Unconditional Election and Effectual Calling
As taught in the Reformed / Presbyterian tradition
God's sovereign choice of His people and the Spirit's irresistible work in the heart.
The central question that the Reformed tradition seeks to answer regarding the doctrine of salvation (soteriology) is not merely "How is a man saved?" but more specifically, "Who is the ultimate cause of a man's salvation?" When two individuals sit in the same pew, hear the same sermon, and are confronted with the same Gospel call, why does one repent and believe while the other remains indifferent or hostile? Is the deciding factor a spark of superior wisdom in the believer, a more sensitive heart, or a "free will" that remains independent of divine determination? To these questions, the Reformed tradition—following the biblical witness as articulated by Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and the Westminster divines—responds with the doctrines of Unconditional Election and Effectual Calling. These doctrines assert that salvation is "of the Lord" from inception to completion (Jonah 2:9).
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the biblical and theological definitions of "Unconditional Election" and "Effectual Calling" within the Reformed system of doctrine.
- **Distinguish** between the "general call" (the outward preaching of the Gospel to all) and the "effectual call" (the inward work of the Spirit in the elect).
- **Explain** the Reformed understanding of "Total Depravity" as the necessary theological precursor to the necessity of Unconditional Election.
- **Articulate** the difference between monergism (God as the sole actor in regeneration) and synergism (God and man cooperating in the initial act of faith).
- **Trace** the "Golden Chain" of salvation in Romans 8, demonstrating how each link is forged by God’s sovereign action.
- **Defend** the doctrine of election against common objections, such as the charge that it makes God "unjust" or "removes the motivation for evangelism."
- **Apply** the doctrine of election to the life of the believer, specifically regarding the assurance of salvation and the cultivation of humility and worship.
- **Compare** the Reformed view of election with the Arminian view of "conditional election" based on foreseen faith.
Scripture
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