- Are such elect already saved?

4. Are Such Elect Already Saved in Some Sense?

The ‘such elect’ referred to in the question are those who have been enabled to turn from their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation. Such persons must have been already effectually called, justified, regenerated and adopted. Therefore they are enabled by this work of grace to turn from sin and to trust in Christ at the gospel call. Are such elect – definitively sanctified - already saved in any sense? Are those whom the Triune God has effectually called out – of that state of sin and death, which they are in by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ – saved in any sense? Are those whom God has called out of their state of sin and death saved in some real sense? Are those whom God has called to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ saved in some real sense? Is the effectual calling of the elect by the Triune God to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ conditioned upon the co-operation or response of elect’s faith to become effectual? Or is faith an evidence and demonstration of that state of grace and salvation in Christ?

Many believe that an effectually called elect is not saved in any sense until he is converted to Christ at the gospel call, until he exercises faith in Jesus Christ at the gospel call; there is no salvation until salvation is personally experienced! Their mantra is this ‘Yes, no preaching, no faith. Because no faith, no justification. No justification, no salvation.’

The Confession summarizes thus: God justifies, regenerates and adopts condemned dead children of wrath at effectual calling; the graces of faith and repentance are worked in the hearts of the adopted children; such justified living children of God shall live by faith, and this faith comes by hearing. These men don’t believe in any salvation for God’s effectually called – i.e. definitively sanctified – elect, apart from the temporal salvation that will come as a result of the gospel call and their response of faith in Jesus Christ. They say that all that God has done in effectual call to life – justification, regeneration and adoption – is no salvation at all, because man hasn’t contributed his vital part. Man’s faith must ratify and confirms God’s work! Is this the standard reformed position? Then such a standard reformed position indeed falls short of the teaching of Scriptures as summarized in the Confession. It is woefully deficient, inadequate to express the whole counsel of God.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” Eph 2:4-7. ‘Ye are saved’ is perfect passive participle – the ‘perfect’ describing an action that has been completed by the subject, i.e., God’s action of saving when He made His elect alive together with Christ at effectual calling, who were condemned dead children of wrath. The salvation spoken of here is obviously a salvation completed without human faith, for faith is impossible when the condemned dead children of wrath were turned into justified living children of God through justification, regeneration and adoption at effectual call.

This aspect of salvation (eternal) makes possible the salvation (temporal) that comes by faith in Christ and belief in the truth. But the temporal salvation that comes through the instrument of faith by the justified living children of God is not the same as the eternal salvation bestowed by God’s free grace upon the condemned dead children of wrath!

“God…hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2Tim 1:9). God has saved us with a holy calling; His gracious and effectual calling is that holy calling. ‘Has saved us’ is perfect tense – before we were able to do anything! Did we aid Him in any way? Or is our response evidence that He has saved us?

1689.10.1 states that at effectual calling, God does actually bring those whom He predestined unto life out of that state of sin and death, which they are in by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. To be brought out of sin and death into righteousness and life is salvation indeed, even salvation before the exercise of faith! This is salvation wrought by grace, by pure sovereign grace, without the co-operation or response or aid of man. Condemned dead children of wrath can offer no co-operation or response to receive eternal life or eternal salvation by justification, regeneration and adoption at effectual call. This aspect of salvation is entirely unconditional. Condemned dead children of wrath cannot possibly offer any co-operation to receive eternal life or eternal salvation by justification, regeneration, and adoption at effectual calling.

This salvation wrought by God in and for the effectually called elect is eternal in nature. Its quality and value are infinite, eternal and unchangeable; i.e., of like attributes with the Triune God who bestowed it once for all. In this regard, all who have been effectually called to eternal life by divine grace alone are all equally eternally saved regardless of whether they are called by the gospel or not, 1689.10.3.The Great Commission obligates the church to preach the gospel to all without distinction, so that many such may be converted and made disciples of Jesus Christ.

All those effectually called unto eternal life and who do receive the gospel call and believe shall be saved from this perverse generation whose life is governed by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride of life. They shall be saved in varying degrees depending on many temporal factors. It depends upon the truthfulness and purity of the gospel preached; the amount of the gospel truth understood and believed and obeyed by the hearers; the quality of the ongoing ministry of the word; the diligence with which we attend to the means of grace, etc., etc. This is clearly seen in 1Cor 15:2, 1Tim 4:16 and James 5:19-20 among many other passages of Scriptures. All those who have been saved, i.e. effectually called unto eternal life and which receive the gospel call and believe are being saved and shall be saved … for the final declaration of their eternal salvation from the second death is yet in the future, for which Paul yet hoped (Rom 13:11; Phil 3:11). But the salvation that comes through the faith of the justified living children of God is not the same as the eternal salvation bestowed by divine grace upon the condemned dead children of wrath!

Salvation and sanctification that are in any way connected with human activity/response belong to a category entirely different from that which was wrought [simple past and completed action] in us by divine grace alone when we were still condemned dead children of wrath. Salvation and sanctification wrought by grace in us is unconditional and eternal and solely the sovereign work of the Triune God; if any work on our part is necessary, then it is no longer grace, but works. Salvation and sanctification wrought by the redeemed through the grace of God working in them is wholly conditional and temporal (i.e., with respect to this life only). The eternal and unconditional salvation by divine grace is prerequisite and preparatory to, and makes possible the temporal and conditional salvation by the exercise of faith in and obedience to Christ.

Do you affirm that Cornelius needed Apostle Peter in order to be effectually called, justified, regenerated, and adopted? Or were these things already true of Cornelius before meeting Peter. He already feared God, which the unregenerate do not. His prayers and alms were accepted by God, which are not accepted from condemned children of the devil. And Peter’s first words were to say that Cornelius was already accepted with God (Acts 10:34-35). God had cleansed Cornelius before Peter was summoned to bring the gospel to him! Surely, we all understand that Cornelius needed to hear the good news about the glorious eternal salvation he already possessed, in order to be delivered from Roman superstition, Jewish legalism, and his own fear, guilt, and ignorance of Christ!

1689.11.2 declares that faith is an evidence of salvation. At effectual calling eternal salvation is already bestowed, i.e., eternal life is already given. Faith that receives Christ’s righteousness and rests on Him is one among the saving graces. Saving graces are fruit of the eternal salvation already bestowed. Only when God has saved eternally by giving eternal life and salvation is an elect able to turn from unbelief and embrace the truth of the gospel to be saved from a life of bondage to sin and its miseries here on earth! The eternal salvation, and its corollary, deliverance from eternal condemnation is bestowed by free grace unconditionally based solely upon the redemption accomplished by Christ, for a condemned dead child of wrath can hardly meet any condition! The effectual grace that has transformed a condemned dead child of wrath into a justified living child of God enables such a sinner to respond to the gospel call, enables him to believe in the gospel truth, thus delivering himself from a life of lies, ignorance, unbelief, fear, guilt, and sins and all their bitter consequences here.

There is an urgent need to distinguish between the unconditional eternal salvation bestowed by God’s free and sovereign grace when a sinner is in a state of sin and condemnation, and the temporal salvation that is conditioned upon faith and obedience of an elect already made alive in Jesus Christ. Only those who have been called out of their state of sin and death to grace and salvation by Christ Jesus can heed the gospel call to repent and believe to be saved from this perverse and unbelieving generation. The extent of the temporal salvation enjoyed and experienced by the redeemed here in this life on earth is conditioned upon their faith in and obedience to their blessed Saviour, as the examples of Abraham and Lot clearly show, and as our Lord and apostles clearly explain (Luke 8:11-15; 1Cor 15:2; 1Tim 4:16; Jas 5:19-20; 2Pet 1:9; etc.).

Eternally speaking, Abraham and Lot are equally saved, since eternal salvation is by grace alone. Temporally/Timely speaking, Abraham by his life of faith is saved to a far greater measure. But Lot by his faithless life, suffered much timely destruction and ‘hell’ on earth. He made shipwreck of his faith.