The effectual calling, also known as the effectual call or effective call, is a theological concept in Christianity that describes God’s summoning of people to faith in Jesus Christ. It is part of the ordo salutis, or order of salvation, and is considered one of the steps in the process by which God saves sinners from condemnation.
The effectual calling is distinguished from the general call of the gospel, which goes out to all people without exception. The general call invites all to repent and believe, but it does not provide the power to respond positively. The effectual call, by contrast, not only invites the sinner but also enables them to respond in saving faith. It unites the believer to Christ and results in justification.
The concept of effectual calling reflects the Calvinist and Reformed understanding that salvation relies fully on God’s initiative. Humans in their fallen state are unable and unwilling to turn to Christ in faith; therefore, God must intervene to redeem them. He exerts grace by regenerating their hearts and summoning them irresistibly to saving faith. The Westminster Confession describes it this way:
“All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by his almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.” (WCF 10.1)
The effectual call is a monergistic work of God, meaning He alone effects it without human cooperation. It cannot be resisted, unlike the general call which can be rejected. All whom God has predestined to salvation from eternity past will in time experience the effectual calling that ushers them into the faith.
Scripture speaks of this effectual calling in various ways. Examples include:
– “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:44)
– “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
– “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace…” (Galatians 1:15)
– “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 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.” (2 Timothy 1:8-9)
Theologians break down the effectual call into two components:
**External Call**
The external call refers to the preaching of the gospel. Through this outward call, God summons people to Himself and the promise of salvation in Christ. Biblically, the external call utilizes the Word of God to prompt and invite sinners to believe. Paul describes it this way:
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14)
Preachers and evangelists issue the external call when they declare the good news of Jesus to unbelievers. However, external calling alone is insufficient for salvation, as many hear the gospel but remain unmoved. There must be an internal response from the heart enabled by the Spirit.
**Internal Call**
The internal call is God’s quickening of the heart to respond in faith. It makes the external call efficacious. When God calls a person internally, He enlightens their mind, softens their heart, and infuses spiritual life, allowing them to receive the outward invitation. The 16th century Reformed theologian William Perkins described the internal call as “God’s making of us able and willing to come to Christ.”
The internal call often works through or concurs with the external call. As the gospel is proclaimed, God sovereignly regenerates the elect and gives them ears to hear. The Word serves as an instrument of the Spirit to awaken sinners to new life. But occasionally, the internal call precedes the external, as when God called Abraham, Samuel, and Paul directly. No matter the order, God unites the Word with inner working to elicit saving faith.
Charles Spurgeon, the famous 19th century Calvinistic Baptist preacher, explained it this way:
“The general call is in itself insufficient; it must be accompanied by the special internal working of the Holy Spirit… The outward call comes to many who never accept it, for they wilfully resist the Holy Spirit. When the internal call comes, through the effectual working of the Spirit of God, it produces results.”
So in summary, the external call issues the general invitation through preaching, while the internal call awakens the elect to respond positively. Both are crucial components of the effectual call leading to salvation.
**Irresistibility of the Effectual Call**
A key aspect of the effectual call is its irresistible nature. All those whom God calls internally cannot thwart or reject His summons, but are brought to faith infallibly. This irresistibility is due to regeneration that changes the disposition and overcomes depravity. When God quickens, the sinner willingly comes to Christ.
This opposes Arminian theology, which argues that prevenient grace nullifies the bondage of the will to only allow acceptance or resistance. Calvinists insist God must intervene further by bestowing irresistible grace that effects positive response. If the call depended on human cooperation, the certainty of salvation would be jeopardized.
The Westminster Confession affirms this irresistibility:
“This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.”
Some key passages that point to the irresistible nature include:
– “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)
– “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)
– “For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” (Romans 9:15-16)
– “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” (Ephesians 1:11)
Since God decrees the end of salvation, the means He uses to accomplish it (the effectual call) must be efficacious. All whom He predestines in eternity past receive the call in time that inevitably ushers them into saving faith.
This irresistibility raises the question of human freedom. If God unilaterally calls and transforms the will, how can faith be considered voluntary? The Reformed response is that the effectual call frees us from sin to embrace God wholeheartedly, in alignment with our regenerated natures. We are freed to believe in a way alien to unregenerate persons.
**Ordo Salutis**
Where does effectual calling fit in the logical order of salvation (ordo salutis)? There is some disagreement, but a common Reformed approach is:
1. Election – God’s choice of people to be saved (Romans 8:29-30)
2. The Gospel Call – The proclaiming of the gospel externally to all (Matthew 22:14)
3. Regeneration – Being born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8)
4. Conversion (Saving Faith & Repentance) – The response of faith to the gospel (Romans 10:9)
5. Justification – Being legally declared righteous (Romans 5:1)
6. Adoption – Placement into God’s family (Romans 8:15)
7. Sanctification – The life-long process of being made holy (Philippians 2:12-13)
8. Perseverance – Remaining in faith till the end (Romans 8:38-39)
9. Glorification – Receiving a resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)
Note that the gospel call precedes regeneration, indicating it often has a role in effectual calling. But regeneration must occur before conversion, showing that God quickens first so the response of faith can follow. Justification follows conversion as the legal declaration after the response.
This ordo salutis preserves God’s sovereignty in salvation while maintaining human freedom and responsibility. The external call reveals that all are invited, while the internal call shows that God enables the elect to embrace the gospel. Both are part of the unbreakable chain leading to salvation.
**Evaluation and Conclusion**
The doctrine of effectual calling is an attempt to synthesize the biblical data on how a sovereign God saves sinners without violating human will and responsibility. It avoids the extremes of hyper-Calvinism on the one side and Arminianism on the other. It upholds the Reformed distinctives of election, regeneration prior to faith, and irresistible grace while still affirming the necessity of conversion and the genuineness of belief.
Of course, each aspect of the doctrine surfaces its own set of questions. Some critics argue that irresistible grace makes evangelism pointless or implies saving those not interested in Christ. Others worry it diminishes free will or turns people into passive subjects rather than active responders.
Defenders respond that it exalts God’s sovereignty and ability to liberate human volition from bondage to sin. His monergistic actions call passive sinners to actively believe. Far from making evangelism pointless, the external call is the means by which God normally brings about His irresistible internal call. Effectual calling therefore fuels urgency to spread the gospel.
There are also differences among Calvinists on the logical order of regeneration and effectual calling. All agree that the internal call of God precedes faith, but some argue regeneration occurs after the effectual call rather than before. Others distinguish regeneration and the effectual call while maintaining the order proposed earlier.
In conclusion, the effectual call is a theologically rich concept with significant implications for how we understand the sovereign grace of God in relation to human responsibility. It emphasizes divine initiative while underscoring the authenticity of human response. The nuances and tensions inherent in the doctrine merit careful consideration as the church strives to be faithful to Scripture.