Those whom God has predestinated to life, he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time to effectually call by his word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death which they are in by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. He enlightens their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God. He takes away their heart of stone and gives to them a heart of flesh. He renews their wills, and by his almighty power, causes them to desire and pursue that which is good. He effectually draws them to Jesus Christ, yet in such a way that they come absolutely freely, being made willing by his grace.
This effectual call is of God’s free and special grace alone, not on account of anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature working together with God’s special grace, the creature being wholly passive therein, being dead in trespasses and sins until quickened [= made alive] and renewed by the Holy Spirit. By this he is enabled to answer the call and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed by it. This enabling power is no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead.
RBC does not subscribe to the teaching of Chapter Ten, paragraph 3. We teach that the Scripture makes no overt statement as to the fate of infants or the mentally handicapped who are an example of “persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word.” But, God, in His grace, has dealt mercifully with infants and there is no reason to expect He is not merciful in every instance today (see Deut 1:35-39; 2Sam 12:23; 1Kgs 14:9-13; Job 3:11-19; Eccl 6:1-5; Isa 7:16; Jer 19:4-7; Ezek 16:4; 21; 18:20; Jonah 4:11; Rev 5:9). Paragraph 3 reads, “Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who works when, where, and how he pleases. So also are all elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word.”
Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the word, and may experience some common operations of the Spirit, yet because they are not effectually drawn by the Father, they will not and cannot truly come to Christ and therefore cannot be saved. Much less can men who do not embrace the Christian religion be saved no matter how diligent they may be to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the requirements of the religion they profess.