Effectual Calling, by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
~ Isaiah 41:9, Romans 8:28 & 30, Romans 1:6, Ephesians 4:4, Hebrews 9:15
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
~ 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Corinthians 1:9, Romans 9:24, 2 Peter 1:10
These (the beast and the wicked) shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
~ Revelation 17:14, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 19:9
For many are called, but few are chosen. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
~ Matthew 22:14, Matthew 7:14
So then, the next step which we take is this: we have seen that the Scripture teaches that the saved are the effectually called and that they are effectually called because of the work that goes on within them. ‘But,’ someone may say, ‘why all this?’ And the answer is that this is absolutely essential. Without this work within, no one would ever become a Christian; it is an utter necessity. Let me give you my proof for that. ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit’ ( Rom. 8:5 ). Now the Revised Standard Version puts it like this: ‘They that are after the flesh are interested in the things of the flesh and they that are after the Spirit, or in the Spirit, are interested in the things of the Spirit.’ But the natural man or woman — those ‘after the flesh’ — are not interested in the things of the Spirit at all. They find them dull and boring and uninteresting. They regard them as a waste of time and they hate them. But they that are after the Spirit are interested in the things of the Spirit: ‘For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because’ — and this is the final argument — ‘the carnal mind is enmity against God’ (vv. 6–7 ).
The saved are described as those who are called. And they have been called in a way that the others have not. That is, therefore, a scriptural statement of this effectual call.
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