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The Westminster Confession of Faith and Larger Catechism
1. At the right time, appointed by him, God effectually calls all those and only those whom he has predestined to life. He calls them by his word and Spirit out of their natural state of sin and death into grace and salvation through Jesus Christ.[1] He enlightens their minds spiritually with a saving understanding of the things of God.[2] He takes away their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh.[3] He renews their wills and by his almighty power leads them to what is good.[4] And so he effectually draws them to Jesus Christ.[5] But they come to Jesus voluntarily, having been made willing by God's grace.[6]
[1] Rom 8:28,30, 11:7, Eph 1:5,10-11, 2 Thes 2:13-14, 2 Cor 3:3,6, Rom 8:2, 2 Tm 1:9-10, Jn 15:16, Acts 13:48, 1 Thes 5:9, Jas 1:18, 1 Cor 2:12, Eph 2:1-10.
[2] Acts 26:18, 1 Cor 2:10,12, Eph 1:17-18, 2 Cor 4:6.
[4] Ez 11:19, Phil 2:13, Dt 30:6, Ez 36:27, Phil 4:13, Jn 3:5, Gal 6:15, Ti 3:5, 1 Pt 1:23.
[6] Sg 1:4, Ps 110:3, Jn 6:37, Rom 6:16-18, Mt 11:28, Rv 22:17; see under figure 5 above.
2. This effectual call is freely made by God and is entirely an act of his special grace. It does not depend on anything God foreknew or foresaw about the person called, [7] who is completely passive. God himself gives life and renewal by the Holy Spirit.[8] He thereby enables each person to answer his call and to accept the grace he offers and actually gives.[9]
[7] 2 Tm 1:9, Ti 3:4-5, Eph 2:4-5, 8-9, Rom 9:11.
[8] 1 Cor 2:14, Rom 8:7-9, Eph 2:5.
[9] Jn 6:37, Ez 36:27, Jn 5:25.
3. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ, through the Spirit,[10] who works when, where, and how he pleases.[11] The same is true of all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word.[12]
[10] Lk 18:15-16, Acts 2:38-39, Jn 3:3,5-6, 1 Jn 5:12, Rom 8:9, Gn 17:7, Ps 105:8-10, Ez 16:20-21, Gal 3:29, Acts 16:15,31-33, 1 Cor 1:16.
[12] 1 Jn 5:12, Acts 4:12, Jn 3:8, 16:7-8.
4. Others, not elect, may be called by the ministry of the word, and the Spirit may work in them in some of the same ways he works in the elect. However, they never truly come to Christ and therefore cannot be saved.[13] And, of course, people, not professing the Christian religion, cannot be saved in any other way at all,[14] no matter how hard they try to live a moral life according to their own understanding or try to follow the rules of some other religion. To say they can be saved is extremely harmful and should be denounced.[15]
[13] Mt 22:14, 7:22, 13-15, 20-21, Heb 6:4-6, Jn 6:64-66, 8:24, 1 Jn 2:19, Acts 28:24.
[14] Acts 4:12, Jn 14:6, Eph 2:12-13, Jn 4:22, 17:3.
[15] 2 Jn 9-11, 1 Cor 16:22, Gal 1:6-8.
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