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Irresistible Grace

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By Daniel Agafonov
36 min read
Irresistible Grace

Effectual Grace

Although the general outward call of the gospel can be, and often is, rejected, the special inward call of the Spirit never fails to result in the conversion of those to whom it is made. This special call is not made to all sinners but is issued to the elect only. The Spirit is in no way dependent upon their help or cooperation for success in his work of bringing them to Christ. It is for this reason that Calvinists speak of the Spirit’s call and of God’s grace in saving sinners as being “efficacious,” “invincible,” or “irresistible.” The grace which the Holy Spirit extends to the elect cannot be thwarted or refused; it never fails to bring them to true faith in Christ.

Nevertheless, the canons do not regard men as if they were soulless machines without a will: “The grace of regeneration does not treat men as senseless stocks and blocks, nor takes away their will and its properties, neither does violence thereto; but spiritually quickens, heals, corrects, and at the same time sweetly and powerfully bends it” toward sincere obedience.1 God works through the means of the gospel, addressing men’s minds through the preaching of the Word, which must not be neglected.2 Many Puritans wrote on the subject of effectual calling and conversion; one excellent resource is by John Flavel (c. 1628–1691), The Method of Grace in the Gospel Redemption.3

Biblical Support

A. General statements showing that salvation is the work of the Spirit as well as that of the Father and the Son.

Romans 8:14 - LSB

14 For as many as are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

1 Corinthians 2:10-14 - LSB

10 But to us God revealed them through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the depths of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the depths of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the depths graciously given to us by God, 13 of which depths we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual depths with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the depths of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually examined.

1 Corinthians 6:11 - LSB

11 And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 12:3 - LSB

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:6 - LSB

6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 - LSB

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

1 Peter 1:2 - LSB

2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

B. Through regeneration or the new birth sinners are given spiritual life and made God’s children. The Bible describes this process as a spiritual resurrection, a creation, the giving of a new heart, etc. The inward change, which is thus wrought through the Holy Spirit, results from God’s power and grace, and in no way is He dependent upon man’s help for success in this work.

1. Sinners, through regeneration, are brought into God’s kingdom and are made His children. The author of this “second” birth is the Holy Spirit; the instrument which He uses is the word of God.

John 1:12-13 - LSB

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3:3-8 - LSB

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

Titus 3:5 - LSB

5 He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

1 Peter 1:3 - LSB

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:23 - LSB

23 for you have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 John 5:4 - LSB

4 For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world—our faith.

2. Through the Spirit’s work the dead sinner is given a new heart (nature) and made to walk in God’s law. In Christ he becomes a new creation.

Deuteronomy 30:6 - LSB

6 “Moreover Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 - LSB

26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments.

Galatians 6:15 - LSB

15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Ephesians 2:10 - LSB

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 - LSB

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,

3. The Holy Spirit raises the sinner from his state of spiritual death and makes him alive.

John 5:21 - LSB

21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.

Ephesians 2:1-5 - RSV

1 And you he made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ…

Colossians 2:13 - LSB

13 And you being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him, having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions.

C. God makes known to His chosen ones the secrets of the kingdom through the inward personal revelation given by the Spirit.

Matthew 11:25-27 - LSB

25 Come to Me
At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27 All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

Luke 10:21 - LSB

21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

Matthew 13:10, 11-16 - LSB

10 The Purpose of the Parables
And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 And Jesus answered and said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

Luke 8:10 - LSB

10 And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

Matthew 16:15-17 - LSB

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

John 6:37, 44, 45, 64, 65 - LSB

37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”

1 Corinthians 2:14 - LSB

14 But a natural man does not accept the depths of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually examined.

Ephesians 1:17-18 - LSB

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the full knowledge of Him, 18 so that you—the eyes of your heart having been enlightened—will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

See also John 10:3–6, 16, 26–29.

D. Faith and repentance are divine gifts and are wrought in the soul through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:31 - LSB

31 This One God exalted to His right hand as a Leader and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 11:18 - LSB

18 And when they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

Acts 13:48 - LSB

48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Acts 16:14 - LSB

14 And a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening, whose heart the Lord opened to pay attention to the things spoken by Paul.

Acts 18:27 - LSB

27 And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace,

Ephesians 2:8-9 - LSB

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, so that no one may boast.

Philippians 1:29 - LSB

29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

2 Timothy 2:25-26 - LSB

25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may give them repentance leading to the full knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

E. The gospel invitation extends a general outward call to salvation to all who hear the message. In addition to this external call, the Holy Spirit extends a special inward call to the elect only. The general call of the gospel can be, and often is, rejected, but the special call of the Spirit cannot be rejected; it always results in the conversion of those to whom it is made.

Acts 16:14-15 - LSB

14 And a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening, whose heart the Lord opened to pay attention to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

Romans 1:6-7 - LSB

6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints…

Romans 8:30 - LSB

30 and those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.

Romans 9:23-24 - LSB

23 and in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles?

1 Corinthians 1:1, 2, 9, 23–31 - LSB

1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may abolish the things that are, 29 so that no flesh may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Galatians 1:15-16 - LSB

15 But when God, who had set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might proclaim Him as good news among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,

Ephesians 4:4 - LSB

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;

2 Timothy 1:9 - LSB

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

Hebrews 9:15 - LSB

15 And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the trespasses that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Jude 1:1 - LSB

1 Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 1:15 - LSB

15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your conduct;

1 Peter 2:9 - LSB

9 But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

1 Peter 5:10 - LSB

10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, strengthen, confirm, and ground you.

2 Peter 1:3 - LSB

3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the full knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

Revelation 17:14 - LSB

14 These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and elect and faithful.”

F. The application of salvation is all of grace and is accomplished solely through the almighty power of God.

Isaiah 55:11 - LSB

11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what pleases Me,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

John 3:27 - LSB

27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

John 17:2 - LSB

2 even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.

Romans 9:16 - LSB

16 So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who runs, but on God who has mercy.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 - LSB

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

1 Corinthians 4:7 - LSB

7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Philippians 2:12-13 - LSB

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

James 1:18 - LSB

18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

1 John 5:20 - LSB

20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

More Verses

The Spirit Saves

Romans 8:14 - ESV

  1. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

1 Corinthians 2:10-13 - ESV

  1. these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
  2. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
  3. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
  4. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

1 Corinthians 6:11 - ESV

  1. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 12:3 - ESV

  1. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:6 - ESV

  1. who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 - ESV

  1. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
  2. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

1 Peter 1:1-2 - ESV

  1. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
  2. according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

The Spirit Gives New Birth

Deuteronomy 30:6 - ESV

  1. And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Ezekiel 11:19 - ESV

  1. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,

Ezekiel 36:26-27 - ESV

  1. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
  2. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

John 1:12-13 - ESV

  1. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
  2. who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3:3-8 - ESV

  1. Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
  2. Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
  3. Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
  4. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
  5. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
  6. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 5:21 - ESV

  1. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 - ESV

  1. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
  2. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

Galatians 6:15 - ESV

  1. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Ephesians 2:5 - ESV

  1. even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved —

Ephesians 2:10 - ESV

  1. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Colossians 2:13 - ESV

  1. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

Titus 3:5 - ESV

  1. he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

1 Peter 1:3 - ESV

  1. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:23 - ESV

  1. since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

1 John 5:4 - ESV

  1. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.

The Spirit Reveals the Secrets of God

Matthew 11:25-27 - ESV

  1. At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;
  2. yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
  3. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Matthew 13:10-11 - ESV

  1. Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
  2. And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

Matthew 13:16 - ESV

  1. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

Matthew 16:15-17 - ESV

  1. He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
  2. Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
  3. And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Luke 8:10 - ESV

  1. he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

Luke 10:21 - ESV

  1. In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

John 6:37 - ESV

  1. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

John 6:44-45 - ESV

  1. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
  2. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me —

John 6:64-65 - ESV

  1. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
  2. And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

John 10:3-6 - ESV

  1. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
  2. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
  3. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
  4. This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

John 10:16 - ESV

  1. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

John 10:26-29 - ESV

  1. but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.
  2. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
  3. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
  4. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

1 Corinthians 2:14 - ESV

  1. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Ephesians 1:17-18 - ESV

  1. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
  2. having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

The Spirit Gives Faith and Repentance

Acts 5:31 - ESV

  1. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 11:18 - ESV

  1. When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Acts 13:48 - ESV

  1. And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Acts 16:14 - ESV

  1. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

Acts 18:27 - ESV

  1. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,

Ephesians 2:8-9 - ESV

  1. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
  2. not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Philippians 1:29 - ESV

  1. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

2 Timothy 2:25-26 - ESV

  1. correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,
  2. and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

The Spirit Effectually Calls

Romans 1:6-7 - ESV

  1. including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
  2. To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:30 - ESV

  1. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 9:23-24 - ESV

  1. in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory —
  2. even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

1 Corinthians 1:1-2 - ESV

  1. Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
  2. To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

1 Corinthians 1:9 - ESV

  1. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:23-31 - ESV

  1. but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
  2. but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
  3. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
  4. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
  5. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
  6. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
  7. so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
  8. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
  9. so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Galatians 1:15-16 - ESV

  1. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,
  2. was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;

Ephesians 4:4 - ESV

  1. There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call —

2 Timothy 1:9 - ESV

  1. who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

Hebrews 9:15 - ESV

  1. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Jude 1:1 - ESV

  1. Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 1:15 - ESV

  1. but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

1 Peter 2:9 - ESV

  1. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 5:10 - ESV

  1. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

2 Peter 1:3 - ESV

  1. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

Revelation 17:14 - ESV

  1. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

Salvation Given by a Sovereign God

Isaiah 55:11 - ESV

  1. so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

John 3:27 - ESV

  1. John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.

John 17:2 - ESV

  1. since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

Romans 9:16 - ESV

  1. So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 - ESV

  1. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
  2. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

1 Corinthians 4:7 - ESV

  1. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

Philippians 2:12-13 - ESV

  1. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
  2. for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

James 1:18 - ESV

  1. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

1 John 5:20 - ESV

  1. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Footnotes

  1. Canons of Dort (3/4.16), in The Three Forms of Unity, 147. ↩︎

  2. Canons of Dort (3/4.17), in The Three Forms of Unity, 147–48. ↩︎

  3. John Flavel, The Method of Grace in the Gospel Redemption, in The Works of John Flavel (1820; repr., Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1968), 2:3–474. ↩︎

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