A significant amount of time has thus far been expended to portray the extent to which fallen man is utterly dead in his sin. If man truly has no moral ability to see or perceive the things of God, if fallen man does not even seek after God and is openly hostile toward God; obviously something must change or else all people would be lost in their sins eternally. Romans 8: 30 teaches us what in fact does happen to remedy man’s lost and fallen condition. “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” The apostle Paul is unequivocal on this point; those whom God has predestined; that is, those whom God has set boundaries beforehand leading them unto salvation, He will call into that salvation without fail. This calling is effectual in that it will bring about its intended purpose; the regeneration of God’s beloved people. This is not solely a New Testament concept as some believe; it is in fact a concept shared by the Old and New Testaments alike. The prophet Isaiah speaks to this shared expression of God’s calling when he says,
“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55: 6 - 11, ESV)
It is clear in this text that Isaiah is commanding rebellious Israel to return to the Lord and repent for the forgiveness of their sins. It is also clear that the only way either Isaiah or Israel understands that there has been an offense and the need for repentance is that God has spoken thus. In this way God’s word going out fulfills several functions. It is the objective standard that delineates what is acceptable and what is not. It is the basis of judgment upon rebellion and wrong doing. And, it further offers the call for repentance and the promise of forgiveness when repentance is met. In these specific ways God says that His word will not return void but will accomplish what He sent it out to do. Though not couched in the same terms as in the New Testament, the understanding of this text is exactly the same; it is the purpose and decree of God to save His elect. He has planned it and He will execute it as He sees fit. God’s love for His people has motivated Him to initiate all that is necessary for salvation. It is not a work of the human mind just as it was not the words of the human mouth that Isaiah proclaimed. It is God alone moving to regenerate the souls of those whom He foreknow, predestined and called. In consideration of this regenerating work of God in calling His people, three points must be considered. First, what is the Holy Spirit’s work in regeneration? Second, does regeneration necessarily precede faith and third, who initiates this regenerating work? To these three questions attention must be now turned.
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