1. Those whom God hath predestinated unto life, 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 a 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.
Romans 8:30; Romans 11:7; Ephesians 1:10, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14; Ephesians 2:1-6; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:17, 18; Ezekiel 36:26; Deuteronomy 30:6; Ezekiel 36:27; Ephesians 1:19; Psalm 110:3; Song of Solomon 1:4
2. This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature, being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, 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, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.
2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:5; John 5:25; Ephesians 1:19, 20
3. Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit; who worketh when, and where, and how he pleases; so also are all elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.
John 3:3, 5, 6; John 3:8
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.
Matthew 22:14; Matthew 13:20, 21; Hebrews 6:4, 5; John 6:44, 45, 65; 1 John 2:24, 25; Acts 4:12; John 4:22; John 17:3
1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 - Of the Holy Scriptures
- Chapter 2 - Of God and the Holy Trinity
- Chapter 3 - Of God's Decree
- Chapter 4 - Of Creation
- Chapter 5 - Of Divine Providence
- Chapter 6 - Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof
- Chapter 7 - Of God's Covenant
- Chapter 8 - Of Christ the Mediator
- Chapter 9 - Of Free Will
- Chapter 10 - Of Effectual Callin
- Chapter 11 - Of Justification
- Chapter 12 - Of Adoption
- Chapter 13 - Of Sanctification
- Chapter 14 - Of Saving Faith
- Chapter 15 - Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation
- Chapter 16 - Of Good Works
- Chapter 17 - Of the Perseverance of the Saints
- Chapter 18 - Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation
- Chapter 19 - Of the Law of God
- Chapter 20 - Of the Gospel and the Extent of Grace Thereof
- Chapter 21 - Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
- Chapter 22 - Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day
- Chapter 23 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
- Chapter 24 - Of the Civil Magistrate
- Chapter 25 - Of Marriage
- Chapter 26 - Of the Church
- Chapter 27 - Of the Communion of Saints
- Chapter 28 - Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper
- Chapter 29 - Of Baptism
- Chapter 30 - Of the Lord's Supper
- Chapter 31 - Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead
- Chapter 32 - Of the Last Judgment
- Ending Statement and Signatories