Eric Bechler discusses the Fourth Paragraph of Chapter 10 of the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 and the concept of effectual calling, which is the inward call by the Holy Spirit that leads to salvation. He emphasizes that only those chosen by the Father, the elect, will receive this call and be saved. The speaker uses examples from scripture to explain these concepts and emphasizes that assurance of salvation should be based on faith in God's word and the reality of a changed life.

Our teaching this morning on the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 comes from again chapter 10 of effectual calling paragraph 4.

Others not elected Although they may be called by the ministry of the word and may have some common operations of the spirit Yet not being effectually drawn by the father they neither will nor can Truly come to Christ and therefore cannot be saved. Much less can men that receive not the Christian religion be saved Be they never so diligent to frame their lives According to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do profess.

Okay, this is our last paragraph for chapter 10 so our last week in chapter 10. We're looking at the effectual calling. We learned about the outward call, the proclamation of the gospel, and the inward call, which is the effectual calling by the Holy Spirit. Not everyone who hears the gospel, the outward call, will respond. Only those chosen by the father, the elect, will receive that inward call, the effectual call, and be saved.

The elect includes those who can proclaim faith in Christ and those who cannot, such as infants dying in infancy and those who are infirm or handicapped or in any other condition that causes them to be incapable to be outwardly called by the ministry of the word. We can in general break people into two groups: the elect and the infirm and those who cannot be called by the word of God. We can break people into two groups: the elect and those not elect.

Although this may seem harsh and unfair, we must remember we all deserve to go to hell for our sins. Not one of us here is sinless. RC Sproul emphasized this point. As I mentioned last week, we recall that in this process, no one receives what they do not deserve. While the reprobate get the justice they do deserve.

So in the last three weeks, we focused on the elect as a group. And this week, we're going to focus on the group of those who are not elect. The first part of our paragraph states: "Others not elected although they may be called by the ministry of the word. They may have some common operations of the spirit yet not being effectually drawn by the father they neither will nor can truly come to Christ and therefore cannot be saved."

We know from scripture that only the elect can be saved. Paul clearly lays this out in his letter to the Ephesians in one verses four and five: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will."

In Ephesians 2:8-10, "For by grace you're saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." And finally, in 1 Thessalonians 1:4, "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you."

Others not elected cannot be saved unless one is drawn by the father. They cannot truly come to Christ except the Father which hath sent me to draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

So does this mean that those that are not elected are evil, wicked, horrible people? I would say no. Our paragraph today indicates that they may be called by the ministry of God and not by the power of the devil. And that is not the end of the world. We know our paragraph today indicates that they may be called by the ministry of the word and may even have some common operations of the spirit.

So let's first understand what these phrases mean. Can you be called by the ministry of the word and not be saved? Yes, you can. But you cannot be called by the ministry of the word and that is not the end of the world. So let's look at the verse here. It's a perfectual call. Matthew 22:14 tells us that many are called but few are chosen. And from this, we understand that many receive the outward call, but few receive the inward call, fewer chosen and fewer of the elect.

Jesus is talking to the Jews in the synagogue in Capernaum. He's talking about the bread of life. His disciples were with him, not just the 12 but other disciples as well. In response to Jesus saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." Many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. They abandoned him. And he went back to the synagogue and he did not see him. We have here recorded a number.,We're not really sure how many but a number of people that the bible Calls disciples who are following Jesus around. At a bunch of folks only the 12 remained, and one of them eventually would betray Christ.,All the others walked away from him, and it appears they had responded to the outward call by the fact that they were not following Jesus around. However, it seems no inward call was made, meaning they were not of the elect.

When I was in California, I was in a bible study with a couple hundred men. We met every Monday night. Usually, there are one or two new guys that would show up each week interested in joining the class. They would go through an intro class and then be placed in one of the small groups. They would be thrown into the back room and they would be like, "oh wow." This guy was so on fire for the Lord. It was really amazing. Every part of his life, his conversation, everything was seemed to be devoted to the Lord. All his conversations were centered on Christ and we all rejoiced that God had lifted this man from rock bottom to redeemed. The transformation that he described his old life to where he was now was amazing. For me, though, on my own life and my own conversations, my own choices, and here's this new believer who looked way more like a Christian than I did.

No one could say this man wasn't saved and that God hadn't done a glorious work in his life. But after about six months in his study, he disappeared. He fell back into his old life of drugs and alcohol and who knows what else. It was crazy. And you ask yourself, how can that happen? Well, we read some of the verses today. Scripture gives us a clue to explain this in the explanation it gives for the parable of the sower. Matthew 13, verses 20-22, "As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. And when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. He also that receives seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."

This was sad to see firsthand. This man had responded to the outward call of the gospel. Clearly, it changed his life. But he had not been effectually called. He had no root in Christ.

Let's look at the other phrase that the paragraph mentions today. May have some common operations of the Spirit. So what does this mean? We must first draw a distinction between what it says, the common operations of the Spirit, and the saving operations of the Spirit. The saving operations of the Spirit are confined to the elect only. The common operations of the Spirit can be experienced both by the elect and by those not elect. What are these operations?

The Westminster Catechism states that the common operations of the Spirit may convict of sin, lead to an outward reformation of life of greater or lesser degree, restrain sin and evil, lead sinful people to perform acts of kindness and mercy in the human sphere. Some who are not elect prophesy. They cast out devils, even perform miracles. We read of this in one of the more concerning texts in Scripture, Matthew 7, verses 20-23. Many say to me in that day, "Lord, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? In thy name have cast out devils. In thy name done many wonderful works. And then will I declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."

Some who are not elect are enlightened and given joy in the mysteries of the Gospel. If we look at Hebrews 6, verses 4-5, "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come." We remember the story of Balaam and the talking donkey from the Old Testament. The Spirit of God came upon this ungodly prophet, Balaam. His eyes were opened. He heard the words of God. And he saw the vision of the Almighty. The whole story is covered in Numbers 22-24 if you want to read that later to remind yourself of the story. However, we will only read one part which indicates an operation of the Spirit upon him. In chapter 24, verses 1-4, "When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his discourse and said, The oracle of Balaam, the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God and who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered." Balaam continued to bless Israel. One could say that he was not a false prophet, but rather a wicked prophet. This indicated by his faithfulness only to say the words God had given him.,Yet at the end, he spoke with Balak on how to thwart Israel, how to undermine them.,Peter describes Balaam in less favorable terms in his second epistle, in 2 Peter 2, verses 15 through 16. Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression. A speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

In Genesis 20, we read that Abimelech, a heathen king, had taken Sarah, not knowing that she was Abraham's wife. And God spoke to Abimelech in a dream, I know that thou didst this with an upright heart. And the text adds further, I've kept thee that thou shouldst not sin against me. We see from this that the Lord gives men, as yet without the spirit of sanctification, this gift to bridle themselves, to refrain themselves, so as in outward action, they shall not sin. These are all examples of how those not elected may be called by the ministry of the word, or may have some common operations of the spirit.

So in the second part of the paragraph today, it continues, others not elected cannot be saved, much less can men that receive not the Christian religion be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do profess. Well, what's going on here? Simon Martinian from thecalvinist.net comments here that Christ is the only savior. It's plain from the New Testament, by the Christian religion, the confession means Christ. Salvation is only found in him and is through him. Many passages are plain on this point.

The reason why it is only through Christ is because he is the only propitiation, the satisfaction of God's wrath for the world. He is the only sacrifice that was provided for the forgiveness of sins. To receive forgiveness, we must have faith in him. That is the way we receive the application and effects of the propitiation made for us on the cross. No other religion provides man with a solution to this major sin problem. Essentially, all other religions are work-based. You have to do something to earn heaven or whatever they point you to. While biblical Christianity is alone the religion of pure grace, it answers the need of man. It answers the problem of man's sin. But not only that, it presents us with someone who can go between us and between God, the God-man Christ.

We can turn to Paul in his first letter to Timothy, which tells us of Christ, the mediator, in 1 Timothy 2, 5, and 6. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

Finally, what about the light of nature? This was covered in the very first paragraph of the first chapter of our confession, and I'll read the relevant portion. Although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God as to leave men inexcusable, yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will, which is necessary unto salvation. God has revealed Himself through His creation. All men know there is a God. Some may deny this, but this is an undeniable truth.

Scripture affirms this in Psalm 19, verse one, "'The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.'" In Romans 1, 19 through 20, "'Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.'" But is knowledge of God enough?

Revelation of God through nature is not enough to secure salvation, to secure eternal life. Without Scripture, how can you know God? How can you know His will? How can you obey His commands? If you don't even know what they are, how can you obey them? Well, what does Scripture say? In Romans 1, verse 21, "'Because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.'" And in 1 Corinthians 2, 13 through 14, "'Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things for spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are not spiritually discerned.'"

Salvation is not possible through only the revelation of God in nature in His creation. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says in 14.6, "'Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" He's not one of many ways. He's not a way. He is the way, the only way to the Father. Peter says that there's no other name given to man by which we can be saved in Acts 4.12.,And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

In Acts 10.42 and 43, John 3 and 36, and 1 John 5, 11 through 12, they tell us that Christ gives us forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

In conclusion, we learned about the outward call, the proclamation of the Gospel, and the inward call, which is the effectual call by the Holy Spirit. Not everyone who hears the Gospel, that outward call, will respond. Only those chosen by the Father, the elect, will receive the inward call, the effectual call, and be saved.

The elect includes those who can proclaim faith in Christ and those who cannot, such as infants dying in infancy, and those who are infirmed or handicapped or in any other condition that causes them to be incapable to be outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.

Furthermore, those who are not of the elect, those who have not been effectually called, cannot be saved, even if they have been called by the ministry of the Word, and even if they do exhibit some of the common operations of the Spirit. Because we're unable to know the state of one's heart, others' hearts, we cannot know who is truly saved. Our churches are filled with professed believers, yet not all who profess have been effectually called.

So how do you assure yourself of your calling, of your salvation? John MacArthur tells us that one's assurance of salvation does not need to be based on a past decision or an experience. It should rest first of all on one's faith in the objective truth of God's Word, Jesus Christ, and the Gospel. Secondly, it should rest on the reality of a changed life, marked by obedience, a love for Christ, His righteousness, and a hatred for sin.

Take heart if these things are true in your life and trust God to continue to work out His salvation in your life. Ligonier Ministry comments also on this in a Table Talk article. There is a kind of reciprocal relationship between assurance and fruit. Knowing that we are saved encourages us to pursue spiritual virtues, and our practice of spiritual virtues strengthens our assurance.

Paul says something similar in Romans 5-8, knowing that we have peace with God precedes our growth in holiness by the Spirit. But as we grow, we become aware of how short we fall, which then brings us back to Christ, who assures us that there is no condemnation for us.

True Christians seek assurance not so that they can grow complacent in serving God. Instead, they do so in order to grow in holiness. Amen.