Theological Term of the Week: Mystery

mystery

As used in the New Testament, something true that we could never figure out for ourselves, but which must be disclosed to us by God; something which was “beyond us to discover, though we can understand it all right when God has made it known to us.” 1

• From scripture: 

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages [26] but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—[27] to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen (Romans 16:25-27 ESV).

• From The Epistle to the Romans by Leon Morris, commenting on Romans 11:23:1 

He speaks of a mystery, a term the Christians used in the sense of something that people could not possibly know of themselves, but which has now been revealed to them. It was not incomprehensible, not “mysterious” in our sense of the term; it was something beyond us to discover, though we can understand it all right when God has made it known to us… . Paul uses [this term] to refer to a number of facets of the Christian message (e.g., 1 Cor. 2:7; 15:51; Eph. 3:4), but especially to the gospel (e.g., Eph. 6:19).

Learn more:

1. Blue Letter Bible: What Does the Term “Mystery” Mean In Relation to Bible Doctrine?
2. Albert Mohler: The Mystery of the Gospel
3. J. Hampton Keathley, III: Mystery Truths of Scripture

Related terms:

• gospel

1 The Epistle to the Romans by Leon Morris, page 419.

Filed under Miscellaneous

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This theological term was suggested by Neil Baulch.

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Theological Term of the Week: Election

election

God’s choice in eternity of certain persons “out of the human race, foreseen as fallen, those whom he would redeem, bring to faith, justify, and glorify in and through Jesus Christ”;1 sometimes called unconditional election.

• From scripture: 

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 NASB)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6 ESV)

• From The Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter X, Of the Predestination of God and the Election of the Saints: 
  

  GOD HAS ELECTED US OUT OF GRACE. From eternity God has freely, and of his mere grace, without any respect to men, predestinated or elected the saints whom he wills to save in Christ, according to the saying of the apostle, “God chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). And again: “Who saved us and called an with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 1:9 f.).

  WE ARE ELECTED OR PREDESTINATED IN CHRIST. Therefore, although not on account of any merit of ours, God has elected us, not directly, but in Christ, and on account of Christ, in order that those who are now engrafted into Christ by faith might also be elected. But those who were outside Christ were rejected, according to the word of the apostle, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (II Cor. 13:5).

  WE ARE ELECTED FOR A DEFINITE PURPOSE. Finally, the saints are chosen in Christ by God for a definite purpose, which the apostle himself explains when he says, “He chose us in him for adoption that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption to be his sons through Jesus Christ that they should be to the praise of the glory of his grace” (Eph. 1:4 ff.).

• From Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof, pages 115: 

The purpose of this eternal election is twofold: (1) The proximate purpose is the salvation of the elect. That man is chosen or elected unto salvation is clearly taught in the Word of God, Rom. 11:7-11; II Thess. 2:13. (2) The final aim is the glory of God. Even the salvation of men is subordinate to this. That the glory of God is the highest purpose of the electing grace is made very emphatic in Eph. 1:6,12,14. The social gospel of our day likes to stress the fact that man is elected unto service. In so far as this is intended as a denial of man’s election unto salvation and unto the glory of God, it plainly goes contrary to Scripture. Taken by itself, however, the idea that the elect are predestined unto service or good works is entirely Scriptural, Eph. 2:10; II Tim. 2:21; but this end is subservient to the ends already indicated.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: Unconditional election — is it biblical?
2. J. I. Packer: Election
3. Challies.com: The Essential: Election
4. Simply Put: Unconditional Election
5. R. C. Sproul: TULIP and Reformed Theology: Unconditional Election
6. Kevin DeYoung: What Is the Difference Between Election and Predestination?

Related terms:

• decree(s) of God
• irresistible grace
• perseverance of the saints 

1 Concise Theology by J. I. Packer, page 149.

Filed under Salvation

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Theological Term of the Week: Effectual Call

effectual call

A work of the Holy Spirit in which sinners are convicted of their sin and drawn to Christ in such a way that they are persuaded to embrace him in saving faith; “the work of God’s Spirit whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ and renewing our wills, He persuades and enables us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel.”1 Also called internal call or effective call.

• From scripture: 

…we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18, 23 ESV).

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:28–30 ESV)

• From the London Baptist Confession, 1689, Chapter 11: 
  

  Q. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
  A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

  Q. 31. What is effectual calling?
  A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

  Q. 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
  A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.

• From Systematic Theology by Robert Letham, pages 656-658: 

Because of sin, no one can respond unaided to the universal call of creation; besides it provides no remedy for sin. Furthermore, no one an respond unaided to the gospel call either. The will is bound (John 8:34; Rom. 6:13; 7:13-14). By nature, people are dead in sin (Eph. 2:1) and so cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3); they cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:14) and so cannot be subject to the law of God (Rom. 8:7). In summary, fallen humanity cannot do good in the sight of God (Rom. 3:18; 15:5; 2 Cor. 2:3-5). A positive response to the call to fellowship with Christ is from the human standpoint impossible. How then, do people believe? The answer is in terms of effectual calling (Matt. 19:26). 

… . [S]ince the calling is the work of the Holy Spirit, it is effectual and immutable (Rom. 11:29); is high, holy, and heavenly; and has as its goal fellowship with God’s Son, union with Christ. Here is the answer to the question of how people repond to the gospel. Calling itself cannot be understood in terms of our faith, although it includes our response of repentance and faith in order to reach its goal. The Spirit, in calling, unites us to Christ by awakening faith in us. He does this by regenerating us.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: What is the effectual call?
2. Ligonier Ministries: Effectual Calling
3. Matthew Barrett: Effectual Calling
4. Thomas Watson: Effectual Calling
5. Steven Lawson: Effectual Calling (video)

Related terms:

• conversion
• external call
• irresistible grace
• prevenient grace
• monergism
• regeneration

1Westminster Shorter Catechism

Filed under Salvation

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Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.