Effectual Call - Author and Results

Driving home: As we trace the links of our salvation back into eternity, we see them forged of the raw materials of grace by the hand of loving sovereignty.

Pastor Martin pictures the chain of salvation: every link — election, predestination, calling, justification, glorification — is forged of the same raw material of grace by the same hand of loving sovereignty. The links going back into eternity are not made of icy steel but of grace.

As we trace the links of our salvation back into eternity, we see them forged of the raw materials of grace by the hand of loving sovereignty. Those links that go back into eternity are made of grace and forged by hands of loving sovereignty. Election, predestination, foreknowledge,

17:58 - 18:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Worship God Trinitarianly, especially the Father in His role as the calling One — not the modern 'Jesus only' worship.

Pastor Martin critiques contemporary movements where 'everything is sweet Jesus, Jesus this and Jesus that' until you suspect they are oblivious to the Father and the Spirit. Christ is treated like an elevated rock star around whom worshipers gather, instead of being worshiped Trinitarianly.

with respect to certain movements that are very popular in our day, which claim adherence by the millions. And everything is sweet Jesus. Jesus this and Jesus that, until one is suspicious. The kindest thing one can say is that it is, at best, distorted worship. And at worst, it may be a form of idolatry, in which Jesus has simply become the super-buru,

26:47 - 27:15 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You ought to worship the Father for calling you. The voice that not only reached your ear, but ensnared your heart.

Pastor Martin models worship to God the Father: 'Thank you that before the world was framed you loved me. You chose me. You marked me out as the object of your saving mercy.' He shows what informed Trinitarian adoration sounds like.

Thank you, O God, that before the world was framed for reasons locked up in your own loving sovereignty, in the inscrutable mystery of your own designs. You loved me. You chose me in Christ. O my Father, thank you. How often have you said, Father, thank you for so loving the world as to send your only begotten Son, That whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Thank you, Father, for sending the Son. How often have you said, Father, thank you.

28:41 - 29:17 Read in full sermon

Pastor Martin: when God calls, it is not like walking up to a service counter, putting in your request, and someone goes to check the computer for stock. It is the activity by which Christ Himself becomes our portion — fellowship effected, union created.

And you came up to the outside and gave in your request. And there was someone who went in and checked the computer to see if it was in stock. And then it's handed out to you. No, no. Jesus Christ is the great reservoir of blessing. And God does not parcel that blessing to men outside of Christ. But what He does is to put us in the reservoir. God is faithful by whom you were called into the fellowship. Into the communion. Into the participation.

31:40 - 32:06 Read in full sermon

1 Peter 2:9 — called out of darkness into His marvelous light. Pastor Martin notes that John uses light and darkness primarily as ethical and moral categories. The call is not just illumination of the mind but transfer from one moral kingdom to another.

Now, there are certain contexts in which darkness and light have reference primarily to the illumination of the mind. But by and large, the emphasis is moral and ethical. You remember what Jesus said? This is the condemnation. Light is come into the world and men love what? Darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. He that doeth evil will not.

35:01 - 35:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Take seriously that God calls you with a holy calling — saintliness is not optional but constitutive of your call.

Pastor Martin says the person who is only a few moments old in Christ is already a saint — not in name only, but in reality. Calling effects a real transfer from the realm of darkness to the realm of light.

that the result of the call will be that I am constituted a saint, not in name only, not in theory, but in reality. And the person who is only a few moments old in Christ, if we could conceive of someone who had been called under the preaching even this morning, who came to faith and repentance three minutes ago, God has constituted that person a saint by virtue of being brought into fellowship with his Son, that individual has been delivered out of darkness and into his marvelous light. He is a called saint. He is set apart unto God in union with Christ. And now Christian growth is learning t...

38:13 - 39:11 Read in full sermon