Basic HTML Version
452
this may be interpreted differently). But these passages refer to the word of God’s power, to
His authoritative command, and not to the word of preaching with which we are concerned
here. The Spirit of God operates through the preaching of the Word only in a morally persuasive
way, making its persuasions effective, so that man listens to the voice of his God. This follows
from the very nature of the Word, which addresses itself to the understanding and the
will.[Bavinck, Roeping en Wedergeboorte, pp. 217,219,221.] It should be borne in mind,
however, that this moral suasion does not yet constitute the whole of the internal call; there
must be in addition to this a powerful operation of the Holy Spirit, applying the Word to the
heart.
b. It operates in the conscious life of man.
This point is most intimately connected with the
preceding. If the word of preaching does not operate creatively, but only in a moral and
persuasive way, it follows that it can work only in the conscious life of man. It addresses the
understanding, which the Spirit endows with spiritual insight into the truth, and through the
understanding influences the will effectively, so that the sinner turns to God. The internal
calling necessarily issues in conversion, that is, in a conscious turning away from sin in the
direction of holiness.
c. It is teleological.
Internal calling is of a teleological character, that is, it calls man to a certain
end: to the great goal to which the Holy Spirit is leading the elect, and, consequently also to the
intermediate stages on the way to this final destiny. It is a calling to the fellowship of Jesus
Christ, I Cor. 1:9; to inherit blessing, I Pet. 3:9; to liberty, Gal. 5:13; to peace, I Cor. 7:15; to
holiness, I Thess. 4:7; to one hope, Eph. 4:4; to eternal life, I Tim. 6:12; and to God’s kingdom
and glory, I Thess. 2:12.
3. THE RELATION OF EFFECTUAL CALLING TO REGENERATION.
a. The identification of the two in seventeenth century theology.
It is a well known fact that in
seventeenth century theology effectual calling and regeneration are often identified, or if not
entirely identified, then at least in so far that regeneration is regarded as included in calling.
Several of the older theologians have a separate chapter on calling, but none on regeneration.
According to the Westminster Confession, X. 2, effectual calling includes regeneration. This
view finds some justification in the fact that Paul, who uses the term “regeneration” but once,
evidently conceives of it as included in calling in Rom. 8:30. Moreover, there is a sense in which
calling and regeneration are related as cause and effect. It should be borne in mind, however,
that in speaking of calling as including, or as being causally related to, regeneration, we do not
have in mind merely what is technically termed internal or effectual calling, but calling in
general, including even a creative calling. The extensive use in Post-Reformation times of the
term “calling” rather than “regeneration,” to designate the beginning of the work of grace in