Effectual Calling
A Sermon on the Effectual Call
Originally preached Feb. 5, 1954
Scripture
Sermon Description
The gospel call goes to all, but only some are saved. Some are not saved. What’s the difference? In this sermon titled “Effectual Call,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines that while the gospel call goes to all, this effectual calling goes to those who will be saved. On its own, humanity is incapable of any true spiritual activity. No one can know the things of God. How, then, does one ever come to the point of discerning and delighting in the truth of God? Dr. Lloyd-Jones traces the theology of this effectual calling through the Scriptures. In it, he demonstrates that this effectual call is what enables Christians to receive the gospel. It is the internal operation of the Holy Spirit upon the souls of humanity. It produces change. And since this calling is the work of the Spirit, it is absolutely certain. The called person will now desire the truth of God. They are able to know the things of God. This is not something they have done for themselves, but it is the work of God. They are, therefore, debtors to mercy alone. Listen, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones declares, “I am what I am by the grace of God.”
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by acknowledging that different preachers organize the work of the Holy Spirit in different ways. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says his approach is to view salvation from God's eternal perspective.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones establishes from Scripture that the saved are those who are effectually called by God. He cites Romans 8:28-30, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Corinthians 1:24.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the effectual call is internal and spiritual, while the general call is external. He cites John 6:45, Ephesians 1:17, Philippians 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 2 Timothy 2:25.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that the internal call of the Spirit is necessary for salvation. He cites Romans 8:5-8, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 2:1.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the effectual call as the exercise of the Holy Spirit's power in the soul, an immediate and direct operation of the Spirit that enables spiritual activity.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites Lydia's conversion in Acts 16:14 as an example of the effectual call. Though many heard Paul preach, Lydia's heart was opened by the Lord so she could respond.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones expounds on 1 Corinthians 2:10-15, arguing that spiritual truth can only be understood through the Spirit's work. The "natural man" cannot receive the things of the Spirit.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the effectual call is certain and sure because it is God's work. He does not like the term "irresistible grace" because it implies God coerces against our will. Rather, God persuades our will so we desire Him.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones closes with a prayer, thanking God for His mercy in bringing us from death to life, and asking God to fill us with gratitude and love.
Sermon Q&A
What is the Effectual Call According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
What is the difference between the general call and the effectual call in salvation?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the general call is the universal proclamation of the gospel that goes out to everyone, but the effectual call is what makes it truly effective in some people's lives. He states: "The call of the Gospel which has been given to all is effectual only in some." The difference is that the effectual call is an internal, spiritual work that happens within a person, while the general call is merely external. This explains why some people hear the gospel and believe while others hear the same message and reject it.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe the effectual call is absolutely necessary for salvation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that the effectual call is absolutely necessary because the natural man cannot receive spiritual truth on his own. He cites several scriptures to support this, including Romans 8:5-8, where it states "the carnal mind is enmity against God," and 1 Corinthians 2:14, which declares "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him." He also references Ephesians 2:1, noting that we were "dead in trespasses and sin." Because of mankind's natural spiritual condition, this internal work of the Holy Spirit is essential before anyone can believe.
What biblical examples does Lloyd-Jones use to illustrate the effectual call?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses Lydia's conversion in Acts 16:14 as a prime example of the effectual call. He points out that many people heard Paul preach, but what made the difference for Lydia was that "the Lord opened her heart" so that "she attended unto the things which were spoken." Without this divine intervention, she would not have believed. He also references John 6, where some disciples went away while others remained with Jesus. Those who stayed had been "taught of God" and had "learned of the Father" (John 6:45), showing that God's internal work made the difference.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe what happens in the effectual call?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the effectual call as "the exercise of the power of the Holy Spirit in the soul." He characterizes it as "immediate, direct, supernatural, miraculous" and explains that it creates "a new mode of spiritual activity" within the person. It's not merely a moral influence or persuasion, nor simply a heightening of natural faculties. Rather, the Holy Spirit implants "a new spiritual principle" or faculty within the person that enables them to understand, desire, and embrace spiritual truths that were previously foolishness to them.
Why does Lloyd-Jones reject the term "irresistible grace"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones rejects the term "irresistible grace" because it gives the wrong impression that God forces or coerces people against their will. He explains: "It seems to give the impression that something has happened which has been hammering at a man's will and has knocked him down and bludgeoned him." Instead, he prefers to understand that the Holy Spirit works upon a person's will in such a way that they freely desire spiritual things. As he puts it, "He so operates upon my will that I desire these things and rejoice in them... He leads, he persuades."
What scriptural evidence does Lloyd-Jones provide for the doctrine of effectual calling?
Lloyd-Jones provides numerous scriptural proofs for the effectual call, including: - Romans 8:28-30: "Whom he did predestinate, them he also called" - 1 Corinthians 1:24: "But unto them which are called... Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" - 1 Peter 2:9-10: "Who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" - John 6:45: "Every man that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me" - John 6:63-65: "No man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my father" - Philippians 2:13: "It is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do" - 1 Thessalonians 1:5: "Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost"
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.