How Does God Bring Us to Faith?

The gospel announces what Jesus Christ has done for sinners. He has fulfilled righteousness, borne sin’s penalty, and risen from the dead. Faith receives this Savior. But how does someone who is spiritually dead come to trust him?

New life is God’s gift

Sin reaches into our desires, judgment, and will. We cannot cure that condition by persuading ourselves to become spiritually alive. The Holy Spirit must give the life we lack. This work is called regeneration.

The word monergism describes God’s work in bringing sinners from death to life. There is one worker who gives that life: God. Our need is met by his gracious action, rather than a contribution that makes us worthy of being saved.

The Spirit works through the gospel

Effectual calling names God’s work through his Word and Spirit that brings a sinner to faith. The gospel is proclaimed, the heart is opened, and the person receives Christ. Faith is a real response of trust. The power that brings us to that response belongs to God.

This is why preaching centers on the Savior and his accomplished work. Explaining how to improve our lives cannot supply the spiritual life we need. We need to hear who Christ is and what he has done for us.

Confidence in God frees us to speak

We can explain the gospel clearly, answer questions patiently, and love our neighbors. We cannot produce conversion through our skill. Trusting the Spirit’s work relieves us of that burden while giving us reason to keep speaking of Christ.

The same confidence gives us reason to pray. God invites us to ask him for what we cannot provide. His sovereignty encourages dependence: he knows our needs and has the power to meet them.

Faith looks to the Savior

The point of understanding God’s call is to see his grace more clearly. Faith receives Christ, whose righteousness and sacrifice are sufficient. Our hope rests in the one who saves us, and our thanksgiving returns to the God who gave us life.

Adapted for reading from the opening teaching on salvation in The “Five Points” of Reformed Theology. Continue with How Does God’s Sovereignty Mesh with Prayer? and How’s Evangelism Going?.