- The Confession’s Summary on Irresistible Grace

2. The Confession’s Summary on Irresistible Grace

The 10th chapter of the 1689 CoF on ‘Effectual Calling’ summarizes the Scriptures’ teaching on irresistible grace.
1689.10.1 - Those whom God hath predestined unto life, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call,(1) 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;(2) enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God;(3) taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh:(4) renewing their wills, and by His almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ;(5) yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.(6) (1) Ro 8:30; 11:7; Eph 1:10-11, 2Th 2:13-14. (2) Eph 2:1-6. (3) Ac 26:18; Eph 1:17-18. (4) Eze 36:26. (5) Dt 30:6; Eze 36:27; Eph 1:19. (6) Ps 110:3; SS 1:4.

1689.10.2 - 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,(7) being wholly passive therein, being dead in sins and trespasses, until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit;(8) he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace and conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.(9) (7) 2Ti 1:9; Eph 2:8. (8) 1Co 2:14; Eph 2:5; Jn 5:25. (9) Eph 1:19.20

The whole of Chapter 10 deals with God’s irresistible, and therefore the efficacious grace of calling those whom He has appointed unto eternal life out of that state of sin and death which they are in by nature to the state of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. Christ has secured grace and salvation for all His people at the cross and legally imputed it to them, Romans 5:17-19. At God’s appointed and accepted time He is pleased to apply this grace and salvation to each individual elect. He does this by His powerful, irresistible and efficacious grace, thus bringing those in their state of sin and death into a state of grace and salvation. He effectually called them out of the state of condemnation and death to justification and eternal life in Christ Jesus. The state of spiritual death and total depravity and total inability in the elect could not prevent or hinder the power of grace of God in effectually bringing His elect to spiritual life in Christ Jesus. Not even the fact of their active enmity against God in their un-regenerated state could prevent God from accomplishing His redemptive purpose for His elect who are by nature rebel children of wrath.

It is clear that the context of irresistible and efficacious grace is the effectual calling of the elect who are spiritually dead unto eternal life, and that nothing whatsoever can resist or hinder God from accomplishing His purpose. God effectually draws each elect to His Son Jesus Christ. In this effectual call, the elect are irresistibly and efficaciously drawn to Christ, united to Christ, bestowed the grace and salvation by Christ Jesus – brought to eternal life. God’s holy purpose of calling His elect unto eternal life is efficacious and irresistible.