Calling and Regeneration
work? What are the effects of common grace? What Scripture proof is there for common grace?
References for Further Study:
Berkhof, Reformed Dogmatics, II, pp. 11–31; Hodge, Systematic Theology, II, pp. 654–675; Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, pp. 179–181; Shedd, Calvinism Pure and Mixed, pp.
96–106; Bavinck, Calvin and Common Grace (in Calvin and the Reformation, pp. 99–130); H. Kuiper, Calvin on Common Grace.
CALLING AND REGENERATION
A. General Remarks on the Order of Salvation. We begin the discussion of the order of salvation, that is, of the order in which the Holy Spirit applies the work of redemption to the hearts and lives of man, with the study of calling and regeneration. This means that we take our starting-point in those redemptive acts of God in which man does not co-operate, and in which redemption stands out most prominently as a work of God. By doing this we clearly recognize the fact that God and not man begins the redemptive process, and that salvation is altogether a work of divine grace, a work of which we become partakers only in union with Jesus Christ, with whom we are united by the work of regeneration. Many others, such as the Lutherans and Arminians, take their starting-point in man and begin their treatment of the order of salvation with a discussion of saving faith, considered more particularly as an act of man, by which he takes unto himself the blessings of salvation wrought by Christ. They do not speak of the application of the work of redemption by the Holy Spirit, but of its appropriation by man. And in this appropriation everything is made dependent on man's act of faith. It is even by faith that man is regenerated. This representation clearly
fits in with their conception of the free will of man. While we honour God as the author of our salvation, and as the primary cause of every redemptive act, we do not lose sight of the fact that, after regeneration, man appropriates the blessings of salvation by faith, and co-operates with the Spirit of God in some of the redemptive acts, such as conversion and sanctification.
B. Calling. When we speak of calling in general, we have reference to that gracious act of God whereby He invites sinners to accept the salvation that is offered in Christ Jesus. It is a work of the triune
God, and is therefore ascribed to the Father, 1 Cor. 1:9; 1 Thess. 2:12; 1 Pet. 5:10, to the Son, Matt. 11:28; Luke 5:32; John 7:37; Rom. 1:6
(Auth. Ver.), and to the Holy Spirit, Matt. 10:20; John 15:26; Acts 5:31, 32. This calling may be either external or internal. God is the author of both; the Holy Spirit operates in both; and in both the Word of God is employed as an instrument. Yet there are important differences: the external calling comes to all those who hear the Word, while the internal calling comes only to the elect; the external calling as such, that is, without the special operation of the Holy
Spirit, affects only the natural life, while the internal calling affects the internal or spiritual life. It is the external calling made effective unto salvation.
1. EXTERNAL CALLING. The Bible speaks of external calling in the great commission, Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; in passages showing that some who were called did not come, Matt. 22:2–14; Luke 14:16–24; in references to a rejection of the gospel, John 3:36; Acts 13:46; 2
Thess. 1:8; and, finally, in statements concerning the terrible sin of unbelief, Matt. 10:15; 11:21–24; John 5:40; 16:8, 9; 1 John 5:10. It consists in the presentation and offering of salvation in Christ to sinners, together with an earnest exhortation to accept Christ by faith, in order to obtain the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
a. The Elements Comprised in it. From the definition given it follows that the external calling comprises three elements: (1) A presentation of the gospel facts and ideas. The way of redemption revealed in Jesus Christ must be set forth clearly in all its relations. (2) An invitation to accept Christ in faith and repentance.
The representation of the way of salvation must be supplemented by an earnest invitation, and even a solemn command to repent and believe, John 6:28, 29; Acts 19:4; 2 Cor. 5:11, 20. (3) A promise of forgiveness and salvation. This promise, however, is never absolute but always conditional. No one can expect its fulfilment, except in the way of true faith and repentance. b. Its Characteristics. This external call has two characteristics: (1) It is general or universal. This does not mean that it actually comes or in the past has come to all men, but that it comes to all men indiscriminately to whom the gospel is preached. It is not limited to any age or nation or class of men. It comes to both the just and the wicked, the elect and the reprobate. The general nature of this calling appears from the following passages, Joel 2:32; Ps. 86:5; Isa. 55:1;
Matt. 11:28; Rev. 22:17. That it is not confined to the elect, is quite evident from Prov. 1:24–26; Ezek. 3:19; Matt. 22:2–8, 14; Luke
14:16–24. (2) It is seriously meant. When God calls the sinner through the gospel, He calls him in good faith, and earnestly desires that the latter accept the invitation to believe in Jesus Christ; and when He promises those who repent and believe eternal life, His promise is dependable. This follows from the very nature, from the truthfulness and faithfulness of God, and also from such passages of Scripture as Num. 23:19; Ps. 81:13–16; Prov. 1:24; Isa. 1:18–20;
Ezek. 18:23, 32; 33:11; Matt. 21:37; 2 Tim. 2:13. c. Its Significance. By means of this external calling God maintains
His claim on the sinner. He is entitled to the service of man, retained
this right in spite of man's fall, and asserts His right in both the law and the gospel. Man is in duty bound to accept the call of the gospel.
If he does not, he slights the claim of God and thus increases his guilt. This call is also the appointed means by which God gathers the elect out of all the nations of the world, Rom. 10:14–17. Moreover, it is a revelation of God's holiness, goodness, and compassion. In virtue of His holiness God dissuades sinners everywhere from sin, and in virtue of His goodness and mercy He warns them against selfdestruction, postpones the execution of the sentence of death, and blesses them with the offer of salvation. This gracious call is represented as a blessing for sinners, Ps. 81:13; Prov. 1:24; Ezek.
3:18, 19; 18:23, 32; 33:11; Amos 8:11; Matt. 11:20–24; 23:37. Finally, this external calling also serves to justify God in the condemnation of sinners. If sinners despise the forbearance of God and reject His gracious offer of salvation, the greatness of their corruption and guilt, and the justice of God in their condemnation, stands out in the clearest light.
2. INTERNAL OR EFFECTUAL CALLING. The calling which comes from God to the sinner is really one, though we speak of an external and an internal calling. Through the operation of the Holy Spirit the former issues in and is made effective in the latter. The fact that they are one does not mean, as the Lutherans maintain, that the inner call always accompanies the preaching of the Word. It does mean, however, that the inner call is always mediated by the word of preaching. The same word that is heard in the external call, is made effective in the heart of the sinner in the internal calling through the operation of the Holy Spirit. The internal call has certain distinctive marks: (a) It is a calling by the Word of God, savingly applied by the operation of the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 1:23, 24. (b) It is a powerful calling, that is, a calling that is effectual unto salvation, Acts 13:48; 1
Cor. 1:23, 24. (c) It is a calling without repentance, one that is not
subject to change and is never withdrawn, Rom. 11:29. The person who is called will surely be saved. With respect to this calling the following particulars should be noted: a. It Works by Means of Moral Persuasion. In the internal calling the Spirit of God does not work through the Word in a creative way but in a persuasive manner. God does sometimes work creatively through the word, Gen. 1:3; Ps. 33:6; Ps. 147:15, but in these cases the word referred to is the word of God's power, and not the word of preaching, which is instrumental in calling the sinner. The Spirit of God operates through the preaching of the Word by making its persuasions effective, so that man listens to the voice of his God. b. It Operates in the Conscious Life of Man. If the word of preaching does not operate creatively but only in a moral and persuasive way, then it follows that it can only work in the conscious life of man. It addresses the understanding enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and through the understanding influences the will effectively, so that the sinner turns to God. c. It is Always Directed to an End. Internal calling is always directed to a certain end, that is, to the salvation to which the Spirit of God is leading the elect, and consequently also to the intermediate stages on the way to this final destiny. It is a calling to the fellowship of Jesus
Christ, 1 Cor. 1:9, to inherit blessing, 1 Pet. 3:9; to liberty, Gal. 5:13, to peace, 1 Cor. 7:15, to holiness, 1 Thess. 4:7, to one hope, Eph. 4:4, to eternal life, 1 Tim. 6:12, and to God's kingdom and glory, 1 Thess.
2:12.
C. Regeneration. The divine calling and regeneration stand in the closest possible relation to each other.
1. THE MEANING OF THE TERM "REGENERATION." The word "regeneration" is not always used in the same sense. Calvin employed it in a very comprehensive sense, to denote the whole process of man's renewal, including even conversion and sanctification. In our confessional standards it serves to designate the beginning of man's renewal in the new birth plus conversion. At the present time it is used in a far more restricted sense, to denote the divine act by which the sinner is endowed with new spiritual life, and by which the principle of that new life is first called into action. Sometimes it is employed in an even more limited sense, as a designation of the implanting of the new life in the soul, apart from the first manifestations of this life. In this sense of the word regeneration may be defined as that act of God by which the principle of the new life is implanted in man, and the governing disposition of the soul is made holy.
2. THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF REGENERATION. The following particulars serve to indicate the essential nature of regeneration: a. It is a Fundamental Change. Regeneration consists in the implanting of the principle of the new spiritual life in man, in a radical change of the governing disposition of the soul. In principle it affects the whole man: the intellect, 1 Cor. 2:14, 15; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph.
1:18; Col. 3:10,—the will, Phil. 2:13; 2 Thess. 3:5; Heb. 13:21;—and the emotions, Ps. 42:1, 2 Matt. 5:4; 1 Pet. 1:8. b. It is an Instantaneous Change. The assertion that regeneration is an instantaneous change implies two things: (1) that it is not a work that is gradually prepared in the soul; there is no intermediate stage between life and death; and (2) that it is not a gradual process like sanctification, but is completed in a moment of time.
c. It is a Change in the Sub-conscious Life. Regeneration is a secret and inscrutable work of God that is never directly perceived by man, but can be perceived only in its effects. Naturally, man may be directly conscious of a change in cases where regeneration and conversion coincide.
3. THE RELATIVE ORDER OF CALLING AND REGENERATION.
The order in which calling and regeneration stand to each other may best be indicated as follows: The external call in the preaching of the Word, except in the case of children, precedes or coincides with the operation of the Holy Spirit in the production of the new life. Then by a creative act God generates the new life, changing the inner disposition of the soul. This is regeneration in the restricted sense of the word. In it the spiritual ear is implanted which enables man to hear the call of God to the salvation of his soul. Having received the spiritual ear, the call of God is now brought home effectively to the heart, so that man hears and obeys. This effectual calling, finally, secures the first holy exercises of the new disposition that is born in the soul. The new life begins to manifest itself and issues in the new birth. This is regeneration in the broader sense and marks the point at which regeneration passes into conversion.
4. THE NECESSITY OF REGENERATION. Scripture does not leave us in doubt about the necessity of regeneration, but asserts this in the clearest terms, John 3:3, 5, 7; 1 Cor. 2:14; Gal. 6:15. Cf. also Jer.
13:23; Rom. 3:11; Eph. 2:3. This necessity also follows from the sinful condition of man. Holiness or conformity to the divine law is the indispensable condition of securing the divine favour, attaining peace of conscience, and enjoying fellowship with God, Heb. 12:14.
Now the natural condition of man is exactly the opposite of that holiness which is so indispensable. Consequently, a radical internal
change is necessary by which the whole dispensation of the soul is altered.
5. THE USE OF THE WORD OF GOD AS AN INSTRUMENT IN
REGENERATION. The question is often raised, whether the Word, that is, the word of preaching, is instrumental in the implanting of the new life, in regeneration in the most restricted sense of the word.
Since regeneration is a creative act of God, and the word of the gospel can only work in a moral and persuasive way, it would seem that this cannot very well be instrumental in implanting the new life in man. Such an instrument has no spiritual effect on those who are still dead in sin. To assert its use would seem to imply a denial of the spiritual death of man, though this is not intended by those who make the assertion. Moreover, regeneration takes place in the sphere of the sub-conscious life, while the truth addresses itself to the consciousness of man. And, finally, the Bible clearly intimates that man is enabled to understand the truth only by a special operation of the Holy Spirit, Acts 16:14; 1 Cor. 2:12–15; Eph. 1:17–20. It is often said that Jas. 1:18 and 1 Pet. 1:23 prove that the Word is used as an instrument in regeneration. But it is certain that James is speaking of regeneration in a broader sense, as including the new birth or the first manifestations of the new life, and in all probability this is also the case with Peter. And in that more inclusive sense regeneration is undoubtedly wrought through the instrumentality of the Word.
6. REGENERATION EXCLUSIVELY A WORK OF GOD. God is the author of regeneration. It is represented in Scripture as the work of the Holy Spirit directly and exclusively, Ezek. 11:19; John 1:13; Acts
16:14; Rom. 9:16; Phil. 2:13. This means that in regeneration God only works, and there is no co-operation of the sinner in this work whatever. The Arminians do not agree with this view. They speak of a co-operation of God and man in the work of regeneration. In their
estimation the spiritual renewal of man is really the fruit of man's choice to co-operate with the divine influences exerted by means of the truth. Strictly speaking, they regard the work of man as prior to that of God. Man can resist, but he can also yield to the influences of the Holy Spirit.
7. BAPTISMAL REGENERATION. According to the Church of Rome regeneration includes not only spiritual renewal, but also justification or the forgiveness of sins, and is effected by means of baptism. An influential section of the Anglican Church is in agreement with the Church of Rome on this point. And even many
Lutherans teach a certain kind of baptismal regeneration, though according to some this does not include spiritual renewal, but only serves to place the baptized person in a new relation to the Church.
All these groups agree in teaching that the blessing of regeneration can again be lost.
Questions for Review:
How does the Reformed order of salvation differ from the Arminian and Lutheran? What do we mean by calling? How do external and internal calling differ? What is external calling? What elements does it include? What are the two characteristics of the external call?
What purpose does it serve? How is the internal calling related to the external? What are its distinctive marks? How does it operate? In what sphere does it operate? To what end is it directed? What different meanings has the word "regeneration"? What is regeneration in the restricted sense? What is the nature of the change wrought in regeneration? What is the relative order of calling and regeneration? How can we prove the absolute necessity of regeneration? Why is it unlikely that the Word is used as an instrument in regeneration? Do Jas. 1:18 and 1 Pet. 1:23 teach the