you. To himself through his son Christ and then change his mind. And fail to sanctify or Justify or glorify you.

And I know it doesn't always look like or feel like these things are secure. For those who follow Jesus, I know it doesn't always look like God is being faithful. Sometimes it can seem like those who have been called fall away from the faith.

We must remember that things are not always as they seem. And we need to recognize that the nature of God and the nature of his character are intimately connected. We cannot. Separate the benefits of salvation. from their benefactor He who called you is faithful. therefore the fruits of his call are certain why Corinthians can tell us? God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship of his son. Jesus Christ Our Lord. Your

faithful. God has called you into fellowship with the one who said it is finished with the one who defeated death and the grave who is seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven and who will return in glory. Separate the sheeps and the goats. And to usher in the new heavens and the new Earth. You who have been called into fellowship with him will be in fellowship with him for all eternity. That can and will never change.

So God's effectual call is internal. It is irresistible and it is. immutable

as I had eyes on my mind as I was doing this. Want us to consider now four implications? For you who have been called?

first Pride gives way to praise in those who have been called.

Pride gives way to praise it is a sad thing. How often those who hold to a calvinistic reform view of the world can be prideful in their knowledge and haughty towards those who disagree with them. The core tenet of our understanding of God's revelation of himself through scripture is that God has acted unilaterally he owes you nothing and you deserve nothing you were dead in your sins. It is not I Found Jesus it is he

found me. There is no place for pride in this. There is every occasion for worship and praise.

second implication control gives way to confidence in the future. Control gives away to confidence God's Sovereign rule in Salvation can be difficult to understand and to accept for many in our culture probably for many of you in this room. It has been a source of much consternation over the centuries but in the scriptures. When it is brought to bear. It is never brought up as a puzzle to be solved. It is always brought up.

via source of comfort and courage or Christians There is much uncertainty in our lives and in this world. You don't know what tomorrow will bring in most Arenas, but you know with absolute certainty. What tomorrow will bring in the most important of all areas your eternal? soul You know for sure that you who are called will be adopted and Justified and persevere to the day that you will be glorified. You know this because it doesn't depend on you or

I or any other fickle human. It is firmly in the hands of God who is faithful and unchanging and Almighty. So you can give up trying to anxiously control what is coming. Trying to make sure that there is stability down the road. And live with wisdom, but you can know with confidence that your future is secure.

third Duty gives way to delight and obedience. Judy gives way to Delight in Ephesians. 4:1 Paul admonishes Christians to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.

You were called not simply out of sin and misery. But you were called into a life of obedience and praise to your God. And whereas obedience may have once been a burden placed upon you. It is now a joy set before you. Obedience to God in his word does not set you free from sin, but having been set free from sin. You are able to live in obedience to God and his word. You have been called to a holy calling. Therefore you have been called to and empowered

for a holy living. forth fear gives way to freedom in evangelism because salvation is not ultimately dependent on your ability to articulate an outward call that will be clear enough or clever enough or gentle enough or at the right time to be received.

You can Britt said earlier when she was talking. Open your mouth. And tell them what Jesus has done. You can share the good news of Jesus boldly. Absolutely sure that there are those out there whom God has called and who will respond and come to Jesus in faith.

Hopefully even in those four implications you can see a glimpse of why taking the time to consider the logic of the order of Salvation matters. If God's call is not effectual and determinative then there is much reason for Pride if you have chosen to accept his call. If you're a Salvation is dependent on your wisdom and your decision. There is no confidence that you will be faithful to follow through on that decision day after

day let alone year after year. And if the Eternal Destiny of our neighbors and coworkers and friends and family or even the unreached nations of the world dependent on how clearly and well articulated the Majestic truths of the Gospel were in our own words. I would be hopeless to ever share. this faith

Thankfully that is not how things work. God calls his people transforming them inwardly drawing them irresistibly and doing it all of and doing all of it immutably without any risk that he will ever change his mind.

I want to I want to give one final exhortation. Spoke about four implications to those of you who are called. I want to speak for a minute. To those who may be asking. How do I know if I'm called? Perhaps you're worried. What if I haven't been called? Maybe you're a non-Christian here who's visiting? Maybe you're a child who's growing up in this church? You're someone who's been around for a long time and you continue

to wrestle with this question?

I want to encourage you simply with this. It is not your role to be determined to determine whether or not you have been called your role. to respond You are convinced of your sin. If you recognize Jesus as the Savior for Sinners if you desire to embrace Jesus Christ as freely offered in the gospel. And receive him in faith. Those whom he calls will come to him and he will never ever cast them out. If you pray with me.

father surely trying to understand your mind and your work and all this. Fits together is beyond our comprehension and yet you have revealed yourself to us. Would you Enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we may know? What is the hope to which you have called us? What are the riches of your glorious inheritance in the Saints and what is the immeasurable greatness of your power towards us who believe and would you send out your

call to many others? As we go forth and Share the Light of the hope of the gospel of Christ. Would there be many who hear and receive having been transformed by you? Ask these things in the name of your son Christ. and