Soteriology, Part 4 - The Spirit’s Call (Key Passages from Romans). 

1. Why do we want to talk about this? 

   1. The doctrine of irresistible grace describes the way in which we come to know God, and is a doctrine of much controversy and has been for millennia. Do we come to know God on our own terms, freely by our own will, or by some choice brought about by natural revelation? Does God change our hearts to desire to know Him and leave our flesh behind? Does God simply drag us kicking and screaming to heaven even though we don’t want to go? The understanding of how we come to know God is of great importance because it determines whether the glory is given to man or to God. 

2. Are we able to come to God in our natural state? 

   1. Absolutely not. We are completely unable to come to God on our own terms, our will is not free to do so as a result of the fall of man. We’re under bondage to sin. 

   2. Our wills are bound by sin, they are not naturally free (Psalm 51:5, John 8:34, Romans 1:18-32, Romans 3:10-12, Romans 8:7-8, and Ephesians 2:1-3). 

   3. The position that states we are able to come to God on our own because Adam’s sin did not affect his posterity is known as Pelagianism and has been condemned as heresy since 418 AD (see the Council of Carthage and Council of Ephesus). 

      1. Another heresy and offsplit of Pelagianism is semi-Pelagianism, which essentially teaches a form of “partial depravity” rather than total depravity. 

      2. For more information on Pelagius click here: Who was Pelagius? 

         1. Pelagius taught that we have a morally neutral will at birth, which is what nearly all people and most Evangelicals believe today. It is sad that his heresy lives on even to today. 

3. Do we even desire to come to God in our natural state? 

   1. Absolutely not, our hearts are deceitful (Ecclesiastes 9:3 and Jeremiah 17:9). 

   2. Our desires are perverted (Proverbs 14:12, John 3:19, and John 8:44). 

4. How are we enabled to come to God? 

   1. Since we cannot come to God on our own and do not even desire to do so God must first draw us to Himself. There are two aspects to how this happens:  

      1. The outward call of the gospel refers to Christians spreading the gospel through words to all the nations. We must share the gospel to everyone, for how else will they be saved? (Romans 1:16, 10:14-17). 

      2. The inward call of the Spirit refers to regeneration by the Spirit which occurs at the subconscious level. This is what takes the outward call (physically hearing or reading the gospel) from the ear to the heart (a supernatural rebirth for those under supernatural death).

5. Is this inward call merely illuminating or is it effectual? 

   1. If the inward call of the Spirit is merely illuminating then when the gospel is shared with someone their depraved will is temporarily “illuminated” by the Spirit. This enables them, in their now free will, to either choose to accept or reject the gospel. This grace does not guarantee the sinner will be saved. 

   2. A similar perspective is that of prevenient grace. There are three main perspectives on this matter, with the first being identical to illuminating grace. 

      1. The second perspective states that Christ’s atoning work partially cleansed humanity of original sin. Therefore, man has some ability to come to God on his own but is still under some bondage to sin. 

      2. The third perspective states that Christ’s atoning work fully cleansed humanity of original sin (being totally depraved by nature) and therefore all are able to freely choose to come to God on his own. 

   3. If the inward call of the Spirit is effectual when someone is regenerated by the Spirit. This causes the man who is dead in sin to be so overwhelmed by the call of the Spirit that he willingly comes to God with faith and repentance.

      1. Therefore, if someone is called inwardly by the Spirit then it is guaranteed that they will be saved. This call is irresistible and may or may not occur at the same time as the outward call of evangelism for God’s elect. 

6. What does Scripture say about the inward call of the Spirit? 

   1. Psalm 3:8 - Salvation is the Lord’s to give, not something man deserves. 

   2. Ezekiel 36:22-32 - It is God who replaces our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. He removes our depraved hearts and gives us new hearts that desire to know and obey Him. On top of this, He fills us with His Spirit. 

   3. Matthew 22:14 - Many will hear the outward call of the gospel, but not all those who hear this outward call will be called inwardly by the Spirit. An example of this outward call is seen in 11:28-30 and differs from the inward call of the Spirit. 

   4. John 1:12-13 - God wills whom He regenerates. 

   5. John 3:1-15 - Those who are not born again (regenerated by the Spirit) cannot even see the kingdom of God, let alone be a part of it. 

   6. John 6:35-51 - Those whom the Father calls will be given to Christ. None of Jesus’s sheep (God’s elect) will be lost, all will be saved. 

   7. John 11:1-44 - The death and resurrection of Lazarus is the clearest presentation of regeneration by the Spirit. Lazarus, who had been dead and in the grave for over three days, was called from death to life by Christ. 

   8. Romans 8:29-30 - Those whom God has foreknown and predestined He will also call in His timing. Paul uses the past tense of call (and justify and glorify) because it is so certain that this will happen to God’s elect. 

   9. Ephesians 2:1-10 - Similarly, men who are spiritually dead are called from spiritual death to spiritual life by the Spirit of Christ. 

   10. Titus 3:3-7 - We do not choose to be made alive, it is a work of God.

7. I’d like to take a second to look at the Greek in Romans 8:30 and Matthew 22:14. For “called” Paul uses the term “ekalesen” which means to call, summon, or invite. For “called” Matthew uses the term “klētoi” which has a similar meaning and shares the same root word as Paul’s term, kaleó. What makes this so interesting is that the term Matthew uses for “chosen” is "eklektoi” which means chosen out or elected for service to God. Greek is famous for combining words to form ones with a stronger meaning, and the term “ek or ex” means from out of or out from among. 

   1. Both terms with this addition refer to being called out from the rest of the world, being chosen and elected by the will of God, for service to God. God, through the election of the Father, atonement of the Son, and call of the Spirit, brings men who are dead in sin to life. Salvation belongs to the Lord! 

8. Therefore, what can we conclude about the inward call of the Spirit? 

   1. It is effectual, it is irresistible. Man is so overwhelmed by the power of the Holy Spirit that He cannot help but come to God. Man’s heart is renewed, the old heart of stone is crushed and the new heart of flesh is tender to the love of God. Man’s new heart desires to please God and seek Him out, something the natural heart of stone we all possess will never do. God does not drag us “kicking and screaming” to heaven, He drags us to Himself and so changes us that we recognize our sinfulness and need for God. 

      1. In John 6:44 John writes that nobody “can” (Gk. dunamai meaning to be able or to have the power to do something) come to the Father unless the Father (through the Spirit) “draws” (Gk. helkó meaning to drag or pull) them to Him. Nobody comes to God without Him first dragging us to Himself, we do not have the ability nor the desire! God must act first! 

      2. An example in Scripture of helkó referring to forceful dragging is that of John 21:6-11, where Peter and the others were hauling in, dragging, exerting a great deal of effort to bring in these fish (153 to be specific). 

      3. A challenge to this idea of the Spirit’s call being effectual usually references John 12:32 because it uses the same term in reference to Jesus calling up “all men” in the end, which would lead to universalism. 

         1. The simplest explanation of this is that “all men” refers to “every kind of man” or in other words people from every nation, ethnicity,  social class, occupation, intelligence, etc. Lexicon helps!

9. Resources: 

   1. TULIP and Reformed Theology: Irresistible Grace Ligonier, RC Sproul. 

10. Sermons: 

    1. Irresistible Grace: What is Reformed Theology? with R.C. Sproul